# power feed



## SWARFEATER (Jul 10, 2014)

this is my homemade power feed. its the  knee axis on my millrite. ford windshield wiper motor and gear box, finishing up to a # 40 chain drive. the original handle slides in and out to engage and has no effect (disconnects drive) when pulled out. has original graduated dial that all still works ,though I have trav a dials on a 3 axis. you can see the holes in the #40 sprocket that connect to pins in handle when engaged.  cost about #30 total. about 10 years or so old and lots and lots of use. I geared it to be able to bore holes under power feed and has variable speed with high speed jog.


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## drs23 (Jul 10, 2014)

Clever. And nice. Good job.


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## jpfabricator (Jul 10, 2014)

A few more pictures would ne nice. I also have a millrite, and my wifes truck has power windows......

Seriously good work!
Jake Parker


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## 12bolts (Jul 11, 2014)

jpfabricator said:


> ......I also have a millrite, and my wifes truck has power windows......


I can see this ending in tears........

Cheers Phil


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## jpfabricator (Jul 11, 2014)

Swarfeater, do you have any kind of "shear pin" or any other kind of safety device installed. Or does the motor lack the torque to do any real damage. 
Does the motor give you any problems when you reverse it?


Jake Parker


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## SWARFEATER (Jul 12, 2014)

no shear mechanism is needed, the gearboxes are designed to slip if overloaded. the nylon gear just deflects (as if the wipers are frozen to glass) without damage. they go slightly slower in reverse but only 4 or 5 % i would guess. these motors and massive gear reductions have plenty, plenty of power. a .05 or more cut in steel with the full cut of a 3" face mill is easy. they have never stalled, but i have had them slip many times when i did something stupid, and i have snapped off a few 1/2 end mills. the pic is of the knee drive, the gears i dont remember where they came from, probably a lawn tractor trans or motorcycle one. the sprocket (small) is homemade on a rotary table. the speed variation is very good using the variable speed 24 volt supply. the x and y drives use a sliding clutch (a slotted tube sliding on a shaft to engage a cross pin in the shaft. they disconnect the motor so are friction free when disengaged). the x and y drives have no gears, just sprocket drives, the knee needed more power and less speed.  the large sprocket freewheels on the shaft and engages by sliding the handle on. hope this helps.


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## jpfabricator (Jul 12, 2014)

12bolts said:


> I can see this ending in tears........
> 
> Cheers Phil



YES.... my wifes tears of joy, knowing she sacrificed for my power feed
LOL LOL LOL 

Jake Parker


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