Affordable VFD

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unky_gumbi

Joined
Aug 28, 2009
Messages
7,951
Can anyone suggest an affordable VFD that is in stock? I need something that will work for a 1.5 Hp motor the KBAC27D is out of my price range, as are any NEMA 4X unit I can find. I had settled on the Teco FM50, even ordered it last week. Thing is it was on back order at the time with an availability date of 02/17/2011, now it says 04/21/2011. I do not want to wait till April to get my grinder up and running:grumpy: I have a budget of about $250 including shipping, any help would be appreciated and they have to be willing to ship to Canada or accept a credit card with a different shipping address.

Thanks

George
 
That is where I was going to order from originally but they require the billing and shipping address to be the same so that rule them out.
 
unky_gumbi said:
That is where I was going to order from originally but they require the billing and shipping address to be the same so that rule them out.
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Would they accept an order by telephone and payment by money order?
then ship to your US address ?
 
I haven't tried calling them, but I will as soon as I find out what is going on with Factorymotion. It could just be that they got a few in and shipped them out already. Unfortunately I didn't see the back order update till yesterday evening so I wasn't able to contact them to find out the truth.

I will be trying to contact them on Monday to find out what is happening with my order, if it is still on BO I will need to have them cancel the order and refund my credit card so I can buy some place else.

I have found this Hitachi model, but I need to do a little more reading up on it to make sure it is up to the job. It is a little more expensive than the Teco, but not as expensive as having a grinder sitting there unable to run.
 
I think the budget you mentioned for a VFD is unrealistic. For the max. budget you mentioned your going to get a "cheesy" VFD, with an open case, that will not hold up to the usage for a grinder. The best deals I have ever found for good quality motors and VFDs are here: http://www.waynecoeartistblacksmith.com/Motors___VFDs.html

I've had experience with the TECO unit you mentioned.....if you buy it and put it on a grinder, you're going to be looking for a new one in a few months.
 
Ed's right, if you put the FM50 on a grinder, it'll blow up quick. I did that. I then got another FM50, and put it outside the grinding room in a more dust free area. I've been using it for about 8 months now, no problems. I do blow it out with the compressor every now and then.
 
Patrice Lemée;9305095 said:
George, I ordered mine from here:
http://www.factorymation.com/
and I had a different billing and shipping addy.

Oups, sorry didn't read your last post. :o
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Yeah that is where I ordered from:(

Ed Caffrey said:
I think the budget you mentioned for a VFD is unrealistic. For the max. budget you mentioned your going to get a "cheesy" VFD, with an open case, that will not hold up to the usage for a grinder. The best deals I have ever found for good quality motors and VFDs are here: http://www.waynecoeartistblacksmith.com/Motors___VFDs.html

I've had experience with the TECO unit you mentioned.....if you buy it and put it on a grinder, you're going to be looking for a new one in a few months.
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Salem Straub said:
Ed's right, if you put the FM50 on a grinder, it'll blow up quick. I did that. I then got another FM50, and put it outside the grinding room in a more dust free area. I've been using it for about 8 months now, no problems. I do blow it out with the compressor every now and then.
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Patrice Lemée;9305231 said:
I also agree. But if you are on a budget, putting it in a box like I did (it is on the opposite wall of the grinders) http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=615683
it's been working fine for 2 years now. I have to say though that I am not a full time maker and that my dust "extraction" system does keep the dust pretty low in the shop.
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As much as I would like to get a NEMA 4X VFD I just can't afford one in the near future, but with proper precautions I am hoping I can make an IP20 one work:o
While it would be in the same room as the grinder, it would be on the other side of a half wall in a case that is vented and filtered to keep it out of the dirt and dust from grinding.

small_shop.jpg


This little shop area is only temporary till spring when I can convert my garage to a year round shop. I should say I am much less of a full time maker than Patrice is, it is purely a hobby for me. I only have 9 knives under my belt and 3 more on the go right now, so I am averaging less than one knife a month
 
I can understand your situation, been there myself. BUT, from the drawing, I can promise you that you're going to be unhappy with that setup. If you want to change speeds, your going to have to leave your grinder, and your going to be making a LOT of trips back and forth. The other thing you must consider it that there is a reason that TECO is less expensive.....because it's built that way. I just hate to see others go down the same path that I have....spend money, only to have to spend it again for the same type of item because it's "all I can afford". You'll be way money ahead if you just save up enough, and buy what you NEED to begin with.

OK, I'll stop beating the dead horse and leave it alone. I'm not in your shoes, and don't know all the specifics or your situation, but have said what I have, based on experience.
 
Ed Caffrey said:
I can understand your situation, been there myself. BUT, from the drawing, I can promise you that you're going to be unhappy with that setup. If you want to change speeds, your going to have to leave your grinder, and your going to be making a LOT of trips back and forth. The other thing you must consider it that there is a reason that TECO is less expensive.....because it's built that way. I just hate to see others go down the same path that I have....spend money, only to have to spend it again for the same type of item because it's "all I can afford". You'll be way money ahead if you just save up enough, and buy what you NEED to begin with.

