Update with the Northfield Jointer

[Sonny]

Had an electrician (B Team?) come by to inspect the converter and tool area . He didn't quite understand the specs, etal. for the converter wiring. He took the paperwork to review and show the company owner.

Owner came by to further inspect. I need to build a separate "closet", lik e an enclosed area of a central heating/cooling unit. He said the convert er motor will be pulling lots of air, needs lots of ventilation WITH NO DUS T, emphasis on wanting as little dust, as possible, to enter the converter motor.

The shop is on pillars, so I'll have the converter off the slab and vented under the shop, with blocked opening to prevent critters from entering. S eems easy enough, build a simple box/closet.

Hope to get it done this week, ready for wiring next week.

Jointer had little table surface rust. Internals had little debris. It's cleaning up nicely. All the gears, mechanics, etc. seem to be operating f ine.

Once the wiring is complete, I'll turn it on without the blades installed, just in case something is not right.

Sonny

[dpb]

converter motor will > be pulling lots of air, needs lots of ventilation WITH NO DUST, emphasis

What did you get for the converter? The Phoenix unit I bought is just a control panel and a TEFC idler motor that needs nothing special whatsoever...seems like an awful lot of trouble to have to go to.

Glad to hear the jointer itself appears in near pristine shape...this ought to be fun!!! :)

[Sonny]

This is what I bought, what I was told was needed.... I suppose because of the 7.5 HP motor on the jointer.

I'm not knowledgeable of these electrical things. I want the jointer in wo rking order. If this is what's needed, then I'm happy. If not, then the p urchase is a lesson learned. The electrician said we are good to go, thou gh. I have all the breakers, wiring needed, etc. I just need to build t he closet for the converter. The panel doesn't need to be encased inside the closet.

One other thing: Electrician said the converter will make lots of noise. The few reviews state this converter is quiet.... compared to what? I su ppose the noise will depend on user's ears, location, scenario, etc. The c loset should be a muffler of sorts. I can always line the closet with uph olstery fabric, a sound/echo reducer (re: curtains, fabric on walls in a th eater). We'll see.

The Phoenix unit I bought is just a

I still haven't had the broken ship wheel welded. I was told the cast met al might not hold a weld. I'm hoping not much pressure would be applied t o the wheel, during use, to break the welds. I'll probably set the infeed for a minimum cut and never need to adjust it.

Sonny

[Bill]

You can probably look up the DB level (as part of the specifications). I saw one powering a lathe and the noise level seemed reasonable. As you may know, I think it's basically just another motor. At one point, I had some knowledge of how it worked, but I forget the details (but they are out there if you are interested). Good luck! I have confidence that it will go well!

Bill

[Bill]

I went searching--it wasn't on the specification sheet. The manufacturer's website says "quiet operation". Surely they could provide you with the answer in DB.

Bill

[dpb]

That's an open-case motor instead of TEFC but I think a "closet" is way overkill for the need; you're not running a flour mill there, are you? Unless you're just fogging up the area with dust, it'll be fine. There are how many other motors in the shop already that aren't in enclosed spaces?

It shouldn't be more than just a hum of an electric motor...don't know why the electrician would think it would be terribly noisy. Certainly as compared to the noise a planer or the jointer will make when running a piece through it you'll never hear it.

I'd set it over in a corner and go on...if it gets a little dusty, use the air hose occasionally.

...

[Sonny]

DB might not matter. I'll probably rarely use the jointer, besides, I hav e ear muffs. I just like the idea of getting this nice old machine up and running.

Whenever I've had a motor issue I always go to Judice Electric and ask for advice. These guys are pros, serving the oil field and other big-time com mercial arenas. They've tested, at no charge, any motors I've brought to t hem and give free advice, recommendations, specs for what I've needed, etc.

To do the converter work/wiring, Judice recommended Aaron Dodge (A-Dodge El ectric), as Judice says he's the man for 3-PH stuff and is highly recommend ed by others as well. Aaron probably mentioned the noise issue because of other similar applications he's dealt with, so may have been giving me a h eads up about potential noise. I certainly appreciated his advice about d ust control, also, something I wouldn't have known or thought about. His experience showed in his giving such preventative advice.

Aaron's advice about elevating the converter off the slab would guard again st possible high water during heavy rain or flooding, also, though I've yet to have a high water issue, here.

Aaron helped cover most if not all my bases about this installation.... so for, anyway. He estimated 2 hours to get the jointer wired and running.

Sonny

[dpb]

On 7/23/2019 8:19 AM, Sonny wrote: ...

I still can't imagine what could possibly be noisy from just the phase converter unless the motor is mounted on a drum that "sings" or isn't fastened down and vibrates something. It's just a motor sitting there spinning, for heaven's sake. What's to be noise generator?

I sat mine on a high density foam pad to keep it from being in direct contact w/ the floor slab and other than a motor hum, there's no noise at all.

Since that's not TEFC motor, there's some possible dust issue eventually, but bound to be any number of others in the shop already, aren't there...have they had any issues?

If there were any possibility, that would be good, indeed, particularly since that is an open case motor.

All there is is a single-phase feed of sufficient ampacity to power the converter then the three-phase to the jointer from there and to/from the controller. They probably recommend 6 ga input; 10 ga output will be fine. Fully loaded, it could pull 30A on input side; more likely it'll be about 20A given no more heavy use you're liable to put on the jointer...altho a full-capacity cut if ever were to try it would be pretty hefty given the size. Of course, you have to be able to lift and move the workpiece... :)

[Sonny]

After thinking about it, you're probably right about not much noise to be made.

Yep.

Yep.

That's what Aaron said.

move the workpiece... :)

I have some 19" wide live edge hickory I'd like to try. I have infeed & outfeed rollers to assist for now. I have some formica topped tables I'd like to install for infeed/outfeed.

When I had some 12" walnut jointed at a local shop, the guy just pushed the boards by hand with no trouble. As long as I take shallow cuts, the cutting should be just as smooth. I'll joint/test smaller boards first.

Sonny

[dpb]

Yeah, with beds slicked up, it'll be ok as long as the piece isn't also so long and/or thick you have really tough time even picking it up...sometimes it's hard to actually keep the pressure in the right place to take the crooks out, too.

I did some fresh oak mine timbers for a friend while in VA that were a real bear as took the both of us to even heft one of 'em off the cart...and both he and I were _much_ younger then... :)

Made very nice timber frame for his gazebo project, but was a lot of effort. That was using the 20" Crescent had access to back then.

[Sonny]

I have 3 of these hickory boards - rough cut 2" X 17+" X 10' long.... for another trestle table. Another nephew is building a camp, needs an 8' table. Each is fairly heavy, but I can handle them.

I have the trestle board and four 3'- 4' boards for the legs. Leg boards are about 15"-17" wide, also.

I have another three 10' boards to select from for a bench, maybe, I'm thinking similar to the cypress trestle bench.

The son of my nephew from NC is visiting. We'll rearrange the shop's garage a little, to better accommodate the jointer. I like taking advantage of young muscles.

Sonny