# HF 10 x 18 midi lathe Variable speed conversion



## Tim Shettlesworth (Apr 16, 2020)

I upgraded my variable speed pen lathe to the harbor freight 10 x 18 multi-speed lathe. I hated changing belt pulleys all the time so the other day I saw a free treadmill on Craigslist. I picked it up and put the variable speed treadmill motor on my lathe. Now I have an infinitely variable speed lathe. I haven't got my tachometer yet but best I can tell is I can get from about 10 RPMs to scary.
Okay So I have been informed that due to liability and your health & wellbeing I (can not) should not give instructions on how to do this, so please do not try this at home. That being said I will tell you that if you are mechanically inclined that this is a very easy setup. The motor is on its own circuit so I removed them all together with the motor mount. I Then made a mounting box for all of it and attached it to my lathe table. There is a Youtube video on this if you want to look it up and I will make one also showing my setup.
Again DO NOT try this if you do not know what you are doing but if you do here are a couple of things to be aware of ( there may be more that I haven't found yet )
The treadmill motor is capable of 6000 rpm's ( way to fast for a lathe) so I put the belt on the largest pully on my lathe and I am getting a tachometer to test the speeds. I will also put a stop on the speed controller if necessary.
The horsepower of the treadmill motor is 2 hp much bigger than the 1/2 of the lathe. This could be an issue with catches so be careful until you get used to the increase. I left my belt a little loose in hopes that if I get a bad catch then the belt will just slip.
If you do the conversion like mine or the one in the video then the fan-cooled motor will be exposed. I am building a metal cover to go over the belt and pully area and plastic to at least partly cover the motor. The metal part will help protect me if something comes apart and the plastic will help keep the debris out of the motor.
Other than these things this is a pretty straight forward conversion if you are mechanically inclined, even the pully on the treadmill matches the lathe belt close enough that I didn't have to change it. Not all treadmills may be this easy but at least 2 different models were easily converted.

Reactions: Like 2 | Way Cool 4 | Informative 1 | Creative 1


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## woodtickgreg (Apr 16, 2020)




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## Wildthings (Apr 16, 2020)

woodtickgreg said:


>


and video!!!


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## Tim Shettlesworth (Apr 17, 2020)

woodtickgreg said:


>


Yeah I will get them tomorrow

Reactions: Like 4


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## Gdurfey (Apr 17, 2020)

That is a great mod Tim!!! On my larger lathe, I went with belt variable speed due to initial cost; a year with it I was kicking myself and the company, Nova, offered the upgrade. Certainly wasn't free, different size, etc., but oh how I love my variable speed. Thinking through this, I was wondering about the sizing of the motor, but if it can move a treadmill with a person on it, I would say you have torque to spare!!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Tim Shettlesworth (Apr 18, 2020)

Gdurfey said:


> That is a great mod Tim!!! On my larger lathe, I went with belt variable speed due to initial cost; a year with it I was kicking myself and the company, Nova, offered the upgrade. Certainly wasn't free, different size, etc., but oh how I love my variable speed. Thinking through this, I was wondering about the sizing of the motor, but if it can move a treadmill with a person on it, I would say you have torque to spare!!


Yes the motor actually goes up a lot. The 10 x 18 comes with a 1/2 hp motor and the new one is 2 hp. The pully on the treadmill is a close match for the grove pattern on the old one so I didnt have to change the pully. A note to anyone trying this is the treadmill motor is capable of 6000 rpm so you will need to use the largest pully on the lathe and maybe put a stop on the speed control. I am ordering a tachometer for mine and recommend anyone trying this to do the same.

Reactions: Informative 2


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## Spinartist (Apr 18, 2020)

Tim, thank you for showing this. I have a 2hp treadmill motor I've been thinking of putting on a small lathe.
How is the torque compared to the original motor??

Reactions: Like 1


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## Tim Shettlesworth (Apr 18, 2020)

Spinartist said:


> Tim, thank you for showing this. I have a 2hp treadmill motor I've been thinking of putting on a small lathe.
> How is the torque compared to the original motor??


I just started turning my first piece on it a few mins ago. Turning a 5 x 5 x 6 inch piece of dry Cherry so not a ton of resistance on it yet but seems to be doing fine. Seeing as it has so much more hp than the original I am a little concerned about catches but I am sure I will get used to it. I just got a piece of Mesquite so I am sure I will find out better what kind of torque it has when I do it but from what I can tell right now I think it will be fine and I dont think it will throw me across the room if I get a catch. If you have specific how to questions go ahead and PM me. I am glad to help if I can and its not like you got the idea from me as you were already thinking about it so I think I am good on liability ( not that I really care anyway. I was just advised against it. )

Reactions: Like 1


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## Tim Shettlesworth (Apr 21, 2020)

Spinartist said:


> Tim, thank you for showing this. I have a 2hp treadmill motor I've been thinking of putting on a small lathe.
> How is the torque compared to the original motor??


After running it a couple of days I can tell the torque is lower on the 2hp. Not drastically but its not as strong. This might be a good thing though because if the torque went up with the hp then catches would be scary.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Spinartist (Apr 21, 2020)

Catches? What are those??

Reactions: Funny 2 | Way Cool 1


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## Tim Shettlesworth (Apr 21, 2020)

Spinartist said:


> Catches? What are those??


I wish I didnt know Lol.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 1 | Way Cool 1


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