Balky bandsaw

After I change my bandsaw blade, I ran a piece of MDF through it as a test, and it was fine. Then I tried to do it again, and the blade didn`t move, although the motor was humming. Then the breaker tripped. So I took off the auxiliary table, then opened up the bandsaw looking for the problem. Nothing seemed to be amiss, so I tried to run the saw again, and it ran. Put the saw back together, tried to run it, and it froze. In a burst of brilliant inspiration, I turned the motor pulley half a turn, and the motor ran, allowing me to saw some slices off 5" thick oak. However, every time I stopped the blade or at least two out of three times, the saw wouldn't move until I turned the motor manually.

Any idea what may be wrong, and is this likely to be an expensive repair or replacement?

Thanks.

Sound like a start winding fried in the motor.

I vote, starter capacitor as my first guess.

glenn bradley said:

I vote, starter capacitor as my first guess.

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If it were the start capacitor it just wouldn't start but if turning the pulley a little bit makes it start then that would be a winding as you are moving it from the dead spot in the windings

Jay Caughron said:

If it were the start capacitor it just wouldn't start but if turning the pulley a little bit makes it start then that would be a winding as you are moving it from the dead spot in the windings

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Hmm, I'm no expert but, I have had motors that would run fine once nudged but, would not start on their own and the starter cap was blown. Symptom were things like the motor would hum but not move, move a bit forward or a bit backward and lust sit and so forth. There was however, always a hum or vibration to the motor indicating that it was energized. A push of the pulley would start it running. Cap failure was 'open' in one motor and 'shorted' in another. I actually don't know enough about it to speak to it intelligently; just relaying my experience. I probably should have qualified that .

Another thing blow the dust out of the motor it you haven't done so already.

+ for Bart, sounds like the centrifugal switch might be gunked up with dust, blow it out good then re try it

Agree with Charles that is where I'd start .

Bart, Charles and Garry nailed it.
TEFEC motor. Take cover off, blow dust out and get back to work.
DAMHIK

OK, thanks. I'll give that a try, although electrical things have a tendency not to go back together when I take them apart.

Roger Tulk said:

OK, thanks. I'll give that a try, although electrical things have a tendency not to go back together when I take them apart.

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I'm the least 'lectrikal person ever. Ye don't mess with no lectriks. Just remove the back cover and clean stuff off the funnly looking centrifugal thingy, activate (unplugged) with fingers a couple times, remove cover. NOW, this time, git back to work.