[acourtjester]

HI All
I am looking for a variable speed changer for "V" belt drive on a drill press and other machines. This is basically a 3 part pulley on a jack shaft with a handle to move it. How it works is the top and bottom parts are fixed and the middle part moves up or down by belt pressure when the handle is moved. When the middle part moves that changes the ratio of the pulleys and also the speed of the output. I have seen one on a drill press years ago and an article in Home Shop Machinist (I can't find it now). Any help is welcomed.
See attached drawings.
Thanks acourtjester@hotmail.com
Tom

[DanTwoLakes]

Believe it or not, in the world of industrial power transmission what you are looking for is pretty common. It will be overkill for your drill press, but here you go: CLICK HERE They are called variable speed or variable pitch pulleys or sheaves.

[acourtjester]

Hi Dan
Thanks for the reply your are right those are over kill.
attached pictures show what I am talking about and it is a type of variator.

have fun
Tom

[4 Jaw Chuck]

Your better off with stepped pulleys, those variable speed drives always seem to slip when you need the power most...thats why they are not used much anymore except on bandsaws where the tooth load is less.

[trees]

A complex solution to a simple "irritant". I would pursue a variable speed motor if I became too "irritated" to simply move the belt(s) to a different position for the desired speed change.

Trees

[acourtjester]

Hi

Thanks for the reply. The great thing about these discussion boards is exchanging ideas, getting input from others. I enjoy the challenge of building tools from scratch or devising a different way of building them. That is the purpose of trying to locate this variable speed pulley system.

Not all of us can find a used or purchase a new variable speed motor. This is my quest for a new project. I am building large and different style bead roller and want a variable speed drive system for it.

This system was used for lawn tractor variable speed drive and it you think about the weight of the tractor and it’s driver. I believe that it will transfer enough power for my use.

Have fun
Tom

[DanTwoLakes]

Jester: I have an AC variable speed drive that needs a good home. I have specced many of these drives for use on roll formers. If you send me a PM, or an e-mail we can discuss it.

Dan

[61bone]

I wish you guys would cut it out. Now I have to redrive my press with a hydrostatic drive .Use a trans out of a yard tractor and drive the pump with the original electric motor. Drive the first shaft off the axle and maintain the original 3 pulley system to get almost infinitly variable drive from 0 to uhhh
(do some calculations dit dit dit yep) about 1200 rpm. That's plenty fast enough. and gets down to the low RPM that most presses don't have. Any downsides?