I have 4 foot pedals for my Clemens lathe. THey all worked just fine at some point I assume. I burned one out today, and the 3 others sparkle and get super hot. I have no idea if it's the wires I used to rig them up, if it's the 1/10th HP motor, or something else.

I have 2 original Clemens foot pedals, and 2 (now 1) sewing machine foot pedal, Dayton 1/10th hp motor.

Hi Billy,
Take care!! You've had more than enough go wrong lately. Did they get wet at any stage?

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

When your pedals get super hot and sparkle that indicates resistance. Did you feel the wires to see if they were hot too? If so, you may be a little light on the gauge of wire.

Tom

Tom, the motor was hot too, but I did not feel the wires. I have the motor wired to a regular brown extension cord that they sell for $3 in Walmart. The motor is wired to a heavy guage wire that goes into a thing to plug into...the motor is plugged into that. From that thing, there is a smaller wire that has a switch on it which probably came from a lamp, this wire is much smaller than the others and might be the cause of the problem.

I tested all my pedals on this same wiring configuration, they only sparkle when the pedal is pressed lightly, when I clamp down on teh pedal and hte motor goes full bore - they are fine. When I crawl the motor they start crackling and sparkling.

Thats the way those particular foot pedals are intended to operate. It's the way they're made. There is a stack of discs inside that provide electrical resistance. They get hot. It's crude but it works and the controls are very inexpensive.

This is why the solid state foot controls are more highly desired. Of course, they're also a lot more money.

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I have 2 solid state foot controls which came with teh Clemens lathes, and used to come with the REnzetti lathes which spark. My prior foot pedal which is exactly the same lasted me 10+ years and hundreds of rods - and yes it would get a little hot from time to time but never made any noise nor did it burn out. THe one I burned out yesterday lasted 5 rods, and the other pedals I have sparkle without even turning a rod.

I just rewired another Clemens foot pedal now, completely different wiring. I open the foot pedal up and barely press it, and it sparks. MAybe this never happened before because I never looked, but I dont' want to have to buy a new foot pedal every 5 rods I build.

It's that thoroughbred lathe you have .....it's like a race horse......it wants to run wide open......

Can you show a photo of the foot pedal type you mention? They just don't sound like solid state type controls.

Renzetti only offered solid state as an option. The standard type was the old Mercury sewing machine type foot control, which sparks, pops and crackles, as it was designed to do.

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Hey Billy.....Your wiring is heavy enough to Not cause this problem. Electronic pedals should never spark, or get hot and still work at any speed ....they should just fry and quit altogether. I really think the odds are it's the pedal.
Amazon, and sewing machine parts people on the web sell decent ones for 20 bucks up. Used on @#$%& even cheaper.

Sorry Tom ... didn't know I couldn't mention the name of that famous online @#$%& site ... won't happen again.

This is the one CLemens used to sell with their unit, it was solid state foot control: [i77.photobucket.com] This is one that sparks, and one that lasted me for so long. That is how I had my current motor wired, with that plug thingy in the middle which the motor went into, that is not how my other one was wired.

The foot pedal which I burned out on that set up was this one, it has A1phasew on the bottom of it: [cdn2.bigcommerce.com]

John,

The rules have always stated not to mention those type sales or the places that offer them. Thanks.

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Billy,

Neither of those are solid state foot pedal controls. They're the older sewing machine type I mentioned above. I knew something didn't sound right about this.


The Dremel control box may say "solid state" but the foot pedal is the old Mercury sewing machine control.


The cheap sewing machine type controls contain simple rheostats. Most of these use a series of carbon discs for the resistance element. They work but they also create a lot of heat, which eventually burns up the discs and the control stops working. Some last for years, others burn out in a week.

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John,

By the way, how's that new Renzetti lathe you won at the Reception working out? There was an interesting and similar coincidence with the guy who won the Pacific Bay Machine on Sunday.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/10/2013 10:36AM by Tom Kirkman.

Billy, I'm using a Foredom all metal pedal ( they make a plastic too) and speed control. You won't find a more adjustable setup and no more over heating pedals or motors. Best thing I ever did on the lathe. I'll call you later this week about your lathe parts.

I had just emailed Billy about the Foredom. They make top quality stuff. It costs more, but lasts forever.

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Problem solved by ordering a Foredom. I apologize about the solid state thing, I was under the impression that is what I had, and have been telling a lot of people since I started doing gatherings.

Thanks. I'll go brun out hte other foot pedals I have here waiting for the new one to arrive, lol

Tom:

I'm looking forward to finally getting to use it soon. The box was missing the bed connectors and I wasn't able to get anyone at Renzetti to return my e-mails. But, it was easy to make a couple and do an alignment (I'm lucky to have been a millwright who still has access to a great machine shop). The biggest holdup has been the dayjob. I was working 12 hr days non-stop from 1st of April and couldn't build any rods. But ..that's all over now and I got a nice new bench made for it, so hopefully I'll get it going soon. I just have to make a motor bracket, and get a motor and pedal. I'll be sure to post a photo and re-thank everyone when done.
I actually need to order two pedals ... I went through the same pedal problem as Billy with my older lathe ... so I stole the electronic pedal off my wifes sewing machine, had to cut it and wire it in... She hasn't sewed for a while and hasn't realized it yet ... if she does before those pedals come in ....I'm in deep crap.