Sometimes I Outsmart Myself

[crokett]

One of the tools I brought home over Thanksgiving was my Craftsman/Parks Planer that I got free last year- it needed a new motor. I got the new motor last fall but it has been sitting at my Dad's. The new motor turns in the wrong direction. The old one was mounted off one side of the stand. The new motor would have to be mounted inside the stand but there are complications with clearances/assembly to get it in there. My wife and I were out in the shop last night and I was telling her I would have to rebuild the stand to get the motor inside. She looks at it and asks why I can't just turn the planer 180° and then just mount the motor outside.

[sparkeyjames]

You can outsmart yourself but you cannot outsmart someone who bakes brownies? I think we may have something here.

[herb fellows]

Been there, had that done to me. BTW, it doesn't go down any easier when she's out figgerin'you for the 50th or the 100th time either. Ya just learn ta live with it!

[woodturner]

She looks at it and asks why I can't just turn the planer 180° and then just mount the motor outside.

Or switch the wires on the motor to make it run the opposite direction (many motors can be easily rewired to run the opposite direction)

[cgallery]

But if you turn the planer 180-degrees, won't the shaft the motor needs to connect to be on the wrong side?

[Mr__Bill]

Why not just feed the planer from the other side?


Bill

[crokett]

But if you turn the planer 180-degrees, won't the shaft the motor needs to connect to be on the wrong side?

Ummm... No. The planer doesn't care which way it is facing on the stand. Turn it so the pulleys stick out over the other side and hang the motor off the side.

Oh and this motor is not reversible. The old one burnt up one was. I don't think it was original to the planer either.

[cgallery]

Ummm... No. The planer doesn't care which way it is facing on the stand. Turn it so the pulleys stick out over the other side and hang the motor off the side.

But what I don't understand is, if you turn the planer on the stand, don't you also have to move the motor to the other side of the stand? And if you have to move the motor to the other side of the stand, the direction of rotation problem hasn't been solved?

[crokett]

I thought of another solution to the planer problem. I can leave the planer where it is and flip the motor and mount it upside-down. It doesn't care if it is hanging so the base is on top rather than on the bottom.

[Daryl]

Take the cover off the motor and see if there is instructions on reversing it, or use a longer belt and twist it, so it looks like an 8 on its side.

[crokett]

or use a longer belt and twist it, so it looks like an 8 on its side.

I already checked and I can't reverse it. The old motor could be (and was) reversed. The belt I have is a link-belt so that I can customize the length. Not sure I can twist that type belt. I might be able to mount it higher and twist the old belt though.

Here's the new belt. I got a few sections for an unrelated project but that one did not pan out. So now I have the belt and was planning to use it on the planer.
http://www.woodcraft.com/Family/2020051/2020051.aspx

[cgallery]

BTW, there have been some REAL NICE motors selling on woodnet classifieds for fairly cheap. Maybe it would make sense to post a wanted add there and on owwm for a motor than can be reversed? If you can find one, you could sell your motor and probably recover most of the cost?

[crokett]

I thought about that more than once. This one is a TEFC designed originally for use in gas tanks so I imagine the duty cycle on it is pretty good, especially for the price I paid. I'd still have issues with the belt since the old motor was also a tall profile so anything new will still need a longer belt. Besides if I hang it upside down I have a convenient shelf to put parts/tools on.

[cabinetman]

How about having the belt drive a gear set to turn the other way, on cars it's called "reverse".

[eezlock]

sometimes I outsmart myself?

If you are not experienced or comfortable working on electric motors...take it to an electric motor shop near you and tell them what you need to have done.
Most of the time, this will be a minor repair for them and a minimum cost for you, probably less than $20.00. They will probably have this done and ready for you in a few minutes time.