micellular
has rocks in the head
Rock fever is curable with more rocks.
Member since September 2015
Posts: 640
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Post by micellular on Sept 2, 2015 14:37:45 GMT -5
Hello, I'm a very fresh newbie looking for a compact setup like a Diamond Pacific Pixie, per recommendation. I found this on craigslist, sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/tls/5201730923.html which looks of similar dimensions, but I'm not sure of the manufacturer of if its home made. If it's home-made, I don't know enough about machines to know what to look for in quality. Sure is shiny though. Could anyone give me advice?
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Post by DirtCleaner on Sept 2, 2015 15:12:03 GMT -5
Can't help you with the manufacturer of it. But they report that it is a DC motor. Made for traveling and hooking up to your vehicle power. Some folks do lots of cab. work on the road. It looks well built, homemade? If so the fella was a good craftsman. If it was close to me I would look at it. If it spun well I would certainly make an offer. Good luck and welcome to the forum.
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jerrys
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 263
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Post by jerrys on Sept 2, 2015 15:17:53 GMT -5
It appears to be a homemade setup. It would be good starter setup for someone without a lot of space. It would be good for cabs and other small pieces. I would probably offer $500 and work up. $600 isn't too bad since it has new soft wheels. The status of the sintered wheels is unknown. In the future, replacing the drive o-rings will not be a simple task. When something fails, you have to source everything yourself instead of calling a company for parts and information. Ask to try it and see if the size fits your ergonomics. You can compare prices with www.kingsleynorth.com/skshop/category.php?catID=93
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Post by johnjsgems on Sept 2, 2015 21:36:21 GMT -5
DC motor means it is capable of variable speeds but plugs into standard 115v through a converter. It is either used or built with used motor. Pretty nice home build though. I would like more space between wheels on right.
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Post by DirtCleaner on Sept 2, 2015 22:00:35 GMT -5
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Post by DirtCleaner on Sept 2, 2015 22:07:21 GMT -5
So, just for clarification...This could be ran off of a battery system or from a 110v AC - 12v DC converter? Looks like a rheostat in the photo of the back for variable speed. johnjsgems
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Post by Rockoonz on Sept 2, 2015 22:24:10 GMT -5
I think John is right, that is not an automotive style motor, it's an industrial DC motor with a 120V AC control unit. Generally motors like that take a bit more than 12VDC to spin them up to a speed that would provide enough torque to spin the wheels. Motor and control would be spendy to replace, it could easily be changes to a 1 or 2 speed less expensive AC motor if needed, easy for me anyway. I would personally remove the mud squirter and run it with fresh water and a drain though.
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Post by jakesrocks on Sept 2, 2015 22:24:44 GMT -5
I wouldn't worry too much about replacement O rings. Any place that repairs sewing machines & vacuum cleaners has a good supply of various sizes.
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micellular
has rocks in the head
Rock fever is curable with more rocks.
Member since September 2015
Posts: 640
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Post by micellular on Sept 3, 2015 18:59:57 GMT -5
Thanks for all your input! I feel a lot better about having some good questions to ask tonight.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2015 21:44:41 GMT -5
Looks to me like a repurposed treadmill motor. I wonder if they used 4" because the torque necessary for 6" wheels isn't present.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2015 21:48:01 GMT -5
I think John is right, that is not an automotive style motor, it's an industrial DC motor with a 120V AC control unit. Generally motors like that take a bit more than 12VDC to spin them up to a speed that would provide enough torque to spin the wheels. Motor and control would be spendy to replace, it could easily be changes to a 1 or 2 speed less expensive AC motor if needed, easy for me anyway. I would personally remove the mud squirter and run it with fresh water and a drain though. +1 to lee. Another water source could be a swamp cooler pump floated with styrofoam in a bucket of water. The return water allowing the swarf to settle to the bottom before being sucked into the pump.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Sept 4, 2015 3:57:04 GMT -5
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micellular
has rocks in the head
Rock fever is curable with more rocks.
Member since September 2015
Posts: 640
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Post by micellular on Sept 4, 2015 12:03:00 GMT -5
Copied from another thread: Yes I did get it, for $500. His Vietnamese wife was the one bargaining, and since I have a Vietnamese mom I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been able to bargain much lower without an hour of effort. I might call it a Sprite, since it's not exactly a Pixie but pixie-sized. The arbor and tray are solid, well built, with little wear. It's very pleasing to hold. The motor is a 90V Robbins & Myers, that goes up to 2450 rpm. Couldn't find info on the P/N, so I'm guessing it's old. I'll want to put in a bit of work this weekend - drill some holes for some sort of gravity feed fresh water system and drain, and add some dampeners to the motor mount because it's pretty loud. My friend suggested rigging up a tachometer to an LED display to show the actual rpm...but he's a mechanical engineer and I'm not, ha. He didn't know how old the hard wheels are, but I do see diamond winking in them so they aren't totally stripped. The soft wheels are unused, newly RESURFACED Johnson Brothers wheels. My understanding is that they are Chinese made, and being resurfaced probably aren't worth a whole lot? I'm a little worried that I overpaid there. I'm also not sure how to break them in.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2015 13:58:42 GMT -5
Your price of $500 is the whole package? Then you did not overpay.
