Band Saw Blues

[Rennie Heuer]

Or, in my case, green (I have one of the original series Rikon 18" saws, before they moved to blue.

I have a lot of veneers to slice for the bent laminations on my chess table chairs. So, this morning I took off my 1/2" blade, took off all my guide bearings and cleaned and lubed them and installed my slicer 3/4" 3 TPI blade. Got it tensioned and noticed an unusual sound coming from the saw. sounded kind of 'rough running'. I started a test cut and the breaker popped. Never happened before. Reset, try again, same thing. At each reset the time it took to pop the breaker became shorter. Lowered the blade tension - same thing. Check the motor, its hot. Not near the capacitor (that would be too easy) but around the front bearing.

So, after a trip to Menards to buy a gear puller (couldn't find the one I thought I had but haven't used in over 20 years) I got the motor out and its still warm, after an hour to cool down. Spin the shaft by hand and it definitely has a rough, not quite grinding, sound.

Off to the motor repair shop first thing Monday morning! Happy happy joy joy.

 

[Dan Noren]

sounds like a bad capacitor. that is what happened to my band saw. instead of enough power to spin the motor at first, before full speed, it was dumping full current, and burned up the motor.

 

[Rennie Heuer]

sounds like a bad capacitor. that is what happened to my band saw. instead of enough power to spin the motor at first, before full speed, it was dumping full current, and burned up the motor.

Gee. Thanks Mr. Good News.

 

[Tom Niemi]

Do you need to come up and use mine?

 

[Leo Voisine]

You can come and use mine

Well that sucks

 

[Rennie Heuer]

Do you need to come up and use mine?

Thanks - we'll see. I'm heading over to the motor repair first think Monday morning. Hoping it is salvageable.

 

[Chuck Ellis]

It may be too easy of a fix, but I think (and don't quote me on this) there a bearing in front of the armature where the motor shaft protrudes out of the motor housing... a grind sound might be some dry bearings or bearing beads with flat sides and causing them to bind some.

 

[Jim DeLaney]

It may be too easy of a fix, but I think (and don't quote me on this) there a bearing in front of the armature where the motor shaft protrudes out of the motor housing... a grind sound might be some dry bearings or bearing beads with flat sides and causing them to bind some.

That was my first thought, too.

 

[Toni Ciuraneta]

Something similar happened to me a few weeks ago, although in my case it was a misaligment of the saw blade and the guides.

 

[Frank Fusco]

"Off to the motor repair shop"

Glad you have one. The one we had was run by a fellow in his 90's. Did great work and very reasonably. One day it was closed and never reopened. Presume he died. Now, we don't have a motor repair shop, would be a good business for someone to start.

 

[Rennie Heuer]

Frank - similar situation. One man shop, very reasonable and reliable.

HOWEVER

The motor's fried (Thanks Dan for jinxing me ) RIKON has discontinued the 2.5 HP that came with my saw and now recommends a 3 HP replacement which is a bolt on, so no alterations. Price with tax and shipping just over $350. Ouch, but Grizzly gets $650 for the comparable motor so that's a plus. Should have it by Friday.

 

[Ryan Mooney]

Ouch!

Dang, I wonder why the motor fried.. Seized bearing?

 

[Jim DeLaney]

Ouch!

Dang, I wonder why the motor fried.. Seized bearing?

Maybe the start winding never 'kicked out' and the motor was drawing excess current for a long period. If the bearing seized Rennie couldn't have turned it over by hand.

 

[Rennie Heuer]

Maybe the start winding never 'kicked out' and the motor was drawing excess current for a long period. If the bearing seized Rennie couldn't have turned it over by hand.

That would be my guess.

On the bright side, I get to move up a half horse! I wonder which half I'm getting.

 

[Jonathan Shively]

That would be my guess.

On the bright side, I get to move up a half horse! I wonder which half I'm getting.

Only 2 choices, one eats the other,,,,,,,,,,,,,, well guess on the last motor you got the behind end.

 

[Frank Fusco]

When I was restoring my barn find Craftsman table saw I had planned on buying a 2 hp motor from Harbor Freight. So happened, the day I went their 3 hp motors were on sale for less money than the 2'er. Got it and a link belt. Wow! Never would have believed the difference those two made. Quieter and cuts smooth as can be. I love the extra power.

 

[Rennie Heuer]

When I was restoring my barn find Craftsman table saw I had planned on buying a 2 hp motor from Harbor Freight. So happened, the day I went their 3 hp motors were on sale for less money than the 2'er. Got it and a link belt. Wow! Never would have believed the difference those two made. Quieter and cuts smooth as can be. I love the extra power.

The replacement should arrive tomorrow. I hope my experience follows yours!

 

[Rennie Heuer]

All back together and it runs very well. I must have gotten the good end of the horse.

 

[David Johnson]

All's well that ends well. You lucked out.
David