OK, I'll stop beating the dead horse and leave it alone. I'm not in your shoes, and don't know all the specifics or your situation, but have said what I have, based on experience.
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I understand what you are saying and respect what you are telling me. I know that it is my best interest to wait the 6 months I would need to save up the money to buy something like a KBAC-27D, my first choice BTW, but by getting the cheaper VFD now I can make the money on sales to buy the KBAC in six months. Yes I have been lucky enough to sell everything I have made so far, and have 5 more pre sold, I just have to get them made:o.

As for the trips back and forth to adjust the speed, I don't think you fully understand how small the space is. It is literally a step to the left to adjust it. I had to lay things out so that I could stand in between the band saw and drill press so I could have room to get out of the way when a belt breaks:o

It is a temporary set up so I can work in the winter, -40 in an unheated, uninsulated garage is no fun in Winnipeg. Once the spring hits and the ground thaws I can run 240V out to the garage and start working out there. By mid summer I will have the garage fully converted if things go close to as planned. I have things worked out with my landlord, so he is paying for the insulation and building materials, I pay for the fixtures and run the electrical, and the to of us do the work on weekends. Then I have an electrician friend that will inspect and fix anything that isn't quite right for one of my little EDC knives.

On a side note, I am still looking for a substitute for the VFD that I ordered and is now back ordered till the end of April, and believe me if I find a good NEMA 4X VFD in or close to my price range, or I have a windfall of money I will be buying that instead
 
Ed Caffrey said:
I think the budget you mentioned for a VFD is unrealistic. For the max. budget you mentioned your going to get a "cheesy" VFD, with an open case, that will not hold up to the usage for a grinder. The best deals I have ever found for good quality motors and VFDs are here: http://www.waynecoeartistblacksmith.com/Motors___VFDs.html

I've had experience with the TECO unit you mentioned.....if you buy it and put it on a grinder, you're going to be looking for a new one in a few months.
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I just sent Mr Coe an email to see if he is willing to ship to an address other than the billing address, if he is willing and I gt my money back from the factorymotion backorder I may be able to swing the KBAC 27D. I will just have to cut back on a few other things to do it.
 
12345678910 said:
Have you tried local distributors ?

http://www.twmi.com/distributors/list/AB


You're going to need product numbers before you call.
http://www.twmi.com/products/controls/drives/FM50_OPEN_CHASSIS/FM50-202-C



In Ontario, but $300, Waynes KBAC is a better value.
http://www.trilliumcontrols.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=554
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Two things:

1/ I am in Manitoba not Alberta:p
2/ Why the heck should the same VFD cost $100 more in Canada than it does in the USA? That is one that will never make sense to me, even more so with the Canadian dollar being up right now. I am sure it confuses more people than just myself.

The KBAC 27D was my first choice right from the beginning, but that $400 price tag means Mr Noodles for a few weeks. Thing is if it comes down to it, it is what I will do to get the grinder up and running.
 
unky_gumbi said:
Two things:

1/ I am in Manitoba not Alberta:p
2/ Why the heck should the same VFD cost $100 more in Canada than it does in the USA? That is one that will never make sense to me, even more so with the Canadian dollar being up right now. I am sure it confuses more people than just myself.

The KBAC 27D was my first choice right from the beginning, but that $400 price tag means Mr Noodles for a few weeks. Thing is if it comes down to it, it is what I will do to get the grinder up and running.
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1.
OK, try this then...
http://www.twmi.com/distributors/list/MB
Manitoba, Alberta, they both end in "a" it's been along time since I had to colour maps in elementary school :)

2.
That ticks me off to no end on everything I want.
Shipping USPS, or UPS plus fees - is crazy
I think they just ship it in from the US at premium service and tack it onto the price.

plus the Canadian distributors add MORE beyond the US retail markup
EVERYTHING is cheaper in the US


maybe you can find a VFD distributor that is into bicycles and you can do tradesies
 
Well I just got an email from Wayne Coe and he is willing to send to the US address I have so it looks like I will be eating Mr Noodles for a couple weeks once I get my money back from Factorymotion
 
Ed Caffrey said:
I think the budget you mentioned for a VFD is unrealistic. For the max. budget you mentioned your going to get a "cheesy" VFD, with an open case, that will not hold up to the usage for a grinder. The best deals I have ever found for good quality motors and VFDs are here: http://www.waynecoeartistblacksmith.com/Motors___VFDs.html
QUOTE]

Gotta agree with Ed. Wayne is the man to deal with. Shipped me the right one to Australia which is now happily powering my disc grinder:thumbup:
Cheers Bruce
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Most of the discussion here so far assumes that the controls of the TECO50 have to be fixed on the unit itself.

With a little plastic project box, the correct pot and a bit of wire, you can put the speed knob dang near wherever you wish right at the grinder and the controls quite far away.
 
Yep, I use one to power my surface grinder, and use remote controls.
The Teco is in a cabinet, and a couple of wires run out of it,
 
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