J Donelli on wed 19 nov 03
My Shimpo RK2 wheel has died.Iit is well over 20 years old. It was acting funny. When I turned the switch on, I wouldn't hear anything, but when I pressed on the pedal, it would suddenly "turn on" and start spinning like normal. Then when I stopped the wheel, it would sound like it turned off (no fan or motor running.) Well I threw a few pots. Turned the switch off, then ten minutes later when I turned the switch on again, the wheel would not turn on at all, the pedal wouldn't depress (like it is when the wheel is turned off.) Then smoke started pouring out of the motor. (I turned off the switch and unpluged it, naturally.)
I flipped the wheel over, turned it on one more time, I saw sparks coming from the inside of the motor and more smoke poured out.
Is this wheel beyond repair, or too much expense to bother fixing? It needs a new belt and probably bearings too -- though I was hoping to do that later, like after the holidays. Can I just replace the motor? I have another, even older Shimpo RK2 in storage. Since I haven't turned it on in 15 years, and it's been in an outside storage unit, not sure of the condition of that one. Can Shimpo send me a new motor? How much do they cost?
I have a firing deadline coming up, every day I am without a wheel is really bad, right now. Advice please!
Thanks!
Jen Donelli
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Carl Finch on thu 20 nov 03
At 09:12 PM 11/19/03 -0800, J Donelli wrote:
>My Shimpo RK2 wheel has died.Iit is well over 20 years old. It was acting
>funny. When I turned the switch on, I wouldn't hear anything, but when I
>pressed on the pedal, it would suddenly "turn on" and start spinning like
>normal. Then when I stopped the wheel, it would sound like it turned off
>(no fan or motor running.) Well I threw a few pots. Turned the switch off,
>then ten minutes later when I turned the switch on again, the wheel would
>not turn on at all, the pedal wouldn't depress (like it is when the wheel
>is turned off.) Then smoke started pouring out of the motor. (I turned off
>the switch and unpluged it, naturally.)
>I flipped the wheel over, turned it on one more time, I saw sparks coming
>from the inside of the motor and more smoke poured out.
>Is this wheel beyond repair, or too much expense to bother fixing? It
>needs a new belt and probably bearings too -- though I was hoping to do
>that later, like after the holidays. Can I just replace the motor? I have
>another, even older Shimpo RK2 in storage. Since I haven't turned it on in
>15 years, and it's been in an outside storage unit, not sure of the
>condition of that one. Can Shimpo send me a new motor? How much do they cost?
The following was posted here just 9 days ago:
==================================
From: elark1@VERIZON.NET
Subject: shimpo motor for sale!
i was cleaning out my closet and found a new motor which i had bought for my
old shimpo RK-2. the motor specs are as follows: hitachi single phase
induction motor, type EFOU-KT, 200 watt output, 4 poles, 115 volts, 60 Hz, 4.3
amp, 1730 rpm.
this motor has never been used and sells new (just called shimpo) for $210. i
would like $125 plus shipping. anyone interested?
eleanor arkowitz
in snowy!! n.h.
===================================
But if you have a seized bearing or other mechanical lock-up, simply
replacing the motor may just ruin another one!
--Carl
in Medford, Oregon
Vince Pitelka on thu 20 nov 03
> But if you have a seized bearing or other mechanical lock-up, simply
> replacing the motor may just ruin another one!
Carl -
This would not be the case in an RK-1 or an RK-2, because if the pedal is in
the neutral position, as was described, nothing but the motor is running -
no belts, no jackshafts, nothing but the motor with the drive cone spinning
on the output shaft. I have seen motors seize up and burn out in a number
of RK-2s. Replacing the motor should be an easy fix.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Office - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 x111, FAX 615/597-6803
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
Roger Korn on fri 21 nov 03
Hi Jen,
Shimpo is a huge Japanese industrial outfit, where somebody likes potting - the wheels are almost a hobby for them, but the design and production are to a very high standard. The cone drive system they use is done to permit the use of standard AC motors: the motors are cheap and come in standard frame sizes. Yours has a short in one of the windings - it's toast. The replacement cost is low if you get a replacement from an industrial supplier like W. W. Grainger, higher if you go to a ceramic equipment dealer (Axner's comes to mind), but no big hit.
