B&S No.2 Plain Mill

Discussion on all milling machines vertical & horizontal, including but not limited to Bridgeports, Hardinge, South Bend, Clausing, Van Norman, including imports.

Moderators: GlennW, Harold_V

jscarmozza
Posts: 599
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 5:09 pm

Re: B&S No.2 Plain Mill

Post by jscarmozza »

I picked up the rebuilt spindle motor today, I'll probably install it after Thanksgiving. It was a big ticket item, the shop said it was a special purpose motor made specifically for those machines, otherwise they would have just sold me a replacement. I just hope the knee motor holds out, I'm underwater with this machine now any other major repairs will really deep six me! This is an obsolete machine, like every other machine I own, but just couldn't send it off to the junkyard, they don't make them like this anymore. John
User avatar
Harold_V
Posts: 20231
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:02 pm
Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re: B&S No.2 Plain Mill

Post by Harold_V »

Thanks for the update. I'll keep a good thought in regards to the knee motor. With a little luck, it may perform flawlessly for years to come.

I can only guess at the high cost of the rewind, what with copper at an all-time high these days.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
jscarmozza
Posts: 599
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 5:09 pm

Re: B&S No.2 Plain Mill

Post by jscarmozza »

I installed the rebuilt motor today, it ran counter-clockwise, but when I stopped it and threw the reversing switch the motor didn't run at all. The motor was wired for high voltage at the shop which is what I run, do you think they could have gotten it wrong, or do you think there may be something wrong with the motor controls and that was what burned out the motor in the first place. I'm going to check the motor leads to make sure they're connected correctly, after that I'll test the components and see if there's anything wrong there. Any advice will be appreciated. John
User avatar
Harold_V
Posts: 20231
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:02 pm
Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re: B&S No.2 Plain Mill

Post by Harold_V »

I assume that the machine operates on three phase power. A quick review hasn't disclosed that it does, however. Assuming it does, to reverse a three phase motor, any two leads are reversed, and that is all that is required.

Does this motor have three leads? Does it have an equipment ground? Usually not included on early three phase, so I suspect it does not.

You can expect, from what little I've said here, that the reversing switch is pretty simple---all it does is switch the two wires mentioned. It might be a good idea to do a voltage check on the switch, checking from one leg to another to determine if there is power. If one is dead, the motor would have single phased, a state in which the motor can't start spinning, but will run if it is spinning. That would burn out the motor in short order. I suspect that you'd also hear the motor humming, although not spinning.

Weird thing you're going through.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
jscarmozza
Posts: 599
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 5:09 pm

Re: B&S No.2 Plain Mill

Post by jscarmozza »

Harold, the machine is 3 phase and I run it on 460 volts. The switch does exactly what you said, it swaps two leads and reverses the motor. This has got me confused, I didn't touch anything but the motor so I don't know why anything else would be screwed up, unless something else had gone wrong first and that's what took out the motor.
John
User avatar
Bill Shields
Posts: 10459
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:57 am
Location: 39.367, -75.765
Contact:

Re: B&S No.2 Plain Mill

Post by Bill Shields »

Or the motor is wrong from the rebuild shop
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
User avatar
Harold_V
Posts: 20231
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:02 pm
Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re: B&S No.2 Plain Mill

Post by Harold_V »

I agree with Bill that the motor rebuilder could have made a mistake, but before jumping to any conclusions, a voltage check at the switch should be performed. I suspect that the rewinder did a performance check before returning the motor, so it's unlikely (although certainly possible) that his work is at fault. If you don't get the 460 volts between legs, there's a problem in your wiring---and it certainly could be the switch. It is possible that the yet to be discovered problem took out the motor. That would have displayed the same indication as failing insulation, as it would get too hot, burning through, or transforming the lacquer to carbon, which would then behave as a conductor.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
jscarmozza
Posts: 599
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 5:09 pm

Re: B&S No.2 Plain Mill

Post by jscarmozza »

I'm going to go through it step by step starting with the motor lead connections (done by the shop) and then the contactors and switches, if no luck, Monday I'll call the motor shop.
djjh87
Posts: 405
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 5:32 pm
Location: florida

Re: B&S No.2 Plain Mill

Post by djjh87 »

John here is a motivation picture. love my #2
Jim
Attachments
20210802_194301.jpg
No problems just solutions.
jscarmozza
Posts: 599
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 5:09 pm

Re: B&S No.2 Plain Mill

Post by jscarmozza »

Nice looking machine Jim, how well does that vertical milling attachment work?
Well, today's the day, I set today aside to concentrate on diagnosing the problem. If I don't get it the first call I make tomorrow will be the motor repair shop.
djjh87
Posts: 405
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 5:32 pm
Location: florida

Re: B&S No.2 Plain Mill

Post by djjh87 »

Thanks , the head is universal and works great. It doubles the speed. I have a second head that I would part with or trade for ??. It is the B&S #9 taper. You can find #9 tooling or maybe machine a new spindle to a 5c. These machines don't get the attention that K&T get but I find it more refined in many ways. Check out my post on build log where I cut my key ways with my sloter attachment.
Jim
No problems just solutions.
jscarmozza
Posts: 599
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 5:09 pm

Re: B&S No.2 Plain Mill

Post by jscarmozza »

Jim my spindle taper is NST40. When I bought this machine I had the option of buying the machine I have for $800.00 or a universal mill with a vertical adapter for $1,400.00, money was very tight then so I went with the lower priced machine...I always regretted it. I have an old Index Model 55 that has a B&S #9 spindle taper, I've made all kinds of adapters for it over the years.

I found my problem! When I was stripping the wires to make up the connections, a piece of insulation fell into the switch and prevented it from making contact when thrown in that direction...the machine works fine now clockwise and counterclockwise spindle rotation, I'm going to button it up and put it back to work!
Post Reply