Machine shop part

[5030]

uhmgawa:

I don't think a gear hobber would fit in you basement or garage for that matter. Somehow, the reality of having 408-440 3 phase power in a residential enviroment would probably blow you and your utility provider away. Around here, just the cost of setting a pole and the cans is over 10K. That doesn't include the drop and the inside panel work. I'd not be fond of wiring a machine with that kind of power myself. My wife and I have a good friend with a 9 million dollar shop in a Detroit suburb that allows me access to his machine tools in the event that I need something large machined. He even has a 100 ton vertical broach.

[uhmgawa]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I don't think a gear hobber would fit in you basement or garage for that matter.)</font>

I wouldn't be interested is something quite so large nor associated
utility over-dramatics. I've seen smaller hobbers which had a footprint
not much more than my v/h mill.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Around here, just the cost of setting a pole and the cans is over 10K.)</font>

Around here the utility poles, transformer, service lateral, and meter
box are gratis. At least when I built such was the case.

[em14]

5030,
Thanks for the information!
Leo

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Around here the utility poles, transformer, service lateral, and meter
box are gratis. At least when I built such was the case.
)</font>

When we built here in fl 4 years ago.. the builder asked us specifically that question.. If we needed 3ph power. It would have only been about 3-400 over the 1000 we paid for the residential hookup.. ( for one outlet service anyway.. anything more was up to the electrician wireing the house.. ).

Guess some places gouge your eyes out. Where we moved from, cable wasn't on our street.. and the cable company wanted 1$/linear foot to lay it... I told them I'd pass..

Soundguy

[uhmgawa]

When we built here in fl 4 years ago.. the builder asked us specifically that question.. If we needed 3ph power. It would have only been about 3-400 over the 1000 we paid for the residential hookup.. ( for one outlet service anyway.. anything more was up to the electrician wireing the house.. ).
)</font>

I'm unsure if I would have gone for the 3PH even if I had the option.
About the only time I had to deal with the issue was on one of my mills.
That motor was only 2HP and was just easier to swap.

[Taylortractornut]

I love 3 phase in m shop. The road I live on was to old main road and had a 3 phase line beside the house. It runs my 15 horse power lathe and 2 3 phase welders. The 3 phse welders are nice to have ccause of their duty cycle and they are super cheap when you find one used. I also like the 20 dollar a month power bill i nthe shop, when i dont use it though I get a 40 dollar power bill. One thing I have found that Im trying to purchase is a 3 phase ac unit off a cnc tool room I used to part time in it works good they just up graded lol Now Ill go from partially sorry to full blown sorry.

[5030]

I use a rotary convertor for my T-3 leg. I have to use a true sine wave convertor as my surface grinder has a frequency controlled motor.

If I had it to do over again I would have paid edison to set the pole and cans. I run 200 amps to the shop and my electric bill averages about $200.00 per month.

I have a standby genset but the shop is wired outside the genset's circuits.

I don't think I'd ever swap out a 3 phase motor for a single phase, although on a lathe that would be pretty simple.

[Junkman]

Last year I needed a gear for special application reproduced and found a local company that makes nothing but gears. They took the old gear and made a new copy for me in a couple of days. Told me that making a one of a kind gear wasn't a problem for them as long as they weren't under pressure to have it done yesterday. In the Worcester MA area, there are two gear manufacturers that I can think of right away, and probably more if I went looking.

[armyof1]

Junkman,
What is the cost on something like this?

[Junkman]

costs vary by size and materials. I had 50 gears reproduced and my final cost was about $15 a gear for brass gears. I had a single gear made and that one cost about $125 for a steel gear. Both were totally different and the is no way to put a price on a part until they see the gear and measure it. Sometimes they have to start from scratch, and other times they can make it from stock material. Not to sound offensive, but your question is like asking how much a tractor cost. Depends on size. In both instances, neither were available any longer.
I have a box of 4 speed gears for Chevrolet's of the 1960's and some of them are worth less today than they were back then. Others are difficult to get and are worth 10 times their old book price. Some would cost a Kings Ransom to have reproduced today, because of the complexities, but still have no value because there is no demand. It might be a $3.00 gear that stops a $100,000 Corvette, but is no longer available. To that owner, $100 would be considered cheap and it wouldn't be rare to find people asking $500 for a part that sold originally for $3.00. Price is only relative to the value of the item it is going into.