VN Rebuild project for my VN #12

For drawbar removal, put the drive in the lowest speed, loosen from the back end with spanner or wrench as necessary & when it is clear of it's seat about a 1/4" use a deadblow hammer to drive it loose.

As for 3 phase converter, Rucker has 10% discount you can use at AmericanRotary.com. If in the USA setting up a home shop & insist on using 480V 3 phase be aware that simply opting to get the phase converter upgraded to 480V will not do. It's in fine print output V = input V. Now I wait for a transformer that costs more than what all I ordered from them to start with. I simply did not call before ordering. Ideally, you would get a 240V phase converter & add a 3 phase transformer to the output to run a 480V machine. Single phase 15KV 240/480V transformers are much more expensive. They are great to talk to - just wish I began with the phonecall.

Looking forward to your updates!
 
Have you looked at the data plates on the motor(s)? Most 3-phase motors are dual voltage and can typically operate on either 220 or 440 volts 3-phase. Switching from 440/480 to 220/240 is fairly easy to do.

As for the transformer route, that's NOT a very good solution. The current inrush for a large transformer will trip the breaker unless you really oversize the circuit and the rotary phase converter. Much cheaper to swap out the motors (or have them rewired) if they aren't dual voltage.
 
Thanks Cal! Yes, my whole setup is sincerely oversized. Just planning for the future.
 
BROCKWOOD said:
Hey Cal,
Since I feel we're hijacking CrankyOldMan's Thread, I'm moving this conversation to my Van Norman page...
Click to expand...
Thanks for the assist. =)

I scored a 1/2" original collet in superb condition last week, so I can actually do something with it once I get it wired up. I'm still unpacking things in the garage so it's not organized enough to where I can do a decent cleanup on the machine and get it ready to run. Hopefully I can start cleaning in earnest in the next few weeks. I'll do what I can to get some pictures of her as well.
 
If it turns out the mills to much trouble just send it to me a good going over . May take a couple years but then again I always did want a van Norman. Good luck I think there great machines . Someday maybe ill be able but I can dream.
 
Hi Ed,

Unfortunately I've overestimated my available time to work on this. I ended up with full custody of my teenage sons and have a 45 minute commute, one-way, so every day is a full day.

The VN is in the garage but work on it is stalled (pun intended) for the moment. I'm putting together a rotary phase converter so that I can verify that it electrically/mechanically works as expected and at least get an idea of the wear and play in the bed and head and I'll go from there. I've also scored a few collets on eBay for a reasonable price (~$50 ea.) over the last few months, so I can do some test cuts once it's powered up.

Thanks for checking in!

-Cranky
 
This is just a hobby for me as well. Job, family, honey do list all come first!
 
I hope this isn't another machine that will disappear into the dismantled oblivion. Any updates?
 
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