Do you think this electric motor is suitable for power feed?

[hunz]

Well so I am in the process of adding electric power feed to my mill and was wondering if you guys thought 41in/lbs was enough torque to drive my carriage down the track while cutting a log @90rpm. The motor is rated for continuous duty and weather tight.http://www.ebay.com/itm/LESSON-BRAVO-Series-1-8HP-12-volt-DC-MOTOR-w-LESSON-HydroMec-Speed-Reducer-19-1-/160754347568?_trksid=p5197.m1992&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D14%26meid%3D7470595385282461300%26pid%3D100015%26prg%3D1006%26rk%3D1%26sd%3D160754347568%26

I have looked at power chair motors and running them at half speed on 12v but the rpm's seem way to high....most I am finding are over 3000rpms at 24v which seems way to fast to me although the torque is there. The motor will be controlled with  a DC motor controller wirelessly via a rc transmitter. Thanks in advance for any insight.

[kelLOGg]

You need to know the diameter of the drive wheel to utilize the torque information. I went through the same process as you some years ago. Here is a link: https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,15084.msg213963.html#msg213963

Bob

[drobertson]

If I read the link right, 1/8th hp is a lil skimpy, but if the torque is there that's half the battle,  I would look at something over 1/2 hp, leaning to 3/4 hp, with the proper CB's would most likely fit the bill,  daivd

[Satamax]

Hunz, good motors are the ones from tailgates lifts.

[grweldon]

I was going to suggest the same thing as David... 1/2 HP at least, leaning more toward 3/4.  You would need to know the torque output of the motor and with the 61:1 reduction you could calculate the torque increase.  My intuition is telling me that you would easily stall out the 1/8HP motor with anything more than the softest of woods.

It might also be helpful to know how you are going to drive the carriage.  Are you using chains the length of the bed?

[kelLOGg]

You also need to know the force required to push the mill through the log and how fast the engine will allow you to push it. I pushed mine with a bathroom scale against the head frame while a friend read the force (lbs) and timed it.
Bob

[hunz]

That's a nifty idea with the bathroom scale kellog. I am using #40 chain that runs the full length of the bed. Two idler sprockets on the carriage and the motor and drive sprocket in between that to form an upside down "T" shape. Mounting anything other than some form of a right angle motor will be a tad tricky due to size constraints so hopefully I can find a 1/2hp 12v right angle motor without costing me a small fortune.

Are the tailgate motors rated for continuous duty?

[hunz]

Do you guys think that this motor from surplus center with a right angle gear reduction would work?https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=10-2572&catname=electric

So if the motor is rated at 1800rpm's, does that mean to achieve say 120rpm's I would need a 15:1 gear reducer? I am using 120rpm's as my target point if I am using a 2" diameter drive sprocket which puts my circumference at a little over 6". Each rpm would give my carriage 6" of travel down the track. So to achieve a max carriage speed of 1' per second for return speed that's what I'd need. Is my thinking right on this guys? The motor spec say 1.4ft/lb @ 1800rpm so I guess at a 15:1 reduction my torque would increase 15x to about 17ft/lb of torque @ 120rpm.

[kelLOGg]

Depending on the mill it may be prudent to use a drive chain on both sides of the mill. That's what Cook suggested to me. With only one chain driving the millhead the non-driven side lags very slightly and than plays "catchup" with the other side giving a funny wavy pattern to the board. I installed one drive chain and found that to be true on a large log. I installed a 2nd drive chain and have never observed the pattern again.

Good question about the tailgate motor but I can't answer it. I used a 24 VDC wheel chair motor and it has supplied all the power I need, sawing all day even in 24" wide cants. I added a 2nd battery to accommodate it. Maybe it works for me because I have only a 16HP engine and probably saw slower than the bigger mills.
Bob

[pineywoods]

Hunz, them wheel chair motors have a built-in gear box that cuts the rpm way down. Still might be a little wimpy on 12 volts. I think the feed motor on my woodmizer is 1/4 hp running through a gear box .

