Biggest Mistake People Make on a Treadmill Motor Conversion They Don’t Gear the Motor Properly

[@JohnnieBravo1]

Hey Daze; I've done several treadmill conversions thanks to stuff I've learned from your channel. On my bandsaw, I did same as you, took an old Craftsman wood cutting unit, put a treadmill motor conversion, so I could slow it down and cut metal. Facing the same issue with the micro-groove pulleys, I mounted the motor on a plate, took pillow block bearings to put a "mid-shaft" in them, with the larger micro-groove pulley removed from the treadmill front belt roller, mounted on the shaft, then a v-belt pully also mounted to the shaft, and drove the saw with that. It's a double gear reduction. My problem now is, the motor has so much torque, the v-belt slips when the blade binds, and no matter how much tension I put on it, it still slips. So I'm now changing the v-belt pulley parts to chain drive. I have that little contraption shown in one of my videos on my little YT channel. BTW, I have converted my little Atlas 618 lathe, my Craftsman (Atlas) 12" lathe, and my bandsaw to treadmill variable speed motors. Thank you for all you're doing!

[@dazecars]

so glad I could help. I went chain drive when I first tried to convert my bandsaw and I ran into two issues. The chain didn't like the high RPM of being driven by the motor and it was extremely noisy. Rather than a chain I think you might be happier with a timing belt.

[@JohnnieBravo1]

@@dazecars Hey Daze; that may be true. I'm having to machine hubs for the chain, but the chain is the secondary drive, where the motor and intermediate shaft already are geared down, so the chain sprockets will be spinning much slower. If it is an issue, then the toothed belts are the way to go. I've designed some robotics for LiDAR sensor motion that uses those for absolute servo motor positioning, where slippage was not desirable.

[@dazecars]

Should be less of an issue at slower RPM but I still think you will be better served with a timing belt.

[@alanmiller4012]

Clamping the treadmill motor in a vise and using a file to file a V groove has worked well on my three conversions.

[@dazecars]

glad to hear. I knew people had done it but didn't have any details. always nice to have first hand input from someone that has used the technique.

[@zjtr10since80]

As always, you’ve done a great job of explaining complex things simply enough I can understand them thank you

[@dazecars]

My pleasure!

[@zachpeugh]

I’m using a 4.25hp 3100watt treadmill motor to power a lathe I’m building. I’ve been trying to come up with an elegant lever or button based change hi-lo belted change gear concept using idler pulleys but everything I’ve come up with felt way overengineered vs just getting over myself and swapping the V belts on a multi-step pulley. In my research I stumbled across the Go-Kart Comet 40 series CVTs. Could make a really interesting video if you looked into an integration with a variable speed pulley and the DC treadmill motors with an Arduino in there managing the input voltage to steady the RPM. Appreciate your videos, I’m on my second free treadmill machine build thanks to you and Jeremy Fielding.

[@dazecars]

I have not messed with variable gearing. Haven't had much need. I set my DIY mill build with the ability to change pulleys but never had to. It is something I may look into.

[@argee55]

Thank you for yet another information packed video.

[@dazecars]

My pleasure!

[@alliered13]

Thank you for another great video. I’ve been wanting to make a jack shaft for my mini lathe. It seems like that would be a good way to work around the flywheel and pulley problem. You could still use the pulleys from the tread mill but could change over to a regular V groove on the jack shaft for more readily available pulleys. You get good shafts and bearings on the better treadmills would just have to make some little pillow blocks or use the rollers and clamp them down with U bolts. Seems like it would give you more mounting and gearing possibilities especially for stationary tools. I wonder if there is limit on ratios.

[@dazecars]

I did that on my mill build, had a two belt system with several pulleys. Worked well. I was going to mention that in this video but forgot... I guess that will be a future video.

[@checopacheco420]

I have learned so much thanks so much 🎉🇲🇽👍

[@dazecars]

my pleasure

[@frenchcreekvalley]

Nice tutorial.

[@dazecars]

Thanks!

[@GrimResistance]

How necessary is it to keep the flywheel? Would it be better to get rid of it for something like a drill press?

[@douggarson50]

When I converted my drill press, I eliminated the flywheel and used the method of clamping the motor in a vice and filed the shaft down to fit the pulley (5/8" diameter if I recall). Worked great. Never have an issue with the motor overheating after about 3 years of use. I checked the motor many times after cutting a dozen or more 3" diameter discs with a hole saw and it was warm to the touch but I could hold onto it ie not hot. My gear ratio is about 4.5: 2.25 ie 2:1 but I do experience the motor slowing down under heavy load, might check into a smaller motor pulley. Not sure what the minimum pulley size practical with a link belt. Right now I just compensate by dialing up the speed when it slows down. Great advice on this channel, I learned everything I needed to make the conversion from these videos and the website.

[@dazecars]

depends on the motor and application. If the motor is lower torque I would keep the fly wheel, if the gear ratio is high I might consider keeping the flywheel. If I was setting it up in a place where I wanted speed to be very consistent I may consider keeping it. For most applications it is not that critical. If you have room to run it and the ability to use the belt system it came with it or adapt it to your needs then I would run it. My lathe conversion does not have a flywheel but my DIY mill build did. It came down to ease of install and the motors I was using.

[@MikeBaxterABC]

you should include what the conversion is about! ... I watched over a minute and have little idea what you are converting it into??/ .. Some thing for an electric car?

[@dazecars]

People use them for all kinds of projects. I have tons of videos on conversions.

[@smaggies]

Motor driving RPM, AC Servo Motor adding to Mill. Motor Max RPM 6000, will lose torque, at what motor rpm to us your math to calculate Ratio? Hard question when to use Flywheel, will increase torque will lose max amps?

[@dazecars]

a servo motor should have a torque curve available. If so I would look at the curve and make the calculation based on where you need the torque to be. with the multiplier it may be fine at max RPM, it just depends on the curve. I don't understand your other question.

[@kevinvieyra7468]

Sorry to be picky, wouldn't the ratios be proportional to the circumferences? You talk about the pully size, which kind of implies the diameter.😊

[@dazecars]

Yes and no. Technically speaking it would be the circumference but because circumference is calculated by multiplying pi times the diameter you can simply use the diameter. To calculate the circumference: small pulley 2*pi=6.283 big pulley 6*pi=18.85. Then if you take 18.85 and divide by 6.283 you get 3 or a ratio of 3:1. Same as if you did it based on the diameter alone. Rather than doing all that unnecessary math simply calculating based on diameter does the exact same thing.