Replacement Planer Motor

Cuthriell

Cuthriell
Senior User
Any suggestions for a replacement motor for a Parks 12" planer? The current motor is 1-1/2 HP and very large compared to modern motors. It dates to the late 40s with the planer. I'm mostly looking for opinions on HP and RPM.
 

Oka

Casey
Corporate Member
The easiest replacement is to match bolt pattern and shaft diameter and length. The hp - you should be able to up size if desired.
What is important is the motor rating and duty,

Weg Motors

This explains more than you need. Bottom line, if the shaft lines up , is the right dia and it can be bolted on, it will work.
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
Any suggestions for a replacement motor for a Parks 12" planer? The current motor is 1-1/2 HP and very large compared to modern motors. It dates to the late 40s with the planer. I'm mostly looking for opinions on HP and RPM.
Why are you wanting to replace current motor? If it ain't broke, then don't fix it!
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
It has lost power and smells of burning. If it wasn't so old I would take it in for repairs.
Ah, letting the "magic smoke" out of it. As for repairs, last time I checked with local motor repair place, their minimum to rewind was $600. Check out Surplus Center as they may have something that will do. PM Bob Vaughn, he will know what you need.
 

bob vaughan

Bob Vaughan
Senior User
15 amps at 240 volts would do well. I didn't mention horsepower because motor makers sometimes stretch the truth. Either speed will do. Its a matter of arithmetic with pulley diameter and cutterhead speed.
Beware of "compressor duty" motors. They are not rated for continuous duty and continuous duty is the duty rating you want.
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
Several factors. I have to disagree with some of the previous answers.
Shaft length and diameter unless you want to change sheaves. Keyway dimensions can differ. Some motor shafts can be bushed.
Mounts are usually much easier. Even to get an AX series belt on my Ridgid, I had to put a spacer on the mount. Darn Chinese are not very good at translating either "effective length" or "outer length" specs, A bit of plywood makes a perfectly good motor mount. If the tension is by gravity, you may need to add weight or a spring to make equivalent as older motors tended to be heavier. As with all belt drives, you set by belt deflection force. ( or snug until it does not vibrate)
Keep the RPM the same unless you want to change sheaves. But be forewarned, most wood working machines already have diameters too small for the belt specifications. Minimum diameter for HP is specified by the surface area for contact. Go to Gates or Continental WEB sites for design data. If your cutter head has a single 2 inch diameter groove, it won't support much more than 1 HP by belt spec.
Going from a 1725 to a 3450 to save a few bucks gets overcome by sheave size and cost.
A 1 1/2 HP motor seems a tad small for a 12 incher but only you know how it preformed. 3 HP probably means twin belts at least ( many 3 HP tools run 3) , but not sure if the spindle on the head can accept a wider sheave. So, look at the specs, look at the parts. If it is already double, I would go ahead and slap in a 3 HP. You can increase the tension to increase total friction ( coefficient x force) but at the risk to undue stress on bearings.
Motor prices do differ hugely. Bearing quality, overall quality, duty cycle.
Just because it is a TEFC does not tell you how well it dissipates heat. What duty cycle are you willing to pay for? If a production shop with automatic feeders running all day under full load is very different that running a board, picking up another etc. as it cools down between boards. Good motors wil provide specs. Cheap ones won't.
Quality sheaves can cost a lot more than the difference between motor speeds.
Good motors rate HP on what is delivered to the load under standard conditions. Cheap ones may rate on power consumed. Universal motors are often rated as "equivalent" based on power, not load.

So, what are you working with?
What is the motor RPM
What are the two sheave diameters?
Single or multiple belts?
Are the shafts long enough for more grooves ( highly doubtful)
Simple on/off switch? So internal thermal protection or not?
Face frame of H frame mount?

For reference, look at offerings from Leeson, Baldor, Dayton and MCS. That should give you a good idea on prices and features. Internal thermal protection, or load/time protection in a magnetic starter switch? Prices can run from $350 to $1300 for a 1.5HP. Maybe you can get away with 2HP, but not a big difference.

To be technical, a pulley is a machine containing a sheave on an axle in a housing to transfer force. A sheave is just the round part.
 

Cuthriell

Cuthriell
Senior User
Thanks for the reply, Bob. The motor on this machine is a Kelvinator 1-1/2 HP. It is 1760 RPM and 11.6 amps. I have no idea what it was originally used for. The base/cart are home made fabricated steel and shaft diameter of a new motor does not matter. I think just about anything can be made to fit. The motors I have seen in the 15 amp range are all greater than 1-1/2 HP. Thanks again.
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
A 15 A 220 motor could be well over 3 HP. Again, you main limitation is the sheave on the cutter head. Pick a motor that the v-belt manufacturer says is within spec. Maybe you can get a multi-groove or a cogged sheave and transmit more power.
A modern average efficiency motor of about 8A can be close to 2 HP.
I know I am a bit odd in that I pay attention to the laws of physics. They do call them laws, not just good ideas.
Most shafts are 1/2, or 5/8, but a few metric, so watch out. I 1/2 are likely to be 1/2. Larger likely to be 5/8.
 

Cuthriell

Cuthriell
Senior User
A 15 A 220 motor could be well over 3 HP. Again, you main limitation is the sheave on the cutter head. Pick a motor that the v-belt manufacturer says is within spec. Maybe you can get a multi-groove or a cogged sheave and transmit more power.
A modern average efficiency motor of about 8A can be close to 2 HP.
I know I am a bit odd in that I pay attention to the laws of physics. They do call them laws, not just good ideas.
Most shafts are 1/2, or 5/8, but a few metric, so watch out. I 1/2 are likely to be 1/2. Larger likely to be 5/8.

Thanks. This motor is a 1" shaft. I have several other blank sheaves of the right size that can be bored to a new shaft diameter. My original question should have been, "Anyone with a 12" parks let me know what your motor looks like".
 

bob vaughan

Bob Vaughan
Senior User
The existing motor may well be a brush type that's going bad. Restorations, if possible, can be expensive.
A 15 amp at 240 volt single phase motor will probably give you the best performance. In a Baldor or Leeson or other standard standard brand motor it should give you about three horsepower. If its a Taiwan Tool motor, the label can be anything that's why I specify amps at volts and not "horsepower" Heck, if one believes horsepower ratings then try installing a six horsepower motor from a plastic pumpkin vacuum cleaner . That should be a learning experience.
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
One may ignore physics and engineering at their own risk. Some learning experiences are just expensive. Some can kill.
 

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