Help Fast!--Should I buy Grizzly 1023--Follw up question

[Angus MacGyver]

-- This is a follow-up from yesterday's urgent request for help --

Original thread with pictures - http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=116757

First, thank you all for the help. I really appreciated the fast information and numerous opinions. It was enormously helpful and it was great to have old masters to turn to.

I went out to take a look at the saw last night. I walked away - should I have? Should I go back?

Motor started easily. I cut a couple light pieces, and it ran through it like butter and with no hesitation. Felt balanced and smooth, and made me wish I had a nickle.

Based on the recommendations I got here, I let the motor run for 10 mins, turned it off, and felt for heat. The part of the motor furthest to the outside was cold. The housing deepest into the cabinet was lightly warm, but nowhere near hot.

I talked him down to $275. I figured I could buy a new fence, salvage the miter and have a G1023 for under $500 and some elbow grease.

Then I turned the saw on one last time. While holding in the green power button, the motor jumped to life. When I released it, the motor quit. Press, start. Let go, stop. Not good. I tried this a couple more times, then it quit responding altogether. I waited a couple mins and tried again. Again the motor started while the green button was held down, and quit on release.

Owner said that this had never happened...but then he never found a need to let it run under no load for 10 minutes, then horse around with the switch.

I would have considered this to be the over-heating mechanism, and possibly a sign of a failing motor. It would be a bit odd since the motor housing only felt warm, not hot.
What do you think? What is the problem? Should I go back?

I mean, $275 for a 3hp G1023 seems a darn good starting point. However, adding $300 for a new motor is not. And, I talked to a couple folks that said they were sure it was the switch, not the motor. The switch (if it needs replaced, rather than cleaned) is $60.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

A bit more information:
The rust on the pics was light surface rust. He has it in an oversized shed/barn. Very safe from the elements, but not the humidity. The inside of the cabinet looked fine - the only rust I could see was on the underside of the table, and on the exposed part of the top pulley.The rest looked good.

The fence was clearly shot and the miter will require work. Blade moved up/down/tilted easily. Light rust on the blade also.




Thank again in advance,
Pete

[Don Selke]

I don't think any one can make this decision for you, It all depends on how much work you are willing to put into the equipment to bring it up to standards.
$275.00 does not seem like a very large expenditure conscidering that a good battery drill with battery and charger can cost that much. Again, you have to make the ultimate decision on the purchase.
I went thru the same thing you are going thru a few years ago with a 3HP shaper. I went and looked at it, walked away from it and when I got home, it sunk in that it was a real good deal. When I went back it was sold and gone. In addition. it came with over a dozen shaper cutters.

[Steve Clardy]

Great buy.

I'd say maybe there is sawdust in the switch maybe.

[Paul Greathouse]

If you really want the saw, you can do better on the price of the switch by using a 230V switch from the electrical section at Lowes or HD. I have one of these switches wall mounted ahead the tool for extra protection when the grandchildren get old enough to start visiting the shop. If I recall correctly you can get one of these type switches for $15 - $20. It won't look as good as an original replacement but it would be much cheaper.

[Jerome Hanby]

Hard to see how the motor could be causing that problem unless there is some kind of breaker/protection in the switch. I'd use it has an excuse to talk him down a bit farther and jump on it. I've never touched a grizzly table saw, but the Amazon reviews indicate that people love them. Incra Red and Gold would look snazzy against all that green :D.

[Jerome Hanby]

One more thing, if you go back, I'd tell the guy that you've lined up a motor for the saw, might make him more malleable about dropping the price.

[Rod Sheridan]

The problem is that the auxillary contact on the starter isn't latching the coil in, hence it runs as long as you hold the start button.

Probably a dirty contact, at worst a new contactor.

If you're happy with the remainder of the purchase drop the price $50 to $100 for a new contactor or auxillary switch.

Regards, Rod.

[Charlie Plesums]

Since the motor stops and starts as you describe, it isn't the motor... it is the switch. I don't know what kind of switch is on that saw - some have overload protection in the switch - so it could be something that warmed up. More likely it is just dust, or the electrical contact that latches the saw on.

Sounds like a good deal as is, and about to become a great deal if he covers the cost of replacing the switch.

[Jason White]

Pass on it and buy a new one. They're offering free shipping on brand new ones for close to a grand. I got one a few months ago and love it.

Jason




-- This is a follow-up from yesterday's urgent request for help --

Original thread with pictures - http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=116757

First, thank you all for the help. I really appreciated the fast information and numerous opinions. It was enormously helpful and it was great to have old masters to turn to.

I went out to take a look at the saw last night. I walked away - should I have? Should I go back?

Motor started easily. I cut a couple light pieces, and it ran through it like butter and with no hesitation. Felt balanced and smooth, and made me wish I had a nickle.

Based on the recommendations I got here, I let the motor run for 10 mins, turned it off, and felt for heat. The part of the motor furthest to the outside was cold. The housing deepest into the cabinet was lightly warm, but nowhere near hot.

I talked him down to $275. I figured I could buy a new fence, salvage the miter and have a G1023 for under $500 and some elbow grease.

Then I turned the saw on one last time. While holding in the green power button, the motor jumped to life. When I released it, the motor quit. Press, start. Let go, stop. Not good. I tried this a couple more times, then it quit responding altogether. I waited a couple mins and tried again. Again the motor started while the green button was held down, and quit on release.

Owner said that this had never happened...but then he never found a need to let it run under no load for 10 minutes, then horse around with the switch.

I would have considered this to be the over-heating mechanism, and possibly a sign of a failing motor. It would be a bit odd since the motor housing only felt warm, not hot.
What do you think? What is the problem? Should I go back?

I mean, $275 for a 3hp G1023 seems a darn good starting point. However, adding $300 for a new motor is not. And, I talked to a couple folks that said they were sure it was the switch, not the motor. The switch (if it needs replaced, rather than cleaned) is $60.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

A bit more information:
The rust on the pics was light surface rust. He has it in an oversized shed/barn. Very safe from the elements, but not the humidity. The inside of the cabinet looked fine - the only rust I could see was on the underside of the table, and on the exposed part of the top pulley.The rest looked good.

The fence was clearly shot and the miter will require work. Blade moved up/down/tilted easily. Light rust on the blade also.




Thank again in advance,
Pete

[Don Jarvie]

275 is a very good price for a cabinet saw that sounds like it needs a little clean up especially with a 3hp motor.

Looking at Clist for used cabinet saws that need much more work usually go more than 400.

[Dan Ewalt]

Let me know where it is and I'll go pick it up and set it up dedicated to dado-ing.

Would make a nice twin to the one I have now. :D

[Bob Wingard]

I'd grab it in a second. I bought one in 1995 .. within months, it exhibited the same symptoms as the one you describe. Griz replaced the switch under warranty, and all was well .. FOR A WHILE .. not too long after that, the replacement started acting up. I twist & tweak the adjustable overload until it works again, and it's good for 6 months to a year. If it ever quits entirely, I'll probably just replace it with a standard 2-pole 240V switch .. I think in a small shop environment, magnetic starters are overkill, and cheap ones are more trouble than they're worth.

That said, I think the saw you described is great deal.