The point is: Shimpo's never die, but parts wear out, get squeeky, etc. The rubber drive ring that the cone engages wears out and gets hard and cracks with age, but Aftosa or Shimpo will sell you a replacement for about $25. The ring and the motor are probably the only things that will wear out. If you like the Shimpo, fix it. If you don't, sell it to me for the teaching studio I'm slowly putting together!
For your immediate problem, try swapping motors with the older RK2. Should work. Gimme a call if I can "talk you through" the process. Or get a mechanically inclined person to help. These wheels are an elegant, simple design and not that hard to "figger".
Hope this helps,
Roger, getting set to head for AZ after 2 months of "over the top" cabinet making for the OR place. Anybody want a beautiful 1400 sq ft house with a 300 sq ft studio and a 900 sq ft shop, located 20 miles west of Portland, OR? Living in two places is driving me nuts!
J Donelli wrote:
My Shimpo RK2 wheel has died.Iit is well over 20 years old. It was acting funny. When I turned the switch on, I wouldn't hear anything, but when I pressed on the pedal, it would suddenly "turn on" and start spinning like normal. Then when I stopped the wheel, it would sound like it turned off (no fan or motor running.) Well I threw a few pots. Turned the switch off, then ten minutes later when I turned the switch on again, the wheel would not turn on at all, the pedal wouldn't depress (like it is when the wheel is turned off.) Then smoke started pouring out of the motor. (I turned off the switch and unpluged it, naturally.)
I flipped the wheel over, turned it on one more time, I saw sparks coming from the inside of the motor and more smoke poured out.
Is this wheel beyond repair, or too much expense to bother fixing? It needs a new belt and probably bearings too -- though I was hoping to do that later, like after the holidays. Can I just replace the motor? I have another, even older Shimpo RK2 in storage. Since I haven't turned it on in 15 years, and it's been in an outside storage unit, not sure of the condition of that one. Can Shimpo send me a new motor? How much do they cost?
I have a firing deadline coming up, every day I am without a wheel is really bad, right now. Advice please!
Thanks!
Jen Donelli
--
McKay Creek Ceramics
In OR: PO Box 436 ------->leaving for AZ Sunday
North Plains, OR 97133
503-647-5464
In AZ: PO Box 463 ------>after Thanksgiving...
Rimrock, AZ 96335
928-567-5699
Andrew Francis on fri 21 nov 03
Hi Jen,
I just went through this on a repair job - if your wheel has the original
motor, then you will probably be best off changing the motor from your other
one into this one, and do the bearings at the same time. The bearings (if
you buy the best rated ones) should only cost you about $40 for all of them.
Some are only $7.00 and some are $15. You need access to a press to get
the bearings off of the shafts however, so a shop at a local school could do
that for you.
The problem with these motors is that their shaft size is metric and the
cone hole is metric as a result. If you go out and buy a similar american
motor with a 1/2" shaft, you will end up with a pully that doesn't fit.
What you can do is buy a cheap american 5/8" shaft motor and have a machine
shop drill out your cone to 5/8" inch hole.
Then, in twenty more years, you can just buy another cheap american motor.
The reason this is an issue is because the motors are about $300 for a
replacement, and last time I checked, Shimpo of America had only 4 of them
in stock. Add the bearing cost and belt cost and all the time and you could
buy a new wheel for another $75.
Perhaps someone else has a source for inexpensive metric motors. I could
not find one through a motor repair guy or McMaster Carr and suspect that
they are pretty rare or expensive. 5/8" shaft 1/3 hp motors are pretty
common on ebay and I got one new for $65.
Good luck and ask away if you have other questions.
Andrew Francis
Executive Director
The Guild Studio School
413 527-0420
http://www.guildstudioschool.org
Carl Finch on fri 21 nov 03
At 08:46 PM 11/20/03 -0600, Vince Pitelka wrote:
> > But if you have a seized bearing or other mechanical lock-up, simply
> > replacing the motor may just ruin another one!
>
>Carl -
>This would not be the case in an RK-1 or an RK-2, because if the pedal is in
>the neutral position, as was described, nothing but the motor is running -
>no belts, no jackshafts, nothing but the motor with the drive cone spinning
>on the output shaft.
Oops, of course! Agreed.
--Carl "back to remedial reading" Finch
in Medford, Oregon
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