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Thread: Bandsaw motor blues.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    LaGrange, GA
    Posts
    24

    Bandsaw motor blues.

    Got an older Craftsman 12" bandsaw but the motor's got the blues. It will fire up on the bench, but when mounted it just sits and hums. Changed the capacitor, took it apart and blew it out and cleaned the contact. Still no go. I had a t shirt that I taped over the ends to filter out any sawdust that used to bog it down, Worked for years that way. Used to have to clean it out regularly.

    It's a 1/2 hp 1725 rpm 115 vac motor. Been looking online, but I'd like to get it fixed if it's less expensive than a new one. Any suggestions.? We have no motor shops in this one horse town. Atlanta and Columbus are my out of town options.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    cleveland,tn.
    Posts
    385
    look on the motor for a frame size , I got a motor that might work, I am only 4 miles from ga. in clevleand , tn.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    sykesville, maryland
    Posts
    861
    Does it have brushes? Maybe they can be replaced.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Mountain City, TN
    Posts
    573
    When it hums but does turn, give it a good smack with a mallet. If it starts spinning, this may indicate dirty contacts on the internal start switch.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Peoria, IL
    Posts
    4,443
    How freely does the bandsaw turn over? Blade isn't bound in the guides?

  6. Ebay is the easier answer.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Piercefield, NY
    Posts
    1,658
    I had a motor on a 14" Reliant that would sit and hum, but it would start if I grabbed the belt on the back and spun it, and then flipped the switch. It was not convenient, but it worked OK for a day or two.
    Zach

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    Quote Originally Posted by Zachary Hoyt View Post
    I had a motor on a 14" Reliant that would sit and hum, but it would start if I grabbed the belt on the back and spun it, and then flipped the switch. It was not convenient, but it worked OK for a day or two.
    Zach
    That's typical behavior if the capacitor is shot, but Jim said he already replaced that. Another indicator of a bad capacitor is you can spin things the other way and the motor will run backwards, not very useful for a bandsaw! (I think this is only for universal motors but I don't know for sure)

    I started my 18" Rikon bandsaw by hand for a few days while waiting for a capacitor (turned it on then pushed the blade down with a block of wood), and a jet mini lathe that smoked it's capacitor in the middle of a turning class for kids. I stood there and spun the handwheel on the lathe as needed that day.

    (Jim, if the humming motor will start with a push is it possible the new capacitor is bad?)

    JKJ

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    cleveland,tn.
    Posts
    385
    The cap. does not have to be a exact match in microfarads , if you can find a larger one (microfarads wise) in the same size dimensionally it will help give the motor a jump if maybe the start circuit is getting resistive.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    LaGrange, GA
    Posts
    24
    Found the problem. The contact was bent not making contact to charge the capacitor. Bent it back in place, put back together. plugged it in and it about jumped off the bench. That ought to do it.

    I saw some youtube vids on checking capacitors but someone "borrowed" our good digital voltmeter at work.

    I was pulling on the belt to get it to go, until that didn't work anymore.

    Thanks all.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    cleveland,tn.
    Posts
    385
    just as a fyi a analog type meter with a 100k ohms scale and a polarity switch will give you a good idea if a cap is good or not. just rotate the polarity switch from + to- and back will jump the needle and how far it jumps will give you a good idea if it is good or not.

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