Home made arrow crester( need help)

[Kamu]

All, I'm making an arrow crester using a sewing machine motor and a light dimmer switch. How do you wire the dimmer switch up. I'm using a electric cord and when I hook up the dimmer to the cord to the sewing machine motor it throws the breaker when I plug it in. My dimmer switch has two black wires and one green wire coming out of it.

[Phrogdrvr]

Could you use the foot pedal from the sewing machine as a controller?  It's already designed to handle the proper load and work in conjunction with the starting capacitor.

My 2 pennies.

Tom

[D]

I made the same thing.  Does your switch have a push button knob to turn it on and off?? That might be why it has two black wires.   Mine knob just turns.  I'd have to go look but I don't think mine had any wires coming out of it..I think mine was like a regular light switch with a brass screews on one side and silver screews on the other with the green ground screew.  I always attach the Hot (black) wire on the brass screews and white on the silver and green on green.  I don't think that helps your at all tho..lol

[ddauler]

Wire the dimmer in series with the motor the two wires from the motor one goes directly to the neutral or "white" wire from 120 volt source the other wire from source hooks to one wire from dimmer other wire from dimmer goes to motor. A ceiling fan speed controller may work better wire same way. If confused email for sketch ddauler@uga,edu

[lpcjon2]

I use a battery powered hand screwdriver from wall mart(black and decker)only $8.00.

[Kamu]

All my dimmer switch just turns to the right to turn on. Still working it. I'm scared I'm going to blow something up hahahahahah

[Jack Guard]

This is a pic of my home made crester with a sewing machine motor and a dimmer switch.  

pretty simple wiring if i remember correctly. motor, dimmer and extension cord, all wire together, each black wire goes together and each white wire goes together.   the dimmer acts as the break in the circuit    

[ddauler]

That battery powered screwdriver looks like the cats meow for this. It could also double for turning fly rod blanks! I would ditch the dimmer sewing machine motor idea and opt for the screwdriver and I am an electrician.

[Wolfshead]

Originally posted by lpcjon2:
I use a battery powered hand screwdriver from wall mart(black and decker)only $8.00.

 

I have that same screwdriver and a couple of questions too if you don't mind....
How do you keep the arrow attached to the driver and how do you keep the driver running without holding the button with one of your hands?
Thanks in advance

Doug

[lpcjon2]

Doug I use a 1/2to 3/4 inch piece of surgical tubing on the driver end to hold the arrow. I hold the button with my other hand, but you can use a hose clamp and a spacer for the opposite side of the button(reverse side) and just tighten it to turn it on.

[akbowbender]

I bought the same screw driver after trying a couple of other things. I think I'm going to use a thumb screw setup to activate the switch.