PM 1440TL with Hitachi WJ200-075LF VFD Delivery, Clean up and VFD Set up

B2 said:
Hi @BladesIIB

Nice install and video! Thanks for sharing. I am always surprised that folks do not put the RPM display in the front panel. It will fit just fine and reduces the wire clutter. I managed to put a lot of displays (RPM, Revolution count, potentiometer meter) in my PM1440GT front panel but it required creative spacing. Here are a couple of pictures:





From a safety stand point having your Power On-Off switch on the wall behind and above the lathe would be a concern for anyone shorter than you are. One basically has his belly hanging over the lathe when the power is being turned on to the VFD etc. You could put a switch for this off to the side of the lathe.

WRT to patents. I have a number of them and I have yet to see one that gets awarded that did not cost at least $10k plus the "maintenance" fees. One of mine I also filed in Japan and Korea and just the translation fees were over $25k. You certainly want to file as a "small entity" (person or business) to try to lower the costs of the maintenance fees. Most of my patents cost a lot more than this. This is only the beginning. The real cost is incurred when you try to enforce them against a big company! Their are a number of "tricks" in patent filing and if you want to talk about it you can message me. I am not a lawyer, but I have a lot of experience... .both good and bad. You can file a provisional application for a couple hundred dollars which will get you protection for a year and allows you to make a disclosure... while to finish up your concepts, get things in order, and get help/financing in preparing the final application. You can write one specification, but file for multiple patents.... which seems to be a good thing to have done when it comes to enforcement. You can file things called continuation patents, divisional patents, etc. but there are timing requirements for this. By the way, most patents are pretty much worthless, so be sure to do a really good job of finding all of the prior art (patents, products, literature both US and foreign) before you file and include all that you can as references. Pointing out how your invention solves the problems of other prior art, especially prior art that is really close to your invention, helps make your patent much stronger.

Good luck,
Dave L.
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Appreciate the feedback on the switch. The lathe has a safety shut off on the front so easy access to that for anyone for sure. As for the tach I guess I like where it is for the easy viewing when the lathe is running vs looking at the front panel? Just my thought on it. As for the patent, I was able to secure one for my design. Fun process, not sure I would do it again but glad I did this one.
 
Winegrower said:
I too have some experience in the patent field…I hold 5 in energy and have assigned a number more in computer storage and internet devices. For those of us hobby machinists, it’s extremely unlikely that anything we think of has not been covered by prior art, most likely by Perfessor Von Fustenberg in 1825 or so. It’s unlikely you could sell to a big company…most are very wary of unsolicited proposals and if they were to talk to you would probably have you sign that they are not constrained in any way and may have thought of this themselves in any event. Every other path has big expensive pitfalls, so be careful.
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Good insight. I was able to get the patent and enjoyed the process and learning. Not sure I would do it again but glad I did this one.
 
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