Eric Farrar Posted September 12, 2010 Share Posted September 12, 2010 I've been collecting parts for my first power hammer build for a couple years now, and what may be the best motor I have come across is a floor buffer motor... Here's the skinny: I have 3 buffer motors- each is 1.5HP 1750 rpm 110V (~12 Amps) and each is mounted directly to a planetary gear (buffer mount spins the opposite direction of the motor spindle) that reduces it down to 170 rpm. The diameter of the buffer mount/planetary gear is about 8" and the majority of which is fairly smooth around the circumference and might work well as a tire hammer if I could find a 6"-9" diameter tire so it doesn't get much slower. The mount is cast iron and I guess I could weld a pulley onto it and use a tension driven system. What would you do if this was the motor you had to use for a hammer build? I have materials for the tire hammer or rusty style... The material I have for the ram is a 3.5"x2"x42" medium-carbon chunk weighing in around 45# - (two of these chunks followed me home last summer......) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainely,Bob Posted September 12, 2010 Share Posted September 12, 2010 Pics would really help a great deal to visualize what you are about. A planetary gear set can be used as a transmission or sorts depending on what part is held stationary or allowed to move so mounting involves choices as do the size of the drive wheel and the proposed actuator linkage. Either pics and/or sketches of what you are needing or planning would help us focus. Look at some of Sam`s drawings of drop hammers and other proposed hammers to see what I mean.Because of those drawings others were able to post pics and videos that provided useful info in a very short time and sorted things out rather quickly for him. Besides that,we just LOVE pics! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Farrar Posted September 13, 2010 Author Share Posted September 13, 2010 Pics would really help a great deal to visualize what you are about. Either pics and/or sketches of what you are needing or planning would help us focus. Besides that,we just LOVE pics! I know how much we all love pics - I browse through the forums just to look at pics of others' projects - I love my blackberry - lets me get onto IFI any time, any where... and it takes darn good pictures too, so here we go... First - The circumference of the buffer mount housing... Second - where I took a wire wheel to remove paint and then did a spark test... Third - Diameter of the buffer mount and housing... Fourth - If the planetary gear/buffer mount housing is completely removed, this recessed spindle shaft is all there is with a straight cut through it. The connection from this shaft is actually a piece of PLASTIC. I figure if I really want the 1700-ish RPMs of the motor, I can have a drive shaft stick right into this rectangular hole... Fifth - a decent profile shot of the motor with buffer mount housing... Sixth - who dares submit pictures of a motor without a picture of the data plate????? So, as I mentioned before, I have three of these puppies - one that I have gotten rid of the buffer mount and two that still have it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainely,Bob Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 Couple of questions. What is the RPM of the buffer drive and can you use the OD of the drive housing as your drive pulley?Will it work and be bolted up solid enough to safely run in a near vertical mode? Can you use the housing that the motor bolted to and that surrounded the brush as a mounting plate if you modify it or is it too light a casting? If you can use the cut down housing is the handle mount substantial enough to work as a pivot point and point of attachment? You do understand that one of the reasons folks use a compact spare sized tire as a drive component is that it serves as a flywheel and helps smooth out the operation of the hammer. If you change the diameter of that drive wheel to something smaller and increase the size of your drive pulley(the planetary drum OD)you will change the dynamics of how the hammer will operate to some degree. Not saying it wouldn`t work,just saying it may change things that may come back to haunt you further on down the line. Is there a good reason why you want to use the planetary drive rather than just running the motor direct and going with a proven design?Is space at such a premium in your shop that you need to reduce the size of the hammer and that`s why you`re thinking of going this route? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Farrar Posted September 15, 2010 Author Share Posted September 15, 2010 What is the RPM of the buffer drive and can you use the OD of the drive housing as your drive pulley?Will it work and be bolted up solid enough to safely run in a near vertical mode? Can you use the housing that the motor bolted to and that surrounded the brush as a mounting plate if you modify it or is it too light a casting? If you can use the cut down housing is the handle mount substantial enough to work as a pivot point and point of attachment? You do understand that one of the reasons folks use a compact spare sized tire as a drive component is that it serves as a flywheel and helps smooth out the operation of the hammer. If you change the diameter of that drive wheel to something smaller and increase the size of your drive pulley(the planetary drum OD)you will change the dynamics of how the hammer will operate to some degree. Not saying it wouldn`t work,just saying it may change things that may come back to haunt you further on down the line. Is there a good reason why you want to use the planetary drive rather than just running the motor direct and going with a proven design?Is space at such a premium in your shop that you need to reduce the size of the hammer and that`s why you`re thinking of going this route? The mount runs at 170 rpm - thus making a spare tire of any significant size run pretty slow..... The mount casting is pretty stout and I think it could be used with a v-belt after welding on a pulley or using a flat belt with the mount's OD. The motor housing has about a dozen 1/4" threaded holes around it to mount it nice and secure. The spindle of the stripped-down motor is, I believe (gotta double check the picture) a 3/4" round with about a 1/4" recessed drive mount point. I don't believe I can find any way of mounting to this other than straight into it with a drive shaft on a couple pillow blocks with a pulley on the other end of the shaft. The only reason I would even care to use the buffer mount/planetary drum is as a simpler drive system. Space doesn't seem to be an issue in my shop as I just found out that my medical retirement from the Army means the wife wants to move back to Idaho.... The hammer build may be put on hold for a while... What else could these motors be used for effectively at this ridiculous 170 rpm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainely,Bob Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 Remember that 170 RPM is just a start point,you can move either up or down from there thru different sized pulleys. Try a search on planetary drives and you will see what I mean about using them as a transmission,you have more than one option open to you with these. The first thing that comes to mind for use at the low speed is to make a frame to hold the motor and drive upside down and support a 30/55 gallon drum at an angle. Take an old buffer brush,remove the bristles and bolt the plate to the bottom of the drum.With a little work and a couple of skateboard wheels affixed to the frame to support the angled barrel you have a slow speed tumbler for finishing batches of small to medium pieces. You could also use one with an old sandstone wheel bonded to the brush plate and the whole thing flipped upside down to make a sharpening station for grinding blades.The housing would collect and drain water from a tank or hose set up to drip down onto the wheel. Think of what would be useful to you that operates at whatever speed you have.The sky is the limit really. Wife/girlfriend want to get into pottery?Make an electric powered potter`s wheel for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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