Chandler & Price 8”x12” motor
Hello all!
I recently bought a Chandler & Price 8”x12” press. It’s the old style (as near as I can figure, it’s from 1901/1902). It has the knuckle for a treadle but it’s missing the rest of the assembly. I’m assuming at some point it was converted to use a motor. I’ve been reading up on what motors to use on the forum. I do want to pose a question regarding the motor: Is it possible to connect the motor to the flywheel (in lieu of using a belt)? I’m thinking of a wheel with a rubber tread attached to the motor shaft that’ll spin the flywheel. Is that a viable solution?
It can be done that way, but you would need a firm rubber wheel and a strong spring to hold the drive wheel in solid contact with the flywheel. The friction point with that setup is a narrow band of contact between the drive and driven wheel instead of about 1/3 to 1/2 of the two sides of a V-pulley driving a V-belt or a crowned flat pulley driving a flat belt. You would also benefit from using rosin to increase the friction.
Bob
Thank you Bob! That certainly helps!
I have often thought of that method but am happy with a flat belt. Every once in a while things may get out of line and you have to fiddle with it but fiddling with stuff is what I do this for.
I once tried the motor to flywheel with a v-belt on my C&P NS with a small electric motor - it ran so fast it would knock your socks off. A rheostat (did I spell that right?) was no good. So I decided to pay the price and restore the 1930 motor and flat leather belt - not cheap - but I am very happy with the results.
We have a 12x18 C&P that uses a stand mounted motor with a wheel that contacts the press flywheel to power it. It uses leather discs sandwiched together as the wheel. Years ago we had to have a craftsman replace those with circles he made from large boot heels.
When I bought my 1860 Chandler & Price it came with a 1/4 hp electric motor and a long leather strap to go around the flywheel. The strap was handmade of 1/2 inch thick leather and only about 1/2 inch wide. The inside of the strap had been notched with a cut, half way through, every 1/2 inch along the total length of the belt, for flexibility. The speed was controlled by an adjustable pulley on the motor that could be screwed in or out to increase or decrease it’s diameter. That belt was probably 50 years old when I got it, and lasted me for 35 years before I sold the press. And it never slipped off the wheel even once in all the time I used it.
I don’t think C&P started operations until the 1880s. Interesting belt though for whatever press it was on. Probably could get a synthetic one today for much less than the cost of producing leather one of that magnitude.
Yes you’re right of course! Sorry for the typo, should be 1890.
My C&P 8x12 (old style 1906) has a GE 1/2 HP motor (Type BSS, last patent date on data plate is 1916).
I think it hasn’t been used since the 1980’s. I’d like to check that the wiring is ok and the motor is safe to use.
Are there any shops or experts who work on this type of motor? Or do any manuals still exist? Or does anyone have a suggestion for how I might proceed?
Thanks, Phil
i think a belt, albeit more dangerous, is, more for forgiving alignment and tension wise