Hi there. Im new to this forum and hoping for some friendly advice, please.
I have a Silverdrive Statesman Woodturning lathe (I was told when I bought it second-hand 10 years ago that it was the machine used and reviewed by Mike Swain back in the mists of time). It’s direct drive with a massive 3-phase motor running off a 13 amp plug via a VFD (think that’s what it’s called) controlled by a little control box with a potentiometer, small circuit board and read-out, all running off a 13 amp plug on a normal domestic circuit - like the Poolewood Euro lathes (I understand Silverdrive made for Poolewood and there was a big falling out way back - have tried contacting but both companies no longer in business). It’s been a great machine, very smooth running and no matter what I’ve done with it it hasn’t skipped a beat and the highly powerful motor purrs along hardly breaking into a sweat.
But just recently it will no longer run in reverse and now the speed is “wandering” down and back up to the speed set via the potentiometer on the control box. Anyone got any thoughts on the problem here. There’s not a lot of options - motor, control box/pot, VFD. Or does anyone know the right person to come and diagnose/fix the problem - I’m in Sevenoaks, Kent - I’ve searched the net but not sure what sort of person I’m looking for given the mix of electronics and motor.
I have a Silverdrive Statesman Woodturning lathe (I was told when I bought it second-hand 10 years ago that it was the machine used and reviewed by Mike Swain back in the mists of time). It’s direct drive with a massive 3-phase motor running off a 13 amp plug via a VFD (think that’s what it’s called) controlled by a little control box with a potentiometer, small circuit board and read-out, all running off a 13 amp plug on a normal domestic circuit - like the Poolewood Euro lathes (I understand Silverdrive made for Poolewood and there was a big falling out way back - have tried contacting but both companies no longer in business). It’s been a great machine, very smooth running and no matter what I’ve done with it it hasn’t skipped a beat and the highly powerful motor purrs along hardly breaking into a sweat.
But just recently it will no longer run in reverse and now the speed is “wandering” down and back up to the speed set via the potentiometer on the control box. Anyone got any thoughts on the problem here. There’s not a lot of options - motor, control box/pot, VFD. Or does anyone know the right person to come and diagnose/fix the problem - I’m in Sevenoaks, Kent - I’ve searched the net but not sure what sort of person I’m looking for given the mix of electronics and motor.
