Treadmill motor adaptation for Bridgeport type mill.

**machiningfool** · Jul 28, 2015, 09:13 AM

My name is Robert Brown AKA, machiningfool. I hope I am in the right place. A few minutes ago I went to the garage and collected some ideas on how to adapt the treadmill motor to the mill and to my surprise this project will be simple and straight forward. I like to use the KISS principle, keep it simple stupid, stupid being me. After removing the cooling shroud and removing the plastic fan, oh boy there was a 3/4 inch shaft just waiting for a pulley. I am approaching this project with an attitude, that I don't want to get too invasive, so I am going to keep the present 3 phase motor in place along with the variable speed belt system and power the whole mechanism with the treadmill motor. What this does is that I will have complete control of the high and low transmission of the mill and have two ways of controlling speed. One with the built in variable speed belt system and with the variable speed control of the treadmill motor. One advantage of using a treadmill motor is that there is no wiring involved, only placing the controlling electronics where you want them. The only wiring that will be required with this install is a reversing switch. I don't know if this type of adaptation has ever been done, I haven't checked the CNC forum, but I think that this will be a very cheap alternative to the, mill motor go bad situation. Total cost will be, treadmill 55 dollars, two pulleys, one belt. The reversing switch is already on the mill, so will need some short wires. I will attempt to upload some pictures as I watched the video on how to do it. I always like either, way to goes, or raw criticism, they are both appreciated. Robert Brown. Here are some pics., I hope.

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**kbalch** · Jul 28, 2015, 12:23 PM

Thanks machiningfool! I've added your Treadmill Motor Adaptation to our Electronics category, as well as to your builder page: machiningfool's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Treadmill Motor Adaptation by machiningfool

tags: mill, motor, electronics, switch, controller

**machiningfool** · Jul 28, 2015, 03:22 PM

OK, so am I to understand when I post info. on this project in the homemade tool section, it will also be posted automatically in the electronics section? Robert Brown AKA machiningfool

**Jon** · Jul 28, 2015, 03:52 PM

Yes, exactly. Tools you post here get automatically indexed in the encyclopedia, credited to you, and added to your own builder page: machiningfool's homemade tools. Also, threads that win an award such as Tool of the Week or Best Documented Build get moved into the Must Read section.

**machiningfool** · Jul 28, 2015, 03:54 PM

OK, today I identified the components and removed them from the treadmill, took some closeups so that I know where the wiring connects. I bought two pulleys, cost about 90 at Miller bearings, they had me pick them up at the Martin gears warehouse and while I was there the boss asked me what I was doing and I told him and then I asked since the motor shafts did not have key ways he suggested that he have his machinist put another machine screw 90 degrees from the original in both pulleys for more stability and I was happy about that. He didn't even charge me, I thought that was very nice of him. Included in the following pics. are the components. I am running about a two to one ratio. I will explain later. I am going to have to cut out the original mounting bracket to use to mount the treadmill motor tomorrow. The shafts on the motors were real odd sizes, so tomorrow I will have to bore them out to fit the shafts, might have to pull out my 4 jaw chuck for accuracy. The real challenge is how to affix the motor mount on the original motor, but I will figure that out, I already have some ideas. In posting this project, I hope it is okay to post in bits and pieces along the way of the project so that I don't miss any information. Here are the pics. Also if you have any question, please feel free to ask. Robert Brown AKA machiningfool

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**machiningfool** · Jul 28, 2015, 04:01 PM

Boy, I am impressed, you guys are really on top of it, this is a first class forum. Robert Brown AKA machiningfool

**kbalch** · Jul 28, 2015, 04:03 PM

Cheers, Bob! Your kind words are very much appreciated.

Ken

**mr95gst** · Jul 28, 2015, 04:06 PM

I believe that I read from your other post that you have used treadmill motors a couple different time on other tools in the past. Are you using the control board and power supply from the treadmill for speed control?

**jere** · Jul 28, 2015, 11:15 PM

I loved seeing DC treadmill motors adapted to get old machines running again. are you at all worried about the differences in where the power is in the different rpm bands? does the treadmill pwm/controller make up for the differences?

**machiningfool** · Jul 29, 2015, 02:33 PM

Yes, I use the same controller from the treadmill with the same motor so I am assured of a match. I have powered my SouthBend lathe and it sure turns it into a Cadillac of a lathe. In back gear it is amazing how slow and powerful it is. I have powered my 12 inch band saw and am able to slow the blade down for metal cutting. I also made a large sander out of a treadmill and someone asked what do I sand with it, and I said anything I want. I turned a Ryobi mitre saw into a metal cold cut saw by reducing the rpm from 5000 to 900. I have made 40 cuts of 3/16ths thick steel, 10 inches long with a carbide 10 inch wood blade. The trick is the slow rpm. Also there are no sparks. As far as rpm, it is adjusted for the job that I am doing and that is done with the pulley ratio. I also look for a treadmill that has either a knob type speed control or the slide type rather than the push-button type, I feel that I have more control.