# Speed Contrller For 110v Brushed Motor?



## AR1911 (Dec 28, 2015)

I have this cute little Cameron drill press. It's a nice size for the really small stuff, but the minimum speed is 8500 RPM. I would like to be able to slow it down a bit for some projects.   I bought a router speed controller at HF. It worked but only from about mid-dial up. The same controller worked fine on a similar but slower motor.
      The Cameron motor has no specs on it other than "120V, AC or DC".  Cameron makes a controller but I'm sure i can't afford it.
      So how do I find a speed controller which is better matched to my motor?


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## David VanNorman (Dec 28, 2015)

Why don't you get a DC motor it be more controlled .


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## RJSakowski (Dec 28, 2015)

A 110 v universal (ac/dc) motor can be run on a conventional light dimmer.  They can be found for a few bucks at any DIY store.  A rheostat can also be used.  You didn't specify the motor size (current draw, hp rating etc.).  A higher priced option is a variable transformer, commonly called a Variac.


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## AR1911 (Dec 28, 2015)

Motor size is unspecified, as noted above. This is a valuable DP, need to keep it original.
I'll try a dimmer switch, thanks.


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## jim18655 (Dec 28, 2015)

AR1911 said:


> Motor size is unspecified, as noted above. This is a valuable DP, need to keep it original.
> I'll try a dimmer switch, thanks.


Get a speed control for a ceiling fan, they're made for motors.


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## kd4gij (Dec 28, 2015)

I also have the HF foot pedal. Don't waist your money. Foredom also makes a knobbed speed controller that works very well.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SPEED-CONTR...103536?hash=item2c69d4a0f0:g:IiYAAOSwVFlUBdMm

Dremel  also made one witch I also have and it works good with the Cameron . with any speed reduction you are going to lose torque.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...speed.TRS0&_nkw=dremel+speed+control&_sacat=0


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## Kernbigo (Dec 29, 2015)

if it is dc use a treadmill controler


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## AR1911 (Dec 29, 2015)

Good suggestions thanks. I actually have a nice DC controller, but it's as big as the DP. 
Ideally I'd like something about the size of a pack of cigarettes that would mount on the base under the motor.
I'll look at dimmers and fan controllers. I may even have some


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## John Hasler (Dec 29, 2015)

AR1911 said:


> I have this cute little Cameron drill press. It's a nice size for the really small stuff, but the minimum speed is 8500 RPM. I would like to be able to slow it down a bit for some projects.   I bought a router speed controller at HF. It worked but only from about mid-dial up. The same controller worked fine on a similar but slower motor.
> The Cameron motor has no specs on it other than "120V, AC or DC".  Cameron makes a controller but I'm sure i can't afford it.
> So how do I find a speed controller which is better matched to my motor?


That's a series motor.  You won't get very good speed control at low speeds without feedback.  It's the nature of series motors that the torque, not the speed, is proportional to the applied voltage.


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## DoogieB (Dec 30, 2015)

As other's have stated, you want something like a router speed control.  The Foredom unit looks nice.

I have the Dumore sensitive drill which is smaller and even faster than your Cameron since it's direct-drive.  I've tried a Dremel speed controller with it and what you will find is that the drill will have little power at slower speeds. 

These sensitive drill presses are just made to turn tiny bits really fast with no run out.  If you have no use for this you can always sell it on Ebay as they go for quite a bit of money even used.


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## AR1911 (Dec 30, 2015)

Yeah, I checked ebay when I got home with it and was very pleasantly surprised. 
I'll probably hang onto it while I look for a similar small, accurate DP more suited to my interests. 
I have a niece who is getting into jewelry making. I am giving her the Covington DP I acquired a while back. Maybe I'll keep this Cameron and see if she outgrows that.
In the meantime, it's a pretty cool desk accessory.


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## RJSakowski (Dec 30, 2015)

Another possibility.  Every corded (110v) variable speed drill has a speed control built in.  Usually, the motor gives out so, if you're like me, there are a number of drill carcasses laying about.  

Pull the trigger assembly out, making sure to record where the wires go and mount in a suitable enclosure.   The pot that is used to vary the speed could be replaced with a conventional pot or a mechanism could be devised to depress the trigger gradually.  A cam or large pitch screw device comes to mind.


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## TomS (Dec 30, 2015)

How slow do you want to go?  I'm using a Super-PID speed controller on a Porter Cable router that regulated speed down to 5000 RPM and up to the router's max speed of 28000 while maintaining torque through the RPM range.  Here's the website for more info.  http://www.vhipe.com/product-private/SuperPID-Home.htm 

Tom S.


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## AR1911 (Dec 30, 2015)

TomS said:


> How slow do you want to go?  I'm using a Super-PID speed controller on a Porter Cable router that regulated speed down to 5000 RPM and up to the router's max speed of 28000 while maintaining torque through the RPM range.  Here's the website for more info.  http://www.vhipe.com/product-private/SuperPID-Home.htm   Tom S.



I like that a lot, except for the price.


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## TomS (Dec 30, 2015)

AR1911 said:


> I like that a lot, except for the price.



Agreed.  It's a bit on the high side but I needed a controller that would maintain motor torque at low RPM.  This fit the bill perfectly.

Tom S.


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## AR1911 (Dec 30, 2015)

If I had a specific job for this DP that required low RPM torque, I'd gladly pay that too.
But right now this is a desk ornament in search of a mission.

I wonder if the KB Electronics DC controllers boost low RPM torque?   They are around $65
I need to hook this thing up to my Ratiotrol unit and see what the torque is like. Just for my own education


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## John Hasler (Dec 30, 2015)

AR1911 said:


> If I had a specific job for this DP that required low RPM torque, I'd gladly pay that too.
> But right now this is a desk ornament in search of a mission.
> 
> I wonder if the KB Electronics DC controllers boost low RPM torque?   They are around $65
> I need to hook this thing up to my Ratiotrol unit and see what the torque is like. Just for my own education


No open loop controller can give you good low speed control with a series motor (when you use an electric drill *you* are the closed loop control).


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## AR1911 (Dec 30, 2015)

Are you saying that the KB and the RatioTrol DC controllers are open loop?


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