Is the motor integrally mounted or on a standard baseplate? If the latter it shouldn't be too difficult. The problem you may run into even in that case is sufficient clearance to be able to raise the blade to full height or to tilt the blade to full 45 because the larger HP motor will have a larger footprint.
I've not seen the Steel City up close enough to know -- all I've seen are the outside pictures in the slick-paper ads. I'd suspect it isn't, but if it were mounted more like most contractor saws your chances would be reasonably good I would guess. If it's more of the Unisaur/tablesaw integral mount, not so good...
A friend offered up a Unisaw 3hp motor, but the mount was *completely* different, and the motor quite large. The motor on this saw is basically connected to the machine via a steel plate, about 4"x6" with four mounting bolt holes. I'm pretty sure a 3hp replacement would work because Steel City does sell a 3hp version that, from their brochure, has the same trunnion. The unknown, I guess, is that when people mock up brochures the sometimes use photos that are not necessarily exactly correct - but the cabinet and table and everything else in the spec looks the same as far as I can tell.
I guess I should just take the motor out and live without the saw while a shop gets me a replacement.
That sounds like standard NEMA mounting then -- if you measure the distance between mounting there are standard sizes/dimensions. The key still will be the overall dimensions from the plate to shaft centerline, motor height and length as to whether there is sufficient clearance. All that is simple enough to measure and will be available for any motor from the spec's.
What you need is how much clearance do you have above the present when the saw is at the extremes of up/down in both the 90- and 45-deg positions on all sides to determine how much larger dimension you can tolerate.
This is also the saw that I use and am very happy with it. I have replaced the standard fence with an INCRA - best thing I ever did for reproducing cuts. My first saw was very cheap -- one of those $200 specials at Sears. Taught me a bit more than ecpected and lasted about 6 months before I spent the exra cash for what I use now.
Moral of the story --- $200 got me started and made me feel that a nicer saw would allow me to continue in a hobby that I find very enjoyable. When I spent the first $200 I wasn's sure what I wanted to do so it was a minimal investment that ended up selling on Craigs list for $120. Not bad return for the crap it was.
Last post from me on this. I downloaded Steel City's manual for the hybrid cabinet saw that is basically the same as my Craftsman. Evaluating the exploded parts diagrams there's more to going from 1.75hp to 3hp than swapping a motor. The powerswitch is different (I'm guessing magnetic), some components of the arbor assembly, the elevating bracket, pulleys and belt.
After review> Novice>> A friend offered up a Unisaw 3hp motor, but the mount was *completely*
Agreed. I have a Steel City 16" bandsaw: it is one of the best 16" bandsaws I've used, within anything like its price range. Pay $600 extra and you can do better. I don't know their table saws well, but they look much like slightly modified Delta designs (which makes sense: Steel City execs are mostly old Delta hands, and the tool designs are classics that work), with decent prices.
That said, I've used two of the Ridgid tablesaws over the years and found them both reasonably precise. They won't give the cutting power you need for a lot of heavy oak or maple cutting (5/4 wood and above can bog them easily), but for most jobs that the amateur woodworker does, they are well above simply sufficient. The hybrid saws--and I used a Craftsman 1-3/4 HP Orion based model for several years--work well, give almost the results you get with a full cabinet saw, but weigh a tad less, and cost a bit less. They are also down on power for heavy duty woodworking, but, as noted, most amateurs do NOT need that power 99% of the time or more. The Craftsman models use the Biesemeyer T square fence, which is also a classic and excellent design. The top notch hybrids, regardless of seller, whether Craftsman, Delta, DeWalt, Grizzly, Jet, or anyone else, all have fine fences, good features, and take up less space than a contractor style saw but cost more, usually about $250 to $350 more than the same brand of contractor saw.
If I were just starting--ah, youth--and wasn't sure of the depth of my long term interest, I'd start with something like a Ridgid or Grizzly or Jet or Delta or other contractor's saw. If my memory is working, the Ridgid is about the lowest cost in that batch. If interest remains at the end of a year or two, sell that for maybe 65% of what it cost, and apply that to a saw better suited to your increasing skills.
Whole lot of difference, including a need for a 240 volt power source, something your 120 volt hybrid does not require. A true three HP motor is a monster to mount, too, as it is considerably heftier than your
1-3/4.
I wouldn't bother: get the Freud ripping blade (they also make a fine
30 tooth finish rip blade, but you probably want the 24 tooth) or a CMT rip blade or an Infinity. You might also get a Forrest rip blade. You'll find the top notch rip blade reduces power needs considerably over what, IIRC, is a 40 tooth general use blade. Make sure you are on a 20 amp circuit and are NOT using any kind of extension cord, unless it is 10 gauge or heavier (8, say)...
My saw bogs down ripping 8/4 hard maple and 8/4 white oak. I've tuned the saw (blade to miter slots, fence, checked arbor runout). I rewired the motor to 230v and have it on a 30a circuit, although I run an extension of 10g vs 8g - I should probably rewire that. I have a Freud
24T rip blade > Novice>> Last post from me on this. I downloaded Steel City's manual for the
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