Any Value To A Clutch Motor?

[Colt W Knight]

Mine went in the dumpster

[TinkerTailor]

I bet some motors have 20 bux in copper alone. Metal prices are down but crt televisions usually have at least 5lbs if not 10 in lead in the glass and solder, plus precious metals in smaller quantities. I know that the Cominco Smelter in Trail BC at least used to grind up whole tvs and smelt them with the ore. Take them to the recycler, Its better than the bin.

[gottaknow]

I recycle all my metal goods via a guy who leaves a trailer outside for me. When it's full, he hauls it away and keeps the profit. It's a good arrangement for me since I don't have the time. He likes when there's a lot of motors. No doubt the copper. I parted out and recycled about 60 machines last year. I'll do about the same this year.

I do still have a lot of machines running clutch motors. Mostly Singer and Amco's. I have a few Wico's which are actually pretty good clutch motors for an aftermarket. We have a lot of operations in the factory where clutch motors work just fine. We sew as fast as possible, so variable speed is a non issue. I control top end speed with different size pulleys.

In our training school, we teach everyone to use a clutch motor. We've found that they actually get up to speed faster when they don't have a servo motor setting a speed they're comfortable at. Of course good operators keep a servo motor to the floor all day anyway. The new direct drive motors mounted to the top shaft of the new Juki single and double needle machines are amazing.

Regards, Eric

[Darren Brosowski]

I have a deal with the local scrap merchant - he takes away my old motors and gives me any industrial machines that come his way.

While most of what he gets are thrown back in the scrap pile I do get the odd gem.