Variable Speed Controller For Shop Tools

Variable Speed Controller For Shop Tools FARM SHOP Tools 26-4-38 "Often when drilling big holes on a drill press, even at the slowest speeds, it was too fast and I was always burning out bits. I decided there had to be a way to slow the drill down even more," says Stan McDonald, Foxboro, Ontario, a shop wizard who's known for his innovative electrical tools and ideas. He devised û and now offers for sale û a variable speed controller for shop tools that lets you add variable speed control to any brush-type electric motor or DC motor. To run his drill press, he picked up a 90-volt DC motor at a junk yard and fitted it to the press. It then plugs into the control box, which mounts on the wall in his shop. A knob on the box lets him run the press from almost a dead stop up to high speed. In addition, he can run the press in reverse so he can use the drill for tapping holes. You can also plug hand drills, routers, skill saws and any other 110-volt AC tool into the same box and manually vary the speed. "Speed controls on the market are generally not built heavy enough for continuous use or lots of power. Mine is overbuilt for non-stop use," says McDonald. Larger shop motors, like a drill press, are usually induction-type motors so you have to replace them with DC motors to vary the speed. Most DC motors that you can find at a junk yard are 90 or 180 volts, says McDonald. "There are a lot of them because no one knows what to do with them." The controller box is small enough to mount on the end of a work bench. It has plug-ins for both AC and DC motors. Sells for right at $150 U.S. He can also supply new or used DC motors to power larger shop tools. He'll supply whatever is needed for a particular machine. Contact: Stan McDonald, 402 Mudcat Rd., Foxboro, Ont. Canada K0K 2B0 (ph 613 968-9516; E-mail: smcdonal@kos.net).

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.