Bridgeport restoration 13 -- Fabricating Enclosure, VFD installation and More!

This time we get the motor cleaned up and mounted. We fabricate and mount an enclosure from sheet metal. We get the VFD installed and get the motor running. We also use a torch to fashion a custom hanger for the long power cord. And lastly, we also fix the plastic down wheel on the head, after the manufacturer placed pin in wrong location.

[@morgannelson9834]

OK. I've been following this entire build. The sheet metal work today was magnificent. Keep up the amazing work!

[@KevinToppenberg]

Thank you for the kind words. When making it, I could see every flaw. But now that its done, I like it, esp when I see it across the room. Ha! Thanks for watching.

[@davemciver6577]

That's a great bit of work you did on the VFD enclosure. Kudos for persevering, given the absence of a a sheet metal brake..

[@KevinToppenberg]

Thank you for the kind words. It was a bit ugly, but I'm kind of proud of it. Ha! Thanks for watching!

[@christinepryor5893]

That custom hook for the cord is by far my favorite part. I love a tidy, wrapped, out of the way cord. So cool!

[@KevinToppenberg]

I should have done that twisty thing, where they get the iron red hot and twist it round and round. That would have looked even cooler! :-)

[@MyLilMule]

Nice job on getting it running, at least, until it started making noise! ;) I appreciate the level of detail you put into some of the add ons like the control box and the enclosure. None of the stuff I make is ever perfect, but I try my best, and it's obvious you do as well.

[@KevinToppenberg]

Thank you. I know that if I just purchased parts, for example the controller box, it would be better. But I really like trying to do stuff myself. I see that same creativity in your channel with your spline shaft project too. Best wishes.

[@MyLilMule]

@@KevinToppenberg It bugs me when I see people, online, responding to someone with "buy one" instead of "make one". If all we did was buy the things we needed, the mill and lathe would be pointless, right? :)

[@KevinToppenberg]

@@MyLilMule Amen!

[@seldendaniel8819]

Nice work, I like the cabinet. I have had good luck soldering thin or small steel parts with plumbers solder. I think it would hold your cabinet together real well. It is not a weld, but I've used it for light duty hooks, enclosures, and making mounts for switches and potentiometers with good results. I recommend sceptics try it out on some scrap, you probably have everything you need in your shop and will have some fun.

[@KevinToppenberg]

Thanks for the vote for the cabinet. It's not perfect, but I like that I hand made it. :-) Are you saying that plumber's solder would hold together two sheets of that thin metal? Interesting. Are there any videos that you know of that would demonstrate that? I'd like to learn more. Thanks for watching!

[@seldendaniel8819]

Yes, it is not a weld or a braze, but still strong enough. I don't know of any videos, So just just break out your propane torch and give it a try! Any old scraps will do. Clean the metal and use flux generously. @@KevinToppenberg

[@chrispy3866]

Kevin, can u please post part numbers for both the vfd and front controller please? I presume you got all of it from automation direct? I also purchased all my vfd and associated parts from automation direct when i restored my 13” South Bend a couple years ago. Their customer service is INCREDIBLE.

[@KevinToppenberg]

The VFD itself was part number GS21-22P0 and cost $204. The front controller came with the VFD, so I didn't buy that directly -- though I saw in the catalog that it could be. In order to get the front controller into my box, I used an extension cord from the company, part GS-CBL2-3L for $23.50 And yes, their customer service was incredible. Unheard of in this day and time.

[@camillosteuss]

Speaking of the wave washer... The absolute worst thing is having a machine or a car that someone worked on before, as you never know if that someone was a witless ape who potentially did something wrong, or lost a bit that should be somewhere by design, leaving you to rely on what you find initially as a guideline, that and the common sense and logic developed by working with other machines and systems... The best thing is running into the machines that were used hard and put away wet, to put it crudely, as you know that whatever is wrong is due to wear, and that can be restored with turcite, rulon, certain specialty bronze strips, maybe altogether different systems and so on, but the rest of the machine is as she was the day she left the factory... Sure, finding new-old stock grade stuff is amazing, but it`s like saying winning a lottery is great - no shit sherlock, but there`s a factor of rarity to such things... Of all 13 or 14 machines that i own, only 1 happens to have turned out to be new-old stock, well, 2 now, but i`ve just snagged the second one, so i don`t even count her yet among the ranks... Oh yikes, that didnt sound like good stuff... Sounds like the pulley ground into the housing, but i likely am wrong... A bit hard to diagnose what sounds like a bad situation from just the sound... Well, unless you hear ``AAARGH, HE IS KILLING ME``, then you probably know that your neighbour has had it with the wife and is in fact killing her, but machines ain`t so communicative... All the best and i hope that noise wasn`t indicative of some serious damage... Steuss

[@KevinToppenberg]

Yeah, I hope the wavy washer was not just missing. Regarding the sound, it all turns out OK. I'll cover in a future video.

[@camillosteuss]

@@KevinToppenberg Phew, nice to hear, unlike that sound... Regarding the washer, yeah, `s why i said that it`s best to either get a never touched machine or never serviced machine that was just well lubricated and taken general care of... Until next time, all the best!

[@Conno9220]

That did not sound good!! Be sure you don’t use the drum switch will the VFD is powered on. You never want to disconnect the power between the VFD and the motor. Oh, and Knox Makers does have a spot welder. :)

[@KevinToppenberg]

Yeah, the sound was worrisome. We will sort this out in a future video. I didn't know about problems with disconnecting the VFD and the motor. I don't plan on using the drum switch, but it is good to know in case it ever comes up. And dang it! I didn't realize Knox Makers had a spot welder! Thanks for watching. :-)