SpudFiles

I am wondering where I can get or scavenge a 1/4 hp 1725 rpm motor from. Maby a washer or dryer?

where do you live?
check local electronics recycling plants

idk, maybe a hobby shop? and im not sure about little shop vac's, i think they make a 1/2 hp motor, worth a try maybe. what are you going to use it for?
i think most washer/dryers have a little more pony than that.

I need a motor because I am building a lathe.

oh neato. honesty the only thing i can think of is a fan, while a celing fan would be ideal, i think it would be safer to use a beefy stand fan.

Try a old swimming pool pump. I used to work for Van Dorn pools and Douboy pool pumps have 1/4 HP motors, the only thing con about it is the RPM's are 1645 (don't quote me i know it's 16??, i worked for them in 2000). The motors are either AO SMITH, or GE. You can call them for free-1-800-VAN-SWIM.

Good luck, keep use posted, i wan't to know how your lathe turns out. FOR REAL!

Let me state this before I start talking.

I DONT KNOW SH*T ABOUT LATHES.

Now that Ive gotten that out, I think the RPM's are critical, but the horsepower isnt. [By that I mean high HP isnt going to affect anything] Try air conditioning places. My uncle owns a branch of GE electric motor repair business. He has hundreds of motors most 1/2, 3/4, and 1 HP. All of them just rotting in this warehouse in the back...

I have to respecfully disagree with Pimpmann22, to low of a HP will simply stop turning when put to work, (maby not when turning plastic, but deffently with metal). There is a lot of friction at the cutting point!
A higher RPM will carry a little longer, but it won't last long, i've seen this problem when people don't set up rite, they starte cutting, 2 seconds later the lathe jams, smoke rolls out of the motor, (because it's working again'st it's self), and then they scratch thier heads wondering what went wrong. Most lathes have cone pulley's for ajusting the speed.
Myself, i would want a 3/4 HP, to 1HP, just to make sure to have the power needed, you can allways gear it down if you need to.
If you are only turning plastic or soft metal, no bigger then a clock face,(5" or close to that), look for a used Unimat Lathe, normaly used by clock makers/jewlers. You can probly get one of them for the same cost to build one. I see them on Ebay usealy go for around $150.00/$200.00.

use a motor from a buffer,like the ones with the big stands like they have in shop class. I have one,and the motor is one or two horspower.It has so much torque and power it ,when It gets caught in the buffer wheel,will throw a 6" long,1 1/2" wide,solid chunk of steel 18 feet .that is why they put metal guards arround the buffing wheels.

i've got some motors from washing machines before, they're all 1/2HP, still it shouldnt matter much. oh by the way, are you following any specific books/instructions to building a lathe? i'm reading Dave Gingery's build a machine shop from scrap series of books, and i hope to have the project from the first book (charcoal foundry) done this summer

Ok sorry I haven't been on line for a while.

jrrdw I don't have a pool pump but if I come across one I can see if it would work.

pimpmann22 do you think that you could send me a working one if they are just rotting (payment is a later discussion).

schmanman once again I don't have one but if I come across one i will investigate.

spudshot can you sent me a motor (payment is a later discusion) and i am following the Dave Gingery's books too.
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I do have an old table saw. I dragged the dammn thing 1/4 of a mile my arms and legs still hurt and that was monday.
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I think it is over powering

too much power.you want too much power,not too little

3540 rpm is too much for a home made lathe. I want to limit the rpm to 2000 rpm.

okay, sorry.couldent you wire it with one of those light dimmers they sell at lowes and home depot.you know,the ones that you slide up and down.that would tune it down,and make it variable speed. Just an idea

you could always use some pulleys to step down the RPMs, wouldnt be that hard to cast them. if you've already built your foundry, can you give me some information on it? i've got all the stuff for mine but the refractory mix and molding sand, i'll pick them up sometime soon i hope