Band Saw Help – Hand Tools Guy Goes Electric
EDIT: I dug in more and think the issue may be mechanical rather than the motor. New post added below.
I inherited a 12″ Craftsman band saw that I imagine is around the 40 year old mark and with an unknown service and use history. From what I can tell it, was all original when it found its way to me. I replaced the tires, put on a new blade (Grizzly SUPERCUT G4133-80″ x 3/16″ x .025″ x 4 TPI Skip Bandsaw Blade), and got everything tuned up. Then I started stress testing it. I found that it would bog down and stall if I was trying to resaw a SYP 2×8. You could make it through, but I had to go slow. Then it sat unused for a year. Today, I decided to bring it out of storage and set it up now that I have a place for it. It started right up. I ran a bit of poplar and kiln dried white oak through it without issue. Then I started to saw up some 4″ thick air dried white oak. It made it about six inches when it suddenly stopped cutting. I killed the power, removed the board, and began trouble shooting the issue.
First it seemed like everything was stuck when trying to move the wheels and the motor shaft by hand (power off/unplugged/etc). The wheels move freely when disconnected from the motor. After reattaching the belt everything sort-of turned okay. Then I powered it on and it worked fine for about a minute and it stopped again (without cutting anything). I turned it off and on and it worked normally then after about thirty seconds the motor would start to surge. Now it is at the point where it will power on, the motor is humming, but the saw is hardly moving.
It seems whatever witchcraft that made the thing run has vanished. After a bit of web searching my assumption is that the capacitor has gone bad, but overall this exceeds the limits of my knowledge. I am unsure if there are any other issues with the motor and what to look for when diagnosing those. As a hand tool guy, if a board gets hard to cut the solution is “sharpen” and/or “apply caffeine”.
The motor is a Craftsman 1/2 hp 1725 rpm capacitor start motor. After a cursory search it seems that I can get a new (non-Craftsman) motor for about $200 USD.
It looks like I have a few options:
1) replace the capacitor
2) replace the motor
3) replace the band saw
I could be convinced to get a new motor. I am not interested in buying a new band saw.
1) I assume if I drop in a motor with identical specs (hp, rpm, shaft diameter, etc) everything will be good to go. Is this assumption correct?
2) Is this a situation where it would be beneficial to go to a bigger motor (hp and/or rpm)? If so, any pit falls to look out for?
3) Is there anything that is jumping out that I am over looking?
Thank you
Replies
I wouldn't put $200 into a 12 in saw. Maybe you can find a used motor and try that.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, having owned one >30yrs ago, that saw, just like the Craftsman tablesaws of era, is really a pile of junk.
Bandsaws are around. I picked up a 12" Jet at an estate sale for $200.
I wouldn't be as harsh as Robert, but it is a light duty saw and trying to resaw something that thick was, I think, maxing it out. However, to your question, I would advise you to take the motor to a motor repair shop and pay for a diagnosis. It may, in fact, be only a bad capacitor; a fairly inexpensive repair. If the motor is shot, the repair shop might be able to advise you on a used replacement. 1/2 hp shouldn't be hard to find.
I started out with one if those, and liked it. It was fine for cutting out aprons and the occasional cabriole leg. I see them for sale all the time in the 80-120 dollar range. I also think you pushed it too far trying to resaw.
For the cost of putting a new motor on a 12" band saw I would start looking for a 14" or larger. I just bought a rusty 14" delta for $200 and It had a brand new Delta motor on it. After an afternoon of de-rusting the table I put new blocks and tires on. It feels new to me.
I started taking the saw apart so I could get to the motor and get a better look at it. I think my initial assessment was incorrect. It seems that the drive wheel was knocked out of alignment and binding. I think it is going to take some concussive maintenance to get it off so I can double check I did not bend the drive shaft. Motor seems to be running okay when it is sitting on the bench. I'm going to give it a once over while it is off the saw. I still want to get a look at the capacitor. There is a chance I just found more problems.
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