Tom Senior M1 Milling Machine

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Converting to 3-phase with VFD.

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Another project underway replacing the single phase motor with one of the 3-phase I have, they being a Stromberg 1.1kw and Power Plus Motor 1.5kw motors.

One of them to be fitted to the Marlow mill, but not sure which yet – advice?

The photo shows the original TS motor mount with packing blocks added to raise the 1-phase Clarke motor it came with.

Advice please for the following:

There is no mention in the manual about belt tensioning, but the photo copy, page 5, shows what appears to be the studs having been screwed out of the column to achieve this.

Is this the correct way to tension that long power belt? Something doesn't quite gel.

With the packing blocks, the belt was far too tight for my liking.

Geoff – Projects moving on a pace at last.

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Forgot to mention that the machine will be left in Horizontal mode.

Geoff – Three score and ten is responsible, for the forgetfulness that is

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

If you just support the motor on long studs it will probably vibrate badly. Thinner blocks and 'shimming' to taste with decently arge washers would be better. The raising blocks could be made of wood to allow easier adjustment of thickness though it would look a bit 'naff'. Other possibilities that might be worth considering are some blocks of vibration dampening rubber, pluss washers to fit.

wrt motor choice they do say use a bigger motor with VFD than you would straight. And a horizontal normally gets a bigger motor than a vertical so I would say use the 1.5 on the Senior and see how it goes. 2HP without a VFD is way over the top for a small mill though. The 1 ton Victoria horizontal is only a 3HP I think.

[ronan walshParticipant @ronanwalsh98054]

If it were me, i'd remove the plates if they are not needed, and mount the motor on four short studs screwed into the machines top casting. I would mount the motor with nuts beneath it for adjustment. If you were to use one of the link type drive belts i think you would get the length nearly perfect and do any remaining adjustment with the nuts beneath the motor.

If you are only going to use the machine for horizontal work i doubt you will need to drive the machine very hard at all. When i use my tom senior for horizontal cutting, i only run it at about 120 rpm or less and it removes plenty of material without any fuss.

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Thanks for the two suggestions.

Will probably mount the motor directly onto the column.

Suggestions please on what type/grade of link drive belt I should use.

Geoff – A couple of bad nights has upset my schedule somewhat

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

!WHOOHOO, WHOOHOO WHOOHOO! Ad nauseam.

All of my machines are now running at frigging last!

Finished the TS last night after cleaning out the power feed gearbox, new oil and V-belt attached, and it works.

Just need to get oil into the table reservoir, but any advise on achieving this welcome.

I wonder if anyone has spotted the 'problem' with the machine? Not too serious but needs replacing as soon as I've done the lathe FeedRodMotor

One thing on the list is to fit a big red emergency 'Off' button on the front of the VFD enclosure as the 'buttons' on the unit would be difficult to operate in a hurry.

Can the emergency button be inserted into the 240v live feed to the unit?

It's taken me since 2008 to reach this point, but oh so satisfying to now have them all working.

Geoff – Ek is nou baie gelukkig

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

> Can the emergency button be inserted into the 240v live feed to the unit?

Better there than between the unit and the motor, where using it could cause damage to the VFD.

Most (all?) VFDs can be set up to have a wired in VFD. A serious industrial use would have a brake resistor fitted to the VFD so it can be stopped faster than simply cutting the power.

Neil

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Thanks Neil.

Wouldn't dream of fitting it between the VFD and motor.

Forgot to mention that I've added more photos to the Album.

Geoff – Time to order that button

[ronan walshParticipant @ronanwalsh98054]

If the power trips out going to the vfd on my tom senior, it stops dead, so i imagine a brake resistor might be not needed.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Hi Ronan,

Yes, in our sizes it's less of an issue – I use a e-switch wired to the inverter that just causes a removal of all power and a 'coast to stop'.

But imagine an industrial lathe with a chuck weighing 40kg – it will take a good while to spin down, and active braking can stop it much quicker.

Neil

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

ronan,

Please let me know how you get oil into the reservoir for the power feed gears under the milling table.

Geoff – ^%*# headache!

[ronan walshParticipant @ronanwalsh98054]

Geoff, i cannot help there, my machine has an electric motor on the left hand end of the table for power feeds and so has no oil reservoir.

[jon smith 3Participant @jonsmith3]

Hi just notice your post regarding getting oil into the table gearbox.

I fill mine with an oil can under the the able at the handle end, just pus can nozzle as far as it will go under.

Reagards

Jon

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