Table Saw Motor Servicing

I have an old Craftsman table saw, very well built and in great shape, that has a motor that I want to have serviced. This is a sturdy 1-hp motor that has run trouble-free for years. I just rewired the garage for 220 and was spinning the motor at this voltage when I noticed that there is a little more noise (bearing, I assume) than I had ever noticed when operating with the motor in place, blade running, etc. Since the motor is about 45 years old and has never been serviced to my knowledge, I figure this is a pretty good time to have it gone through.

My question is this: what is the normal service on such a motor? I assume that bearings and capacitor would be replaced (and brushes if its got 'em), and recall hearing once about having the coils revarnished. Are these things I can do myself?

What would the standard service for something like this include and what should I expect to pay for it?

- Magnusfarce

Reply to
Magnusfarce
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This is Turtle.

About $.97 cents if the bearing are still good. Go to a small appliance parts supply place and get you some electric motor oil in a plastic 6 oz. squirt bottle and oil the bearing with 10 to 15 drops in each end at oil ports. Every year you oil it again. these motor need to be oiled atleast every 45 years weither it needs it or not.

Now checking the bearing for slack. Unplug it and remove the belt. then try to slide the shaft side to side and see if you have any play in the bearing. you can slide it end to end but this is not what i'm talking about. Side to side / up and down and in all direction is what you want. If you even feel the slightest play. You need the motor brought to a motor repair shop and have the bearing replaced. In 90% of the time it is the pulley end of the motor bearing that will go out , but replace both if your going to do it at all. Now pricing is a very wide range to try to speak on for different parts of the country prices are low or higher and you just don't know. Here they would get about $20.00 to $50.00 depending on the type bears and motor you have. Now don't replace with sleeve bears and use Ball bearing type bearings. If it has no slack , just keep cutting.

The recoating the windings, replacing the capasitor, or replacing the brushes. If you don't have any trouble, you just keep cutting and if one of these items do fail. You will know it when it will not start or runs too slow. If you oil your motor every year with light use and twice a year with heavy use. you will have it another 45 years. Electric motor rarely ever wear out but are abused in some way, like no oil for 45 years. Would you run your car without oiling it and greasing it ever so often ?

TURTLE

Reply to
TURTLE

That's not old. Mine is up around 65 years and still going strong. (Who says Craftsman tools don't last :-)

Be very careful if you do open the case. The insulation and everything else can be rather brittle in there. The less you disturb, the better.

Reply to
Jimmy

Reply to
George E. Cawthon

A Craftsman tool sold that long ago was regarded as the gold standard. They were great. It's today's Craftsman tools that I won't buy. Sears has succeeded well in cheapening them, in the literal sense of the word.

RB

Jimmy wrote:

Reply to
RB

Call or visit your local electrical motor distributor, and get a quote on it. The place by me has everything needed to rebuild 10,000HP motors.

And from experience with my 50's vintage craftsman TS, pick up a new set of pulleys (the old cast ones had cracked on me) and a new belt. Makes a world of difference.

My father had the experience of sending a motor-generator back to GE for a rebuild, got the message back "we don't have any info on this unit, it was made before we put serial numbers on them". It was like 85-90 years old, rebuilt and put back into service, in a critical usage.

Reply to
John Hines

To add my $.02:

If you can get to the bearing felts to add oil, Slick50 works really well to relube sleeves.

I've used it ever since it was introduced, mostly on small, fractional hp motors, and it really does a good job. My dad had a motor rebuild shop for many years, and he raved about it for this purpose too.

Reply to
Dave Harnish

What is Slick50 ?

Where would one find it ?

Reply to
Anonymous

There is nothing better than picking up a hand tool with a cast metal body... Just the weight in your hands alone says "Enough child's play, Lets get some serious work done"

I pick up other tools after that and get disappointed.. All plastic, vibrates to no end, noisy as all hell.. They just do not make them like they used to. I am not an "old timer" here, but my shop is full with older Delta/Rockwell, Moak, Crescent, Porter Cable,PowerMatic and Craftsmen stand up and hand held tools..They are old, some with lead babbitt bearings and require many people to move them, some are even water power to electric conversions but there is no modern tool that can replace them. Just the fact they are still around and are dead nuts accurate say volumes of the original constructution.

I also have modern tools.. Bosch jigsaws and new Porter Cable sanders, but I have to replace them about every two years. My favorite brand of new tools is DeWalt. In a commercial environment, they last a very long time. If a homeowner buys a DeWalt tool, it most likely will be the last tool they have to buy.

Grim

Reply to
Grim

It is an anti-friction additive used in cars. You substitute one quart of Slick50 for a quart of oil when you change your oil, and it fortifies your engine oil to reduce friction, heat and so forth.

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has more information, as well as a store locator.

Grim

Reply to
Grim

Reply to
George E. Cawthon

Oil treatment, Auto Parts store. thanks, Tony D.

Reply to
Tony D.

Old time gear heads used STP oil additive in the same way, but they would use it raw when assembling an engine, for its initial lubrication on first startup.

It was another generations Slick-50, but you can still find it in the auto parts store.

Good old 3-in-one oil is also available in grocery and hardware stores. It comes in both 10wt (red) and 20wt (blue) and is just straight plain oil.

Reply to
John Hines

This is Turtle.

I will say this if you just use 20 weight non-detergent motor oil every year or less. I see very few motors ever have trouble with bearing failure at all.

Now if your going to use some additive in the place of oil. I would say use Dura Lube -- The other form of Slick 50. I use the Dura Lube in everything i have and also in my snapper lawn mower. I think it works good. I don't trade car or trucks till they get atleast 200k to 300k on them. Now of course i use General Motors stuff and not Ford. Now if I would trade them off less than 100K I would probley use Ford. Now if they only could make a Dura Lube for me !

TURTLE

Reply to
TURTLE

Slick50(tm) is sold as an engine oil additive, basically engine oil with PTFE in it. You can find it at any auto parts store.

Better yet would be PTFE powder that you could add to a good grade of non-detergent oil. Wish iI knew a source for it...

God bless,

Dave Harnish Dave's Repair Service New Albany, PA snipped-for-privacy@sosbbs.com

570-363-2404

I'm a 30-year pro appliance technician, and love sharing what I've learned - in a FREE Monthly Appliance Tips Newsletter:

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Nehem 9:6

Reply to
Dave Harnish

micro fine powdered teflon is only available from Spurlock Specialty Tools (707-452-8564)

RB

Dave Harnish wrote:

Reply to
RB

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