I used my CNC to cut out a small table top out if some recycled teak from an old deck chair.  I've gotten in the habit of profiling the perimeter and leaving 1/8" or slightly less to cut through.  I do this to avoid the chance of cutting into my spoil board.  Then I take the board to my little Craftsman bandsaw to free the top from the perimeter waste. 

Yesterday the bandsaw would not run.  The motor would hum but not spin the shaft.  I've deduced the starting capacitor likely needs replacing.  At least I hope the problem is as simple as that. My only suspicion is that I can't spin the motor shaft at all.  

Anyone else had experience with failed motors on shop equipment?  This'll be my first after 40 years of using tools. 

4D

Here's to getting @Gunny to chime in, he does or used to do a good bit of tool repair.

I'm thinking that if either capacitor (if it has two) were bad you would still be able to spin the motor by hand

14 minutes ago, Cal said:

Here's to getting @Gunny to chime in, he does or used to do a good bit of tool repair.

I'm thinking that if either capacitor (if it has two) were bad you would still be able to spin the motor by hand

ditto, if not capacitor most likely bearings or brushes crashed, 

 

good luck, hate it when a tool crashes as its usually when i'm in a middle of a ''need it'' project

rj in az

Small Bandsaw.  One Capacitor.  Work fine the day before.  My local power service has been iffy lately and might have initiated the failure with a surge or brownout that likes to kill smart switches. 

I'll likely take the motor off today and inspect it further.  Ironically I now remember I have an older smaller 3-wheel benchtop bandsaw that also has stopped running. That failure was why I bought the Craftsman (which I think is a Rikon in disguise) benchtop bandsaw.  Bought it at my local Sears store before they closed down. 

4D

Edited November 13, 20223 yr by 4DThinker

2 hours ago, 4DThinker said:

My only suspicion is that I can't spin the motor shaft at all.

 

If it is an open motor check to see if something has fallen into the motor.  If not and you can't turn the motor most likely it is bearings.

Took the motor off and the motor spun fine.  Plugged it in and it started up and ran smoothly.

Checked the belt between the motor and the bottom wheel and it turned out the belt had started to shred and a strand from it had gotten between the bottom wheel and the back of the case, jamming the bottom wheel from turning. 

Undid the jam to get the bottom wheel turning again.

Trimmed off the outer part of the belt that had started to fail and put it back over the motor pulley.

Turned on the bandsaw and it appeared to run fine. 

I'm looking for a replacement belt .  It looks like the bottom wheel will have to come off to put on a new belt though.  Hopefully the old belt has a few more days left in it.   Thanks for all the suggestion!

4D

Finally got the bandsaw running good again.  To take the old ragged belt off and replace it the bottom wheel had to come off.  Looking carefully it appeared a simple snap ring on the shaft was all that kept it in place.  I had to order a snap ring plyer tool although I have a nagging thought that I already have one somewhere.  The tool arrived yesterday. Snap ring came off easy using it. After taking off the blade the bottom wheel slid easily off the shaft.  Old belt off.  New belt on. It took a couple of tries to get the belt exactly where it needed to be on the two pulleys.  First try appeared OK until I could small burning rubber while running the saw. There are ribs on the inside of the belt that have to align with the grooves on the pulleys. No spare grooves on the pulleys meaning the belt has to be perfectly centered among the grooves.  Try 3 and I finally had it so the belt wouldn't move