Do I need a new motor for my table saw?

[Halo Jones]

My table saw is a Record TSPP250. Lots I like, lots I do not like but I picked it up VERY cheap a couple of years ago and it has done me proud. Except in one area - it will not rip! Even 45 mm pine is a struggle, never mind hard woods. It will cross cut the thickest timber you put in front of it but ripping appears to be a no no (motor slows very quickly). I do have a few theories and wondered which order I start examining them in.

1) When I bought the saw the motor did not work at all. A motor shop said it needed a new rewind at £300. Well I could have bought a new motor from RP for £220 but did not have the pennies at the time. Instead I took the motor apart and noticed that the previous owner had been a bad boy and overheated the motor and melted the incoming power cables together. Pulled these apart and isolated them - motor worked [-o< . I am willing to conceed that there is some other damage within the windings but nothing that you can see by eye. But I did go from a non working to working motor for the price of some shrinkable insulation tubing.

2) It is a multi-purpose freud blade I use. Do I really need to get a specific rip blade for a few rip cuts?

3) Do I need to set the tension on the belt between the blade a motor arbours?

Any other thoughts?

Cheers,

H.

 

[carlb40]

Sounds like a new blade is in order. Is the blade the original one? If so after all these years it will be blunt.

Get a dedicated rip blade - about 24/28 teeth in a 10 inch blade. Oh and get a good one, you will soon notice the difference

 

[Steve Maskery]

How many TPI on the blade you are using?
Contact Doug Perry from Cutting Solutions for advice on a good blade. He'll sort you out and give you good value for money into the bargain.
Steve

 

[Myfordman]

If the motor has two capacitors one for starting and another for running, it is possible that the run cap has failed.

 

[Halo Jones]

Thanks for the replies. It isn't the capacitor as I replaced this when trouble-shooting the initial motor problem. I will try getting a decent rip blade and see if that makes a difference. Thanks for the tip-off re cutting solutions - their prices seem very reasonable.

H.

 

[Myfordman]

I'd be surprised if a properly working 2hp motor on a 10" saw should significantly slow down even with a blunt blade. The rate of cutting will naturally fall and I would expect some burning of the wood but not blade slowing down.

 

[Halo Jones]

I'd be surprised if a properly working 2hp motor on a 10" saw should significantly slow down even with a blunt blade. The rate of cutting will naturally fall and I would expect some burning of the wood but not blade slowing down.

Which is why I was worried about the motor! I've ordered the blade now so I will rule that out before moving on.