[kelLOGg]

Is my thinking right on this guys?

Your thinking is correct.
Consider Pineywoods suggestion on wheelchair motors. Here is a link to ones on ebay:http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motors-Gearboxes-Pride-Jazzy-Jet-3-Power-Wheelchair-Set-2-/271195352365?_trksid=p3284.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%26otn%3D21%26pmod%3D281098042532%26ps%3D54#ht_677wt_868

[hunz]

Well I just found the right gear reducer for that 1/2hp motor and total I'm looking at $350ish. I'm thinking the wheel chair motor would be much cheaper route based on the ones I've seen on eBay.

The carriage on my mill is nearly identical to the manual cook's mills. The wheel and track design are the same too so that would be a good comparison. You mentioned that cooks said to run chains on both sides to avoid the twist/ lag. The non-drive side is just sprockets and chain correct? No second motor? My only concern with running a 24v motor on 12v would be the longevity of the motor running on half speed, and whether or not it will affect the DC motor controller I would be using.

[hunz]

Surpluscenter.com has some 24v wheel chair motors with specs listed. 130in/lbs @24v so if I run it on 12v we're down to at least 65in/lbs or 5.4ft/lb. Is the one wheel chair motor running at half speed going to be enough to say make a 24" slab cut on oak? i'm think that 2-12v batteries in a series to run a full 24v would be necessary like KeILoGg mentioned.

[pineywoods]

re: wheel chair motors.  Somewhere on here there is a post with pics about using a wheel chair motor to power a norwood. He used 2 12 volt batteries in series. One advantage is with 24 volts, you can also use the wheelchair speed controller, which is actually 2 controllers coupled to a common joy stick.. Find yourself a junk wheelchair. There's usually 3 or 4 laying around most nursing homes. That way, you will have 2 motors and controllers, power both sides of the mill.

[kelLOGg]

That way, you will have 2 motors and controllers, power both sides of the mill.
/quote]

I would be concerned about the two motors being the exact speed. IMO it is better to have a shaft to drive both sides of the mill and driven by one common motor.

I think the 24VDC wheelchair motor is the way to go and you have found a good source for it. (I got mine at Surplus Center, too.)
Bob

[pineywoods]

That way, you will have 2 motors and controllers, power both sides of the mill.
/quote]

I would be concerned about the two motors being the exact speed. IMO it is better to have a shaft to drive both sides of the mill and driven by one common motor.

Not a problem. If it was, you couldn't drive a wheelchair straight.

[hunz]

Pineywoods, I have seen the video of the fella who has the power chair motor running his power feed. The one thing I am trying to get away from is being tied to standing by the carriage choking on saw dust. I was going to automate my head up/down too. My original plan was to use an actual 2 channel remote control that would normally power a toy plane or boat. They are little dc motor control potentiometers that would offer bidirectional control. Robot shop.com had a 60A dual motor controller with battery recharge when braking http://www.robotshop.com/sabertooth-dual-motor-driver-6.html. You can throw an rc receiver on them and viola you have wireless rc joystick control. The right side joystick would control carriage forward/rev variable speed and the left side joystick head up/down.

[Magicman]

 ???  Wonder why this thread is wide to me and I have to scroll right to read it all??

[Nomad]

???  Wonder why this thread is wide to me and I have to scroll right to read it all??

Same issue here.  I dunno.

[grweldon]

The thread is normal width to me...

The non-drive side is just sprockets and chain correct? No second motor? My only concern with running a 24v motor on 12v would be the longevity of the motor running on half speed, and whether or not it will affect the DC motor controller I would be using.

I did not see a reply to this question, please forgive if there was one...

The non-motor side would be driven by a shaft that goes the width of the carriage with the extra sprocket mounted on the shaft, pulling the chain on the side opposite of the feed motor.  Be aware that if left exposed, the shaft turns...