Hi All

I am in the process of converting a sewing machine motor and was wondering if you can use a light dimmer to control the speed of the Motor? Eliminate the foot pedal all together.

Thanks

Sure.

But it is pretty hard to get a sewing machine motor to run slow enough to be a good reliable finish motor. Unless you go through a significant gear or belt reduction. The typical sewing machine motor runs at about 6,000 rpm. The typical finish motor runs at 6 rpm. So you need a 1000:1 speed reduction for a reliable motor.
You are better off in getting a fixed rpm, slower running motor like 5-10 rpm on either ac or dc voltage.

In recent years, I have been using 12 or 24 volt DC gear motors that have a shaft speed of 5-10 rpm at their rated 12 or 24 volts dc drive voltage. It is easy to get small plug in dc supplies to supply the 12 or 24 volts of dc voltage.


Be safe

I would think it would if it was rated heavy enough. That would be a question for a electrition . If it does post it as I am working on a wrapper for another type of project and would love to use a dimmer switch. I just bought a sewing machine at a second hand shop for $6.00 and the motor and foot control work fine. In its slowest speed it goes very slow, maybe not 6 RPM but slow. I need mine to be variable speed but if you just wanted 1 speed an electrition should be able to tell you how to make a resistor for a slow speed.

Contact Roger Wilson he can answer you questions he builds them

Bill - willierods.com

Hi Roger/Daniel,

Sorry I used the wrong term, I am not using it as a finish motor but rather a wrapper. I have a BBQ motor I use now and it runs at 4 rpm. Its great as a dryer but its to slow for putting epoxy on the wraps/decals. I wanted something to run around 25rpm.

Now, I hooked up a regular dimmer switch. Its runs the motor but there is a problem. When the motor is running at the lower rpm's it has no power! I can easily stop it with my fingers. And not to mention the loud humming coming from the motor. It doesn't sound good. So I don't think the dimmer switch is going to work.

I think I am going to just find a motor that runs at the rpm I need taking rogers advice.

Daniel if you find some way to make it work please let me know.

Thanks

Chris,
I suspect that the motor that you are trying to control is an induction motor, rather than a brush style universal motor.

A universal motor can be easily regulated with a resistor or an electronic controller.

However, the speed of an induction motor is set by the frequency of the voltage and the number of poles in the motor. So, basically for practical purposes it is not easy to regulate.

However, you can take a dc gear motor, and vary the voltage to the dc gear motor and easily regulate the speed of the motor very well.

For a finish application motor, you can simply obtain a variable voltage power supply and then vary the voltage as needed to get the speed that you want.


For example, if you use a 12 volt motor, just get a 0-12 volt dc power supply and as you need to change the speed, vary the voltage.

You can put an on/off foot switch in series with the motor and power supply. Then, set the speed that you want, and use the pedal to turn the motor on and off.

Be safe

Chris,
For example, here is a little inexpensive 24v dc gear motor that should work just fine for your finish and drying work:
[www.surpluscenter.com]

Hi Roger

Thanks! Where do you get the couplings to extend the motor shaft?

Thanks

Sometimes you can get them from the hardware store.
Otherwise, you can make them your self on a lathe and drill press.

Be safe

I talked with a friend of mine who is an electrition in a factory. He said he could get me a potentiometer that would work. I will see him this coming weekend and see what he has and let you know.

Hey chris

I have a sewing machine motor and foot pedal as well. Let me know how it goes i wanna build one also can you send me some pics of your rod wrapper i wanna get some ideas if you dont mind. Marc.trejo@yahoo.com
Thanks

Chris I tried the potentiometer my friend gave me and it was to small and burnt up. So I got a light dimmer switch and tried it, it works fine. It was a light only and made for 600 watts, I got it at Menards. It is all hooked up but the problem is the motor does not want to run real slow. It stalls out. I am not sure how slow you need yours to go but for what I am doing it does not work right. I am expermenting with it but if it doesn't work I may scrap the idea as I spent 4 hours on the lathe making the shaft and adapter to make the pulley off the sewing machine work. If I could find a bigger pulley it would probably work but that would mean a lot more lathe time to adapt it.
So long story short the dimmer switch will work, just maybe not slow enough for you.