I know it's been hashed over many times, but this looks like a good way to motorize a Bead Roller. Looks well thought out with steps to build. https://www.instructables.com/Motorising-a-Bead-Roller/ A DC power supply of different brand is available on Amazon for less than the £ 19.99 ($27.43) shown in the link.
Very nice! I keep telling myself I'm going to do the same thing as you. You know, " just as soon as I'm done with this project"
There are 34 threads to mention motorized bead rollers, you will stay busy for a while reading them all. HRP MOTORIZED BEAD ROLLERS
I would be horrified to have something like that in my machine shop. Surely you wouldn't want to operate that with a foot pedal switch, that would allow you to roll your hand(s) into the tooling faster than you could stop the motion. That would be if you didn't get pulled into the chain drive first by your clothing.
If you folks keep putting up threads like this I’m eventually going to have to motorize my bead roller! Used it the other day and considered it… again. John
Think you are overstating the danger. These machines turn very slowly and the operator is at the opposite end from the gear and chain. Sure it would not hurt to have a guard around the opposite end to protect people other than the operator, but pretty much the operator is going to have his hands on the metal being formed and not anywhere near the gears and chain. The foot control is needed because both hands will be controlling the movement of the metal thru the dies. Working with most common machine and fab tools probably puts the operator in more danger than this beadroller will. My 15" Clausing lathe spins a lot faster than this bead roller does, and it has a foot stop from the factory. Its a lot more dangerous than a bead roller.
I've got the usual HF beadroller bought years ago (for $100 on sale) that I used a few times for projects then put away. It worked 'OK' for what I used it for at the time but I can also see it's limitations so these threads always interest me. Most guys seem to use DC motor winches, has anybody looked at the AC-powered HF hoists? This one is only $100, uses a 'standard' capacitor-start AC motor. 440 lb. Electric Hoist with Remote Control (harborfreight.com) One complaint with the DC motors is brush life, which this eliminates. They also require high 12V current, not the case with AC. A frequency drive will take care of speed control if needed. Add a foot switch and you should be good to go.
I mounted an old Pontiac flex plate to mine, took the gear off a starter mounted in a drill. With just the drill clamped in place it works good. Have to build a permanent mount for the drill motor.
The 440# hoist is what I used for my conversion. I posted pix of this some time back. The drawback is that it isn't variable speed. However, this turns slow enough for good control.
There is a ton of info on this subject. I have done a number of conversions, both DC and AC, and both are available in sufficient capacity to just run a Lovejoy coupling. No need for gears and chains. But to each his own.
another choice of drive motor Amazon 110V 60W Ac Gear Motor Electric Single-phase Motor Gear Motor Electric Variable Speed Adjustable Controller Governor Geared Motor and Adjustable Speed Controller Combo Rated Speed 0-135 RPM
This is a good and timely for me at least thread. The Amazon link is 110V 60W Ac Gear Motor Electric Single-phase Motor Gear Motor Electric Variable Speed Adjustable Controller Governor Geared Motor and Adjustable Speed Controller Combo Rated Speed 0-135 RPM - - Amazon.com They actually show several similar motor setups on that link. I'd have to quiz my brother on what wattage would be best for something like that. I've got an Eastwood Bead roller I'd like to do the same thing with. I'd agree on the foot control though.
I still have kids at home. Youngest is a senior in high school. As long as they're living here , I have no need to motorize stuff. All I have to do is send off a text and they magically appear. Hell, I've even got them automatically picking things up for me when I drop something. They work for food.
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