Sears Craftsman Table Saw motor smoking

[Jeff Atnip]

Hi folks, beginning woodworker here,

This is an approximately 10 year old saw I bought for $100.00 from a friend. I have gotten a lot of good use out of it. Yesterday I was cutting some finger joints for some drawer boxes with a 3/8 inch dado blade and the motor started vibrating and smoking so I turned it off really quick. I waited then turned it on again and it was fine for a while, then it started the vibration again. The blade was definitely not loose. Now the problem is constant, with or without a blade, so I can't use it.

I checked for loose mounting bolts and couldn't find any. There is a little vertical play in the motor and this is somehow related to the blade-raising and lowering mechanism. I don't know if this play is standard or not.

The saw is a 10 inch model.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

[Sam Yerardi]

My first thought when you mention smoke was that you have varnish melting on the windings somewhere internally, or some type of mechanical frcition. If you have a capacitor start motor, there is a remote possibility that the capacitor has failed. When you mention vibration coupled with that I start to lean towards mechanical friction as in bearing failure.

[Jim Davenport]

Another vote for bad bearings

[glenn bradley]

Yep, I'm going with mechanical failure. With luck, only bearings. You might want to look around and see if there's another used saw available with a good motor. Maybe the saw can be had for less than the motor would cost. Keep the motor, tank the saw.

[Joe Chritz]

I'm not an electrician but in my experience a smoking motor is bad for its health.

Un belt it and spin it by hand. You may be able to feel a bad bearing.

Recently I had a drill press motor go DRT on me. (dead right there) It was cheaper to buy a new motor then get any work done on it. I forget the size the local shop mentioned but it takes a big motor to make it worth doing any rewinding.

Joe

[Kyle Kraft]

Sounds like bearings. You can probably get a new set for not much $$ from your local bearing supply house and throw 'em in yourself. Be prepared though as you will likely encounter some press fits to the motor armature.

[Jeff Atnip]

Thanks for all the replies. Opening up an electric motor and trying to replace bearings is beyond my capabilities. I have fixed a lot of things, but I have to draw the line somewhere.

Besides, I am getting excited about maybe getting a new table saw. I just got back from Home Depot and played with the fence on a $500.00 Ridgid. I never knew they could slide so smooth.

[scott spencer]

Is it a belt drive saw with an induction motor hanging off the back? If so, it could also be be a belt/belt alignment/belt tension issue with the belt itself causing the smoke.

[Jeff Atnip]

No it is a direct drive motor. No belts.

[scott spencer]

No it is a direct drive motor. No belts.

Ooh...the smoke is tough to put back in. New saw in your future!

[John Hain]

I know that pathetic motor well from experience.

There are two sets of bearings in the unit. The first set is easy to get at AND replaced easily. Unfortunately, it NEVER is this set of bearings. The second set is located at the most proximal portion of the shaft and is literally part of the shaft -- meaning the bearings cannot be pressed off. I actually took a grinder to it and then fixed the shaft to rotate against the grinder also set in a fixed position. Basically, I did a regrind and it worked -- but I'd never do it again.

So, unplug the machine and give the shaft a spin. If you hear/feel the bearings as the problem -- then find yourself a different motor on ebay. If this is the $180 model TS, then keep the stand and toss the thing away and find a used one again.

The best thing that comes from that TS is the stand as it works perfect for a lunchbox planer.

[Pete Bradley]

No it is a direct drive motor. No belts.

This sounds like one of the screamers with a universal motor (basically it's a circular saw upside down). If so, this is a good time to ditch it.

Pete