Electric motor - where to buy?

[Monkey Mark]

Looking for an electric motor for a project (disc sander, linisher) , maybe more than 1 if the price is good.

Ideally 2hp +.

I only really know eBay to check. Where else could I look please?

 

[banjerbill]

Machine Mart do quite a range.

Bill

 

[DennisCA]

2nd hand shops, junk yards, boot sales, craigslist equivalents.

 

[paulm]

I've got a very good condition brookes crompton motor off a startrite bandsaw, 1.5 hp. It's getting in the way in the shed but wouldn't have a clue how to package and deliver it as it weighs a ton.

Any ideas on delivery and a decent price would secure, but wouldn't be giving it away, well I am Scottish !

Cheers, Paul

 

[beech1948]

Paul,

packaging a motor is a bit of a black art but I have had success with the following.

1) buy a tall black builders bucket
2) Place a piece of ply in the bottom
3) Place motor in the bucket
4) Stuff with little plastic packing things or use Amazon style air bags...pack in tight
5) Cover top with ply
6) Wrap with wire from top to bottom and pull/twist tight with pliers
7) Attach label + postage or courier

Inspect for rough/sharp edges and remove or cover

Hope this helps

 

[paulm]

Ingenious, thanks !

Cheers, Paul

 

[Monkey Mark]

I've got a very good condition brookes crompton motor off a startrite bandsaw, 1.5 hp. It's getting in the way in the shed but wouldn't have a clue how to package and deliver it as it weighs a ton.

Any ideas on delivery and a decent price would secure, but wouldn't be giving it away, well I am Scottish !

Cheers, Paul

Thanks Paul, but as per pm, a little above my limit for a project that I'm still unsure about .

Ok, this may seem a little odd. But has anyone experimented with washing machine motors?
Just had to replace our washer and the scavenger in me took over.
The motor is 370w so roughly 1/2hp. Silly high rpm so would need reducing pulleys.
I know they are electronically controlled now so that may be a stumbling block.
Just a thought for now. I know they tend to be good smooth motors.

Anyone with any experience of this?

 

[Monkey Mark]

I've spent the last couple of hours searching the net.

It seems washing machine motor could be used but it would be a pain in the ass. Too complicated to get variable speed and too dangerous in suicide mode.

So that's one idea out the window. A tumble dryer motor would be easier but perhaps not powerful enough.

 

[ayuce]

Washing machine motor is a universal motor, pretty easy to get variable speed. You just need a dimmer circuit, chopping 230v by triac enough to slow it down. But with lower speed youl'll also get lower torque. Plus, its pretty high rpm ( 15 K ? ) brushed motor, noisy and will be limited life in comparison to asynchronous motors.

 

[dzj]

Having made the odd machine for the shop, I'd suggest to look into buying used first.
Unless you have access to a metal shop and can get the motor and parts almost free, it
doesn't pay.

 

[heimlaga]

What dzj said.
I have found that making machines from scratch is rarely worth the effort. Buying old machines in bad condition and rebuilding them is a lot more cost effective. If the frame and half the number of parts are still there it means a huge lot of time and money saved compared to making every single part from scratch.

However cheap old machines often come without motors..... so you will end up motor shopping anyway.

I personally prefere fully enclosed induction motors for professional use. I find them secondhand just about everywhere. Scrap yards and boot sales and secondhand stores.....and also advertised for sale locally. I use daddy's old hand cranked Megger to test the insulation before purchase. Usually i shift the bearings before putting an old motor to use.
A lot of people use old style open ended motors in hobby workshops and if you blow out the dust with compressed air every now and then they are perfectly good enough.
Washing machine motors and other completely open motors are useless in my oppinion. Too dangerous and volnerable. The exceptions being some very old washing machines which used standard motors.

 

[Monkey Mark]

Some good points everyone.

I don't see too many motors come up second hand that are near enough to me to make it worth while, though I do keep a look out.

Whilst rummaging through my garage I came across something I had forgotten about. A motor from a floor buffer/polisher. They were throwing it out at work so I stripped it first.
Not yet sure on details as it is encased so can't see any plates, buy it's bloody heavy for its size.

 

[n0legs]

A motor from a floor buffer/polisher.

I reckon that one might have a bit of go in it, damn near broke my wrist on one when I was a kid.