Table saw motor shaft free play?

[GrandMoffTarkin]

Hi guys. Just picked up a Clarke CTS10C Table saw for a song. Seems all ok, (never used one before), but I notice there is some back and forth free play with the blade.
What I mean is if you stand in front of the machine and pull the blade teeth towards you there will be about one to two degrees of free rotation before it hits resistance and
turns the motor. The blade is firm on the motor shaft, so it's the shaft itself that has the free play. Is this a thing?

 

[ChaiLatte]

If the blade is not attached directly to the shaft of the motor (the rotational speed in the manual is given as 4800 rpm), there may be intermediate gearing. It may be the backlash in this gearing that you are seeing. It should not be a problem.

 

[Fitzroy]

If the blade is not attached directly to the shaft of the motor (the rotational speed in the manual is given as 4800 rpm), there may be intermediate gearing. It may be the backlash in this gearing that you are seeing. It should not be a problem.

I thought you were crazy suggesting a gear box in such a budget saw but I think you are totally correct. The blade is mounted onto the motor housing but the speed is 4800rpm so it can't be directly on the motor shaft, also the shaft for the blade must be offset from the center of the motor else with only a 250mm blade the cutting depth would be woeful due to the motor body preventing much vertical movement before contacting the table.

As you say with a gear involved the OPs observation is explained by some simple backlash in the gearing.

 

[Spectric]

I thought you were crazy suggesting a gear box in such a budget saw

You can make cheap and nasty gearboxes though !

 

[ChaiLatte]

I thought you were crazy...

Thanks, You have a fine grasp of my character.

The observation about the need for an offset to obtain depth of cut is well made - like the portal axle on a Unimog.

I was a bit hesistant as I was not sure if the saw had a universal or a synchronous motor. I was thinking synchronous, 2800rpm, geared up, but universal geared down would also work (that is what is in a skilsaw).

 

[okeydokey]

See attached link to the manual - to my eyes the saw blade is directly mounted to the motor.
I suggest take the saw blade off and see if the centre hole is 1. The right size. 2. is the hole round or oval as oval could cause the free play. 3. Turn/wiggle the motor shaft by hand to see - whatever you see - 4. Should there be spacers inside the saw bore to fit the saw blade - are they missing see 1. above
I do think its a possible mismatch with the saw blade and shaft in some way which has caused the free play as described.

https://www.clarkeservice.co.uk/manuals/woodworker/CTS10C_Table_saw_rev2.pdf

 

[deema]

The blade is directly lounged to the shaft, 4500rpm for a 10” blade is within the usual tooth speed, a bit high, but still within.

Looking at the construction, I would suspect that the issue lies with the front bearing of the motor. I’m guessing that the seat that the bearing sits into on the motor is too loose or the bearings are worn out. Judging by the size of the machine they will be small bearings with a limited lift.