[buktotruth]

I'm 75% into a build (huge new desk for my wife's office and a couple of matching large book cases) and right in the middle of cutting some dados on my TS I smell something funky coming from the TS motor. I stop, take a look, and then go into panic mode. There's smoke coming from the motor. It over heated to the point where the plastic electronics casing melted away from the motor. Crazy. I shut everything off, unplugged the TS, and spent the next hour with two vacuums sucking up the smoke waiting for the thing to cool down. Thankfully, no fire, but man did this suck (and smell!!).

Now I'm stuck with a non-functioning TS. It's an old Walker Turner 10" saw that works great otherwise. The motor isn't original...I bought the saw about 3 years ago with this motor and it worked, more or less, fine since then...at least till today.

Any thoughts on where to look for a new motor? I need to fit the motor mount for this saw (belt drive) and I don't really know much about motors. I have a motor repair shop in town that I plan to visit and see if they can rebuild the motor, but other than that, I'm kind of stuck. Thoughts?

 

[Dandan111]

What HP? You can probly find a used saw as cheap as a motor. Maybe its just a bad wire? I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

 

[woodnthings]

It's all abount the mounting method

Some saws have a dedicated motor and will only mount up to that particular saw. Others have a standard NEMA type 56 mount that is pretty universal. Which do you have?

Plenty of motors on Ebay, Tractor Supply, Northern Tools, Grainger,
Grizzly etc.

I'd be tempted to go new, go bigger in HP and never look back. My friend has an old Walker Turner 12" with a 3 HP motor and he saws through 12/4" stock all day long.

 

[buktotruth]

What HP? You can probly find a used saw as cheap as a motor. Maybe its just a bad wire? I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

It's 1.5 HP. I kind of love the TS. It's about 60 years old and wights a ton (lots of cast iron). When I buy a new saw it'll be the saw stop but I can't afford that right now. So a new motor (or rebuilt one) is my only real option.

 

[buktotruth]

Some saws have a dedicated motor and will only mount up to that particu;lar saw. Others have a standard FEMA type 56 mount that is pretty universal. Which do you have?

Plenty of motors on Ebay, Tractor Supply, Northern Tools, Grainger,
Grizzly etc.

I'd be tempted to go new, go bigger in HP and never look back. My friend has an old Walker Turner 12" with a 3 HP motor and he saws through 12/4" stock all day long.

I have no clue what a standard FEMA type 56 mount is. What should I be looking for?

B/c this isn't the original motor, I suspect that the mount is less proprietary, but I don't know.

 

[rbk123]

It's 1.5 HP. I kind of love the TS. It's about 60 years old and wights a ton (lots of cast iron). When I buy a new saw it'll be the saw stop but I can't afford that right now. So a new motor (or rebuilt one) is my only real option.

Keep it - it sounds like a real beauty.

 

[TimPa]

does your motor have "humps", cases that house a capacitor, or two? if so, there is a good chance that a capacitor failed. this can be replaced for $10-$15.

otherwise you can read the motor label and report back with info. it says the frame number on it.

 

[BigJim]

Never heard of that brand saw before now. I found several on ebay and they look like a pretty good saw. I don't particularly like the low horse power they have but the saw looks good. I would go with no less than 2 hp and prefer 3hp 220. I can't stand a saw that will bog down when ripping something.

 

[Fred Hargis]

The motor plate should have the info you need. It will list frame size and the RPM (along with a bunch of other stuff). Your new motor will have to have those specs (OK, you could change the RPM, but then you'd have to calculate pulley sizes and replace them). That saw is likely well worth a new/used/refurbed motor. You an ask a motor shop about yours, but I'd bet you'll suffer a shock when they give you the estimate (or not, who knows?). On the other hand, they may have a swap out sitting there ready for you to use. If possible, stick to some of the better brands: Baldor, Leeson, Marathon. You may still wind up with an import, but it will be a higher quality import. If you change motor size (upsize) make sure the new one has the same shaft size as the old one.

 

[Hammer1]

I'd do as you said, take the motor to the shop. They'll tell you if it's worth fixing and may have alternative choices. Like auto work, take the part with you when looking, much easier to match that way.

 

[dodgeboy77]

I agree with Hammer and the others who suggest to fix the motor or replace it. W/T is a good ol' American brand that was manufactured in New Jersey and was absorbed by Rockwell in the '50's. You can look up their history on OWWM. They had a Driver Line that was home-owner oriented but they made industrial quality tools, too. I have a W/T drill press that I am in the slow process of putting back together.

A fair number of guys have restored W/T table saws and like them. Here's one where the guy did a motor swap to a Baldor: http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=814 Here's some photos of another one that gives a real good shot of the motor mount plate. It looks like you could put a most any motor on there easily. http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=15748

Good Luck,
Bill

 

[buktotruth]

Thanks everyone for your help. My local motor shop said the motor was shot and would be about $400-500 to rebuild. I opted to get a new one off ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/331052637788?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

The nice thing is that I'm upgrading from 2HP to 3HP and for less $

 

[woodnthings]

That saw will now kick butt!

That's gonna make it a much better saw. :yes: The frame type is 145 which I believe combines the type 56 and a longer mount.

 

[rbk123]

Post pics when you get it up and running again.

 

[GeorgeC]

does your motor have "humps", cases that house a capacitor, or two? if so, there is a good chance that a capacitor failed. this can be replaced for $10-$15.

otherwise you can read the motor label and report back with info. it says the frame number on it.

As hot as his motor got it most likely needs replacement.

George

 

[buktotruth]

As hot as his motor got it most likely needs replacement. George

The repair shop said it was fried.

 

[dodgeboy77]

Buktotruth,

What model is your saw? I was assuming an 1180 as they are a common WT cabinet saw model but there are some others.

This might be a great time to replace the arbor bearings and belts as you are going to be hot-rodding your saw with a 3 hp Baldor. Good motor choice, BTW.

Bill

 

[buktotruth]

Buktotruth,

What model is your saw? I was assuming an 1180 as they are a common WT cabinet saw model but there are some others.

This might be a great time to replace the arbor bearings and belts as you are going to be hot-rodding your saw with a 3 hp Baldor. Good motor choice, BTW.

Bill

This is my saw: http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=11686. It's the 2231. I just checked all the bearings and they seem fine. I am ordering new belts because they looked a bit worn. Otherwise, this was a great time to do a full tune up. Everything is cleaned and lubed and ready to cut some more wood once the new motor arrives!

 

[Dandan111]

Nice saw buk.

 

[Oneal-Woodworking]

The repair shop said it was fried.

I have killed my Powermatic a few times and had it rebuilt.

Even a 'rebuilt' Powermatic as it may be - It is a crap load stronger than the temporary replacement we had to get for the saw while the Powermatic was at the shop. Same specs HP wise but the Powermatic is stronger by a mile...

China motors belong in trash after getting burnt up - 'Good' motors get sent out to be rebuilt / rewired.

You would be surprised at just how bad you can melt a motor before it is NOT able to be repaired.