A couple of years ago, I converted my bandsaw to run off a DC motor from a treadmill instead of the AC-induction motor that it came with. The addition of the the DC motor, plus the motor controller that came out of the treadmill, allows my bandsaw to operate at a big range of speeds without requiring me to change the position of the belts in the back of the saw. My main motivation in doing this was to give myself the ability to cut metals like steel on the bandsaw, while also keeping the capability of cutting wood. The conversion has overall been a success, but after ruining blades while cutting steel, I found I really needed some way of knowing how fast my blade was moving. Enter the Arduino speedometer.
Supplies:For this project you will need the following:
- Arduino (Uno, Nano, knockoff or genuine) Buy a Nano Every here: https://amzn.to/2nrEY2S
- 10K potentiometer
- 3D printer (optional, but makes fabrication easier)
- Wire and assorted bits of hardware like screws, nuts, bolts
- Two-part epoxy (for attaching the magnets)
- Power supply for your Arduino
Wiring this project is relatively straightforward, if a bit time consuming because of how many wires need to be soldered. There's nothing tricky to it, and the components that need soldering are minimal.
Step 2: The Code!For this project to work, your Arduino needs to know what it's doing. This is my code. It's written to work on a bandsaw with 14-inch wheels and six magnets glued around the rim. Consult the code comments if you want to tweak those specifications for your own project.
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