Official Luthiers Forum!

Took the day off, drove up to Nashville and picked up my tools (Jet 18" Bandsaw, Jet 10" Supersaw, 18" Powermatic Drill Press). After I set everything up, I will post some pics.

Love that drill press. And the bandsaw is more than I expected. But the Supersaw? Holy cow is that a nice machine! Don't know if any of you have one, but I am seriously impressed. God Bless Bill Gates and his cashback deal.

The only tool I need to rewire for (house) is the bandsaw (220v). I believe all of the motors can be rewired for 220, but right now I am going to leave well enough alone.

I hope this did not come off as a gloat. I have waited MANY years to buy tools like these, and I am one happy camper.

Mike

Not to worry, there is not much better than new tools for the barn!!!
I look forward to your pictures. I wish Bill had been available for cash when I bought my latest addition a few months back!

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Fantastic Mike. Seriously cool getting new goodies like that and getting a great deal on what you want. Enjoy em. "Remember to read, understand, and follow all the safety manuals that came with your machines and remember....there is no more important equipment than these, safety glasses."

Darrin

Darrin, John,

I have been studying my options for a long time. I pretty much had my option plans all worked out. Then came Bill and his deal. I cannot believe my good fortune. Saved ~$700 total. Now, all I need it a compressor and a buffer. (and free time)

Mike

I agree with Todd. 220v is much better to use where the machine can handle
it. And for a one-man shop, you really only need one 30A 220v circuit, since
you'll only run one tool at a time. If you have a big dust collection system, you
might need a separate 220 circuit for that if you're running a big piece of equipment.
But that should be plenty. And extending any one circuit to get it to additional
machines is cheap- just the cost for the extra wire, boxes, and receptacles.

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Gene

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason- Mark Twain

Gene,

You just brought me back to ground. I had been "over thinking" the 220 mod tothe panel. Here is my situation. I checked the meter box, it has two tied 200 amp breakers. Guess this means I have 200 amp service. My main panel has 4 tied 200 amp breakers. Not sure why! This panel is full. There are two 50 amp breakers that lead to a 100 amp panel upstairs. This panel feeds all the lights, sockets etc in addition to the upstairs air handler. No real big draw items. What I was thinking of doing was moving that feed off the main panel to a new sub panel (100-125 amps). This feed is only off one bar. I do have an open space on the other bar. Could I put a single 100 amp breaker there? Thus I would have 2 50 amp breakers on one side and one 100 amp breaker on the other side feeding the sub panel. Then, I would run the upstairs panel off of the sub panel.

I guess I could replace the two 50 amp (tied) breakers on the main panel (with a 100 amp breaker) so that both bars on the new subpanel are supllied by equivalent breakers off of the main?

Thoughts?

Mike

Mike,

I'm not sure what your four 'tied" 200 amp breakers is about. You should have one dual main breaker at the very top
of the main service panel, which will turn off everything in the house if it's shut off. Usually these two breakers
are "tied" by a metal bar, so that if one shuts off, it will turn off the other one also. They will have the overall rating
of the service entrance marked on them. Down below These breakers in the "active" area of the panel, you will have
either one (for 110v circuit) or dual paired (for 220v circuits) breakers. If you look at one side of the panel vertically,
breaker one is connected to one of the incoming 110v main breakers, and breaker two- just below breaker one- is
connected to the second of the 110v main breakers. So if two breakers in one of the vertical rows are "tied", they
represent a 220v pair going either to a dedicated 220v circuit, or to a sub-panel that can have both 110v and 220v
circuits in it. I'm not sure what you have from your verbal description. Can you post some pictures? I'll try and suggest
help with what I know and have done in my houses, but I am not a licensed electrician. It may pay for you to have an
electrician take a look at your situation and suggest alternatives.

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Gene

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason- Mark Twain

Gene,

I have a solution. Had a friend who works for the local utility come over and 'splain it to me. All is good.

Thanks,

Mike

Mike,

OK, good luck. It'll be a great moment when you get to turn on the
tools for the first time

_________________
Gene

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason- Mark Twain