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Post by Rockoonz on Sept 4, 2015 17:50:08 GMT -5
I think John is right, that is not an automotive style motor, it's an industrial DC motor with a 120V AC control unit. Generally motors like that take a bit more than 12VDC to spin them up to a speed that would provide enough torque to spin the wheels. Motor and control would be spendy to replace, it could easily be changes to a 1 or 2 speed less expensive AC motor if needed, easy for me anyway. I would personally remove the mud squirter and run it with fresh water and a drain though. +1 to lee. Another water source could be a swamp cooler pump floated with styrofoam in a bucket of water. The return water allowing the swarf to settle to the bottom before being sucked into the pump. Agreed, I'm thinking of setting up a 2 bucket setup using the first as a sediment trap and pumping out of the 2nd
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Post by Rockoonz on Sept 4, 2015 18:44:54 GMT -5
Copied from another thread: Yes I did get it, for $500. His Vietnamese wife was the one bargaining, and since I have a Vietnamese mom I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been able to bargain much lower without an hour of effort. I might call it a Sprite, since it's not exactly a Pixie but pixie-sized. The arbor and tray are solid, well built, with little wear. It's very pleasing to hold. The motor is a 90V Robbins & Myers, that goes up to 2450 rpm. Couldn't find info on the P/N, so I'm guessing it's old. I'll want to put in a bit of work this weekend - drill some holes for some sort of gravity feed fresh water system and drain, and add some dampeners to the motor mount because it's pretty loud. My friend suggested rigging up a tachometer to an LED display to show the actual rpm...but he's a mechanical engineer and I'm not, ha. He didn't know how old the hard wheels are, but I do see diamond winking in them so they aren't totally stripped. The soft wheels are unused, newly RESURFACED Johnson Brothers wheels. My understanding is that they are Chinese made, and being resurfaced probably aren't worth a whole lot? I'm a little worried that I overpaid there. I'm also not sure how to break them in. I have several friends who use the resurfaced wheels and are happy with them. To break them in you just need to take a hard jasper or agate slab and hold the edge of it against the full width of the wheel for maybe half a minute to remove any excess resin. I think J Bros says no break in required but I would anyway. Judging from the pics your arbor and motor have the same size pulley. Genie wheels are made to run at 1725 RPM, not sure if the smaller pixie wheels can run faster. You probably won't want to run the machine at full speed 2450 RPM, maybe when you add the damper for the motor you could also add a smaller pulley to decrease the maximum speed.
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micellular
has rocks in the head
Rock fever is curable with more rocks.
Member since September 2015
Posts: 640
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Post by micellular on Sept 4, 2015 19:07:03 GMT -5
I have several friends who use the resurfaced wheels and are happy with them. To break them in you just need to take a hard jasper or agate slab and hold the edge of it against the full width of the wheel for maybe half a minute to remove any excess resin. I think J Bros says no break in required but I would anyway. Judging from the pics your arbor and motor have the same size pulley. Genie wheels are made to run at 1725 RPM, not sure if the smaller pixie wheels can run faster. You probably won't want to run the machine at full speed 2450 RPM, maybe when you add the damper for the motor you could also add a smaller pulley to decrease the maximum speed. You mean, hold the sharp edge against the resin? When I initially asked to test the machine, I girdled and started doming a preform. Flakes of resin started coming off and the guy selling it to me told me not to hold the edge against the wheel. Yeah, when I gave it a test run last night, I kept it between 60-70V - any higher and it sounded awful loud and awful fast. I didn't want to wake up my landlord who lives below me at 10 pm. I really like the two-bucket idea - sounds cheap and simple, which floats my boat since I'm now out of money for new rocks to cut. Hah. Looks like a field trip's in order!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2015 19:15:26 GMT -5
+1 to lee. Another water source could be a swamp cooler pump floated with styrofoam in a bucket of water. The return water allowing the swarf to settle to the bottom before being sucked into the pump. Agreed, I'm thinking of setting up a 2 bucket setup using the first as a sediment trap and pumping out of the 2nd Apparently our local club has had the same single bucket systems for over 15 years. Just add water as needed. Minerals don't grow stuff and some inhibit growth, so it works. Really cold in winter?
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Post by Rockoonz on Sept 4, 2015 22:05:38 GMT -5
I have several friends who use the resurfaced wheels and are happy with them. To break them in you just need to take a hard jasper or agate slab and hold the edge of it against the full width of the wheel for maybe half a minute to remove any excess resin. I think J Bros says no break in required but I would anyway. Judging from the pics your arbor and motor have the same size pulley. Genie wheels are made to run at 1725 RPM, not sure if the smaller pixie wheels can run faster. You probably won't want to run the machine at full speed 2450 RPM, maybe when you add the damper for the motor you could also add a smaller pulley to decrease the maximum speed. You mean, hold the sharp edge against the resin? When I initially asked to test the machine, I girdled and started doming a preform. Flakes of resin started coming off and the guy selling it to me told me not to hold the edge against the wheel. Yeah, when I gave it a test run last night, I kept it between 60-70V - any higher and it sounded awful loud and awful fast. I didn't want to wake up my landlord who lives below me at 10 pm. I really like the two-bucket idea - sounds cheap and simple, which floats my boat since I'm now out of money for new rocks to cut. Hah. Looks like a field trip's in order! Not a sharp edge per se, a 90 degree edge like after running a slab through the trim saw. You don't want to position the edge like you're trying to scoop the resin off.
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