X5 Uni motor in older PM66?

[Aram]

Does anyone know if I can transplant the 3 HP motor from my left-tilting X5 Unisaw into a 1984 left-tilting PM66?

Thanks!

[BobW]

pretty sure the frames are significantly different. Can't you just sell the Uni and buy the appropriate motor? Or did it somehow get totaled?

[Aram]

I guess a better way to phrase it would be, how difficult would it be to do the swap? Would it need custom brackets or the like? Is there a reason it's flat-out not possible?

BobW, my X5 needs an organ donor, but there been a national shortage. My tale of tragedy and woe is told here, at the other end of this convenient hyperlink.

[skizzo]

Highly doubtful it would transfer, though I don't know the frame on the X5 unisaw motor. The PM 66 is going to be a c-frame mount, which means it bolts through the end onto the yoke of the saw. The size of the c-frame needed for the PM66 will likely vary depending on the motor that the saw originally came with. But in any case, it doesn't seem likely that the unisaw has a c-frame in either of the respective sizes.

[Aram]

skizzo said:

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Highly doubtful it would transfer, though I don't know the frame on the X5 unisaw motor. The PM 66 is going to be a c-frame mount, which means it bolts through the end onto the yoke of the saw. The size of the c-frame needed for the PM66 will likely vary depending on the motor that the saw originally came with. But in any case, it doesn't seem likely that the unisaw has a c-frame in either of the respective sizes.

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Thanks, Bill. It was worth a shot.

[BobW]

Oh, OK, missed that thread. Hope that doesn't happen to mine. It's a 2002, pre X-5. but I'm sure the guts are the same. The Delta replacement parts situation is a real shame. Four years ago the trunions on my 14" Delta band saw were broken. It took three months to get replacements. Since they were broken so easily, I checked last week to see if they were still available. They were, so I ordered a set just to have as a backup. This time they arrived in four days. Only problem is that somehow their system put in two orders. Now I need to decide if I should contact them to return them, or hold on to them because they'll be gold when their stock runs out, and they stop making them.

As to your situation, I suppose anything can be modified to fit anything. But there always seems to be a good market for replacement Uni motors. You likely have a US made Leeson that would bring a premium. Then buy your PM66 motor.

[Aram]

BobW said:

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The Delta replacement parts situation is a real shame. Four years ago the trunions on my 14" Delta band saw were broken. It took three months to get replacements. Since they were broken so easily, I checked last week to see if they were still available. They were, so I ordered a set just to have as a backup. This time they arrived in four days. Only problem is that somehow their system put in two orders. Now I need to decide if I should contact them to return them, or hold on to them because they'll be gold when their stock runs out, and they stop making them.

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They will indeed be gold. The market will be there on the 'bay. Sadly. Hang on to them unless you need the cash back.

BobW said:

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As to your situation, I suppose anything can be modified to fit anything. But there always seems to be a good market for replacement Uni motors. You likely have a US made Leeson that would bring a premium. Then buy your PM66 motor.

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Hey, that's a really good thought. Thanks.

[TDKPE]

Another thing making the Unisaw motor unique, besides the mounting tabs instead of C-face or footed, is that it has a 3/4" dia. shaft, which is non-standard. That makes the motor just that much more unique. I also believe the capacitor humps and junction box are in non-standard locations due to the need to clear the opening. If it's a clean motor, it is or will be worth a bit on the used market, especially since it's for the left-tilt (mounting tabs are mirror image of right-tilt, I believe), which makes it even more unique.

I don't know if there's anything special about the PM motor (a C-face is not special), so I agree with the other post(s) regarding sourcing a motor for the PM (a very common frame) and keeping the unique left-tilt Unisaw motor, which should bring more cash than the PM motor should cost.

[skizzo]

Aram, check your PMs about local saws.

[Mr_Mike]

Sorry to hear about your woes.

If you have a PM66 motor that doesn't work, I'd see about getting it rebuilt.

For the Uni, perhaps a machinist would like the challenge of cutting the teeth off and scabbing on a lump of steel and recutting the teeth. Wouldn't be cheap.

One might be able to have the teeth welded up and re-cut too.

The idea of parting out the Uni might be the path of least resistance though.