Thread: Table saw problems........Need Help!!!

Sounds to me more like sawdust in the works. It is, from what you say, trying to spin up but something is causing drag.
Disassemble and clean would be my suggestion.
Also, check that the belts aren't trapped by an offcut or something.

Might also be worth checking that a bearing hasn't siezed or a pulley hasn't broken a key.

I you have a voltage meter, check the voltage at the motor. If the voltage is present, but lower then normal, I would think it may be a capacitor problem. Did you experience any bad whether recently, that effected your power in any way?

Mike

As suggested above - capacitor problem. It may be the capacitor is dead, or that the centrifugal switch that is supposed to cut out the capacitor and switch the motor over from start wiring configuration to run configuration is stuck - if you really want to boggle your mind try figuring this out for a 3-phase motor.

Anyway, it won't hurt to get a new capacitor - make sure you note which way the + and - leads are connected or you will cook the new capacitor (electrolytic caps are fussy) and give the motor a good blow out while you have it apart.

If it's a cap problem, the motor wouldn't sound like a normal startup would it?

Every time I've done a cap the motor has sounded like it's labouring its' little heart out... which is why I agreed with Bob. To me it sounds like something's stopping the train and either the belt's slipping or a pulley's freewheeling.

Not that it matters either way... he'll find out one way or t'other once he strips the beast down to have a look.

A similar thing happened to me last year on my Jet Contractor's saw. I thought I was in for a big repair bill.

The grub screw on one of the pulleys had worked loose and the pin had fallen out......any wonder it lost torque!

It would spin up to speed quite slowly, then stop dead when a piece of timber was fed into it.

Another trap for young players who don't maintain their machinerY!

chers,

P

I did a cap in a shredder (induction) and when switched on it spun for a fraction of a second then died, every time it was switched on, this problem you have sounded like a cap to me.
Not that I have been wrong before.

my belt sander did something very similar once. Turn it on and it sounded like it was labouring spinning very very slowly. I have it a push along with my hand (not recommended on a table saw) and then if I gave it a few revs it got going and was fine. My cousin being a sparky recommended getting a new capicitor and he was right.

The tip about checking that everything mechanical is OK is pretty good too. Give it all a visual to make sure nothing obvious is wrong.

Studley

Guys I want to offer my sincere thanks for the number of replies to this post.

It sounds like it is under load when the switch is on not unlike when you have pinched a piece of wood together and got the blade in a bind. This saw is a direct drive model so no belts or the likes. I have spun the blade by hand with power off and it doesn't seem like it has any problem to continue to spin so the bearings seem ok.

The cap I am not familiar with but that is what I was wondering.

When you ask about the weather recently and the electricity stability, I think I may have inflicted the damage by arching a spark across the switch. The old trusty screwdriver/leather glove trick. (not smart I know)

I priced a cap and starter relay and both would cost around $38.00 so that doesn't sound too bad. I will let you all know how it turns out. Either that or just buy the Jet saw I have been eyeballin'.

Again, thanks to all for the input. I haven't been around on this board in a while and I have missed the chat.

Best wishes,
Scott

It was the cap.........I changed it out and it works like always. *Puts wallet back in pocket. Will have to get the Jet later.

Thanks a million for all the input.

Scott