Kinedyne servo motor

[fibersport]

Just got my Kinedyne servo motor last night from Neel's Saddlery.  Ryan is a great guy to deal with but the servo motor is unbelievable.  Granted I'm new to sewing but the power and especially the slow speed of this thing is fantastic.  To me, this is similar to comparing a manual transmission to an automatic.  Don't get me wrong, I love manuals but not having to deal with finding the friciton point of a clutch motor or dealing with the instant ramp up of a cheaper servo motor is priceless, you get a true one stitch at a time.  I built a speed reducer and it worked but not like this motor.  It's smooth as silk, powerful, quiet and everything I've been trying to get out of a motor.  The HM750SL, HM750SH or even the HM1000SH is what you want to look at they all have the 50 rpm lower limit.  I know some have kind of written these motors off but everything they say about them is true.  I highly recommend the Kinedyne motor - and I do not get anything for saying this - 

[DieselTech]

Glad you like it. Ive heard good things about them as well. 

What is the differences between the 3 models you listed?

[AlZilla]

2 hours ago, fibersport said:

Just got my Kinedyne servo motor last night from Neel's Saddlery.  Ryan is a great guy to deal with but the servo motor is unbelievable. 

I've been interested in these motors for a couple of years but this is the first actual report of one in the wild.

Thanks for posting!

[fibersport]

From what I was told by Ryan (if I remember correctly) the 750 SL is let's say the base model that runs as slow as 50 rpm and is rated at 1 hp.  The 750SH is the same but is built to run on the slow side longer if that makes sense and is also rated at 1 hp.  The slower they run the more heat is generated so I believe it has to do probably additional heat sinks in the controller.  The 1000SH is the best one, it too can run all day at very slow speeds and is rated at 1.3 hp.  

Just last week I had tried one of the generic "750" watt motors with needle positioner from Amazon.  I think it was on and off my machine in two days, it would have been sooner but I still have a day job.  The Kinedyne is so much more refined, is much heavier is very well built and the positioner is super accurate.  The generic one would drift all over the place, the Kinedyne is spot on every time.  I really like the controller being separate so ou can easily change settings without having to crawl under the table.

They are not cheap, but honestly you get what you pay for.  A generic digital servo runs about $75-100, a good analog servo is now about $175.  The Kinedyne starts at just under twice the analog model.  I would rather not quote Neel's Saddlery's pricing and suggest you contact him yourself.  And don't worry about dealing with a smaller company, he is a top notch guy.  I did wrestle with the cost, however after getting it I really don't regret it.  You might watch the videos from The Thoughtful Woodworker, they helped me make up my mind.

[MyOldHyde]

I purchased three of the 1000SH motors/controllers from Ryan and I run gargantuan machines (Singer 7-33, 11-20 and 11-22) with them, working heavy leather at slow speeds, no speed reducers required. (Running 230/26 needles and #346 threads.)

I can't say enough good things about Ryan and his service both before and after the sale.  I will say that the manual, highly technical, needs some clarification at a few points,  but for most applications, it's "plug and play."

In addition, because of the nature of standard rubber (or rubber composite) V belts to take a "set" while at rest, especially around the small pulley on the motor, I use an "ACCU-LINK" adjustable link V-belt (the green one) with the 3L profile.  Runs without distortion or doesn't produce the black rubber dust common to rubber(ized) belts as they wear.  Stupidly expensive, but easy to fit and re-adjust as necessary, and clean running.

 

[dikman]

I have no doubt these motors are good (they're made by Hightex) but here they're a ridiculous price. I bought "generic" servos and built speed reducers for considerably less cost and they all work fine for my needs. I guess for commercial usage the cost isn't so much a factor - but how many factories want such a slow speed machine? In most factories the speed of making something is very important (time is money) so paying extra for a slow speed you don't need is wasting money. It seems to me it's a pretty specific (and limited) market this motor is catering for?

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to change my servos for these but the cost would be absurd, ain't going to happen.

[fibersport]

A little pricey yes but this is the 4th motor I've bought chasing what I was looking for in a servo motor.  I'm thinking I've found it.  Now, if I add up all the money I've spent on the previous motors, I could have bought two of the Kinedynes and been satisfied all this time.  Sometimes you just have to weigh what's important to you, a few dollars for less frustration works for me - besides I had sold some other stuff from another hobby that helped fund this.

Edited Friday at 04:07 AM by Wizcrafts
Fixed typos

[MyOldHyde]

Fibersport,

"... is the 4th motor I've bought chasing what I was looking for in a servo motor."...

...is exactly the dilemma most buyers face when not having the opportunity to test a unit, in our own applications, before purchase, myself included.   After lots of research, I purchased my 1000SH models because they were the only motors I found that met multiple requirements, the most important being a wide range of speed adjustment with high torque at very low speeds without the need for speed reducers.  I can sew 1/2" of veg tanned leather with ease and complete control at a regulated 2 stitches per second, when an error, a misplaced stitch, produces instant, expensive scrap.  Or, I can sew three layers of heavy canvas as fast as I can get my Singer 7-33 to run, all with the same motor, and with the push of a button on the control unit conveniently placed within view and reach of my seated position.  Thanks to another sewing forum member, like you, for having posting their story of sorting-out the best motor for them, I learned about  the Kinedyne product line (and Ryan Neel.)

And thanks to our moderators as well.

[fibersport]

I've found so many web sites with claims of something being the best thing since sliced bread but then when you try it, you end up realizing it's not what was claimed.  The Kinedyne motors have videos but they're not that easy to find.  I've read so many articles for people looking for the "Holy Grail" of motors, just wanted to let folks know I think there finally is one - and glad you agree!

[Wizcrafts]

13 hours ago, fibersport said:

...  I've read so many articles for people looking for the "Holy Grail" of motors, just wanted to let folks know I think there finally is one - and glad you agree!

I've been watching this thread grow in frustration as people discover the weaknesses of the various servo motors they've purchased, only to find that most were wanting in either slow speed torque or starting speed. I see plenty of reports of high torque servo motors that start with a jerk at anywhere from 50 to 200 rpm. People owning analog, brushed servo motors get a smoother startup from zero, but the torque is so low that a speed reducer may be needed to get the machine to turn over.

I want to tell you a story about an analog servo motor that I used to buy for my heavy leather stitchers, and even my walking foot machines. It was called the SewPro 500GR, which was sold by Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines, back in 2012 through about 2016, or maybe 2018. The motor had replaceable brushes (with spares included), a fully adjustable brake lever, and, wait for it ... a built in 3:1 speed reducer. That motor could power almost any sewing machine  that was smaller that the 441 clones. It powered my cb4500 via a 3:1 speed reducer, mainly to add punching power at very slow speeds. I drove all over my walking foot machines from zero to its maximum speed without any jerks or hesitation. 

The motor was reliable and sold like hotcakes. Then, one day the employees went of for lunch and never came back! They shuttered the factory! Poof, gone!

For a few years, enterprising folks learned that they could print out gradients onto transparent plastic wafers that replaced the original solid wafers that were moved across the light beam or photocell receiver. The gradient wafers allowed the digital servo motors to start at such a slow speed that it was virtually unnoticeable. The trick was keeping the gradient wafers affixed to the moving control lever. Eventually, we just stopped using those motors and switched to analog motors fed through speed reducers.

I personally prefer to use analog servos with either 2:1 or 3:1 speed reducers, rather than a digital servo that starts at a noticeable speed bump. I sacrifice the top speed that I don't really need in exchange for low speed torque and a very smooth startup.