Homemade Crester - Dimmer Switch Question

[SteveMcD]

Hope this question doesn't come across too dumb! I just finished a homemade crester a few weeks back, using a new sewing machine motor and foot pedal. However, I'd like to switch from a foot pedal to a dimmer switch, need to slow down the speed a bit. Before I start doing this... just looking for any advice or anything I should know. I'm not exactly a master electrician by any means. Thanks in advance!

[M60gunner]

I just looked at the dimmer switch on my end table and see only 2 wires like lamp cord wire. Looked at wife's sewing machine pedal, same kind of wire. I don't think it should be any problem to change out that pedal. Both wires are hot (no ground).

[BowHuntingFool]

I tried the same thing, could get the dimmer switch to work so I just stuck with the foot pedal!

[Greg Owen]

Being the ingenius inventor that I am (NOT), couldn't you just drill a hole in the top part of the foot pedal and JBweld a 1/4" 20 tpi bolt onto the bottom part. Then use a 1/4" wingnut to set the speed where you want it?

[BobW]

you need a fan speed control (ie: motor control, but those usually are not infinite in adjustment, and will have 2-4 set points, not a light dimmer...

honestly, find an old 6 or 12 volt DC electric train motor or toy car motor (those ones kits ride around the yard in) or an old "erector set" motor and a train transformer.  You are much better off playing with DC stuff.....

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

Bob is correct. Use a fan speed switch, not a dimmer switch.

[Tom Leemans]

On 2 conductor lamp cord with a molded plug installed on one end, the hot wire is always on the narrower prong. The other wire is not hot, it is your nuetral wire. If you are making up your own cord with say, 16 ga. 3-wire cord, you'll hook the white wire up to the silver screw, the black up to the gold screw, and the ground (green) wire up to the green screw. It keeps the polarity all good when plugged into a properly wired receptacle. Your dimmer switch should come with a wiring diagram.

While we're on the subject, I really don't like dimmer switches for motors. It's better to use a heavy duty rheostat like the ones for ceiling fan speed controls. They can be pricey though, considering you are trying to go cheap here anyway. Your foot pedal is a rheostat. They have a heat sink on them to handle the current draw. Dimmers tend to burn out after awhile, or shorten the life of the motor.

The real cost behind the pro cresters is the gear reduction motor. You can creep sewing machines along, because of the gear ratio difference inside the machine.