Rapidor 1ph(or 3ph/inverter) conversion wisdom required

[armalites]

Following on from my bargain Rapidor Major purchase I need to replace the motor which ever way I go as it doesn't have a dual voltage one.

I had thought the shaft on the motor was 14mm but it looks like a 5/8 which throws me into a world of motors that cost almost double what a metric one costs.

What did everyone else do?

I guess my options are

Suck it up and buy a 5/8 motor £140+
Wait for an old 1ph to turn up with a 5/8 shaft
Buy a new 14mm motor(1ph or 3ph dual voltage) and an new pulley to suit, I would probably lose the dual speed option but I guess most wouldn't bother using both anyway.If I went 3ph then I could control the speed with the inverter anyway.

 

[500e]

Make a bush

 

[daleyd]

Have you got a pic of the motor and data plate currently fitted.

You know even if it's a 400V motor you can still use a 240V VFD, set to run at 29Hz "base frequency". You can still run it up at 50hz but you lose a bit of torque from 29Hz upwards, but it may not be an issue for a saw?

 

[armalites]

Make a bush

I had thought of this but with there being less than 2mm diameter difference it would be more like a shim. I suspect even some delrin would work fine. Other option is to find a 10mm motor which would give me more meat to play with

 

[MattF]

I'd try shimming and drilling and tapping for another grubscrew 180° from where the current screw is, so that you have some scope for centring the pulley on the shaft if the shimming is slightly off.

 

[500e]

Why not bore the pulley to give you a reasonable bush

 

[rory1]

Taper lock belt pulleys are cheap, get a new motor and get a new taper lock pulley to suit

 

[rtbcomp]

I've bored out & shimmed taper lock pulleys with success where I couldn't get an exact fit.

On my Progress drill I was able to get a used motor off Ebay with a 5/8 shaft for about £50.

 

[armalites]

Well I may be in luck, just found a 1ph motor which is exactly the the same frame size/manufacturer as the 3ph that's on there. It will make the conversion as simple as 4 bolts, swap pulley and a bit of wiring Just waiting on confirmation that it's a working unit, it's only got 1 cap on it so I'm guessing cap start only but I think that will be fine with the gearing