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The Phase Perfect is nice, but probably not much cheaper than having 3 phase service installed. They are very expensive. Get a three phase motor at least as big as the largest one in either of the machines. You can hook 220 single phase to two of the motor leads, hook your machine to all three leads, pull start with a rope and hit the breaker at the same time. You have three phase when the motor is runnning. Crude, but it does work. Your machine motors and/or the converter idler motor may tend to get hot this way, though. My suggestions is to start scrounging parts off old air conditioners... start capacitors, run caps, contactors, etc... You can easily build a balanced, self starting (flip a switch) converter for about 1/10 the price of that Phase Perfect and it will serve you just as well in that type of shop. I would only use a PP if I was running CNC or something sensitive like that. Balancing capacitors, per Fitch Williams, will help to keep the motors cool and efficient. The link posted by M and H will take you to the PM converter forum where you will find all the help and info you need to build one of these. Also do a Google search for Fitch Williams. His instructions were very helpful in getting my converter up and running a year ago. I run my converter in a central location and basically have a three phase distribution coming off it and going to my machines via fused disconnects. Walk in, flip a switch, the idler fires up, and I can run any of my machines, or even a couple together. Works great, costs very little, no maintenance whatsoever so far. If your motors are small (under 3hp), you might go with VFDs, but big VFDs are expensive and you'll need one for each machine... or motor for that matter. If your lathe or mill has a separate feed and spindle motor, you'll need two VFDs or spindle speed changes will vary the feed as well. A converter is a better solution in that case, too.
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