Blew up the table saw this week

[Allen Breinig]

Using the table saw this week and half way through a small rip cut I picked up a very bad vibration. Bad enough to shut the saw down and step back. I took the blade off and turned it on, still vibrated. Took the belt off, smooth as silk.

The wife said, just buy a new saw, but I'm too stubborn for that.

It's tight in there so I couldn't see too much but suspected an arbor bearing. I had to pull the saw apart one way or another and even though I couldn't feel any movement in the arbor I still suspected that was the problem area. It's kind of a hybrid saw so the top comes off with the trunnions attached. It's heavy. When I got it apart I was surprised to find that the arbor pulley was broken.

Since I was into it this far, I decided to replace the arbor bearings, the broken pulley and the belt. I was going all out. :) The bearings hadn't been replaced since 1949 so they probably only had another 10 years or so in them. While I was waiting for parts I cleaned everything up good and lubed it with Go Juice light grease.

I got it back together today and it runs as good as new. Even had a new nickel standing on it. The lift and tilt mechanisms are so smooth that I'm sure they didn't work that good when new.

So for $70 I have my saw back running like a top. Will do a final tune up on it tomorrow and it's back in action.

Thanks,
Allen

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Sounds like you did a thorough overhaul on the arbor!

[Keith Westfall]

Now take the money you COULD'VE spent on a new saw and go to the tool store!!!

Win Win!

[Chris Hachet]

Old ARN for the win, love it.

[Allen Breinig]

Keith
I like the way you think.
Thanks,

[Jim Becker]

It was good for you to dig deep to determine what the actual issue was and yes, that clearly saved you money over buying a new table saw. I agree with Keith that a reward is possibly in order. :) :D

[Daniel Dioguardi]

Best part of this post is the wifes quote “Just buy a new saw”... Easy to stay in love with a lady like that ;-)

[Mike Ontko]

Glad to read that you were able to locate and correct the issue before anything really blew up.

[Trevor Walsh]

I was afraid this was going to end with "bought a new saw", Happy to see a simple repair bring and old machine back to life!

[Allen Breinig]

Trevor
No, I love the old machines. I like the repair process as well. The feel of the old machine just feels right to me. This is only an 8" saw but it has done a lot of work for me. Most of the new consumer grade 10" saws wouldn't be able to stay with it I'm sure.

[Trevor Walsh]

What saw is it? I've been thinking about getting a smallish old saw, or building one for cutting certain kinds of joints.

[Ben Rivel]

Nice! Well done Sir!

[Pat Pollin]

no pics no fix
lets see it!

[keith micinski]

Best part of this post is the wifes quote “Just buy a new saw”... Easy to stay in love with a lady like that ;-)

I'm going to go the other way and say the poster is a knucklehead. I don't have this problem, but I have heard some people say wives don't always support discretionary spending on tools, so when one says go by it, you sure as heck don't poo poo that, you go to the store and buy the most expensive saw you can find and don't look back. Now you have set a bad precedent going forward and the next time a tool is needed your going to hear "why don't you fix it like you fixed that saw?"