this may not be the correct spot for this thread but does anyone know of a way to slow down a 120 vac single phase motor? i know i can't just control the power as that will burn the motor windings out but is there any type of device that will control a single phase hz. i know 3 phase vfd are all over the place but i'm not to sure of single phase vfd controllers. i want to make a 14" wood band saw work as a metal band saw if i can get the speed down. i can do it with pulleys but then if i ever need to use it as a wood saw i have to exchange the pulleys and reset it for wood speeds again. but if i can control the motor speed with some type of vfd then all i need to do is change the blades. thanks

 

There have been 1ph VFD's in the past and they have fallen out of favour due to poor performance, e.g. dropping out of run at low RPM when loaded.
One solution is a 240v 3ph VFD and 3ph motor.
Might be the better choice in your case.

 

thanks does anyone happen to have models that are available? switching to 3 ph i s not an option being i'm in a residential area. and that is why i want to use a vfd so that i can go between wood and metal with only blade changes and not pulley changes. thanks

 

For 3Hp that allows for the 1ph VFD supply versions. See Automation Direct, or Hitachi.
You just need a 240v 1ph supply outlet from the panel. The VFD outputs the 3 phase.

 

Slowing an electric motor down, especially a single phase motor without a built in fan, will cause it to heat up more than the normal range. I have a home built 12" bandsaw with a few ratios of pulleys and don't see a problem when changing between wood and metal speeds.
but I also have a 24" band saw that is from MSC. It uses a variable speed drive on it for speed control. Turn a front mounted hand wheel and you can go from slow to fast. The variable speed drive is similar to what Lovejoy sells, while new ones are expensive, they are also available other places. https://www.lovejoy-inc.com/products/variable-speed-drives/

You could even adapt a hydro drive from a riding mower pretty easy too.

 

thanks but i do not want to have to get another motor. it will be far easier to just get a portable bandsaw and build a stand for that.

 

thanks. it will be far easier and cheaper to get a hand portable type bandsaw and build a stand for that.

 

I worked at aplace that had a saw like that, and for over a year they were burning up blades using the faster wood speed to cut steel. Then I did the pulley shift to cut some steel and it certainly was not that big a deal. Mostly, projects are either wood or steel,not both. But it is possible to add a second motor to spin the fast cutting motor thru an additional reduction and use the second smaller motor for he slow cutting speed. Cheaper than a VS drive if you can get the pieces used.

 

thanks, i possible could but for as often as i use this saw it really is not worth the effort. at this time i use a hacksaw or cutoff blades in my huge dremmel type tool but it would work better if that saw did cut metal. i do not cut much wood that would need a bandsaw mostly i just use the table saw or chop saw. i was hoping to see if it was possible to find a way to slow the blade down to a metal saw speed without spending more money than a good used metal saw would cost. i can get a portable band saw and build a stand for it by the looks of it far cheaper than what a vfd will cost by the looks of it. so now i'm looking for a used portable band saw from ebay. thanks

 

In the instance of the saw with the two speed belt change, the result was that the unknowing uses would try to cut steel with the high speed and destroy the blade. Fortunately very few knew how to change the speed, and so those of us who did cut steel simply left the saw setup to run at the slow speed.

 

if i was to do that change i would do the same. but like i said it is not cost effective to set this one up for metal the step sheave are like 50$ each even on ebay then the belts if i do not have one in my belt collection and then if i have to get another slower motor. so i gave up on this and will move it back in the shed or may even put it on craigs list and sell it and just get a metal portable saw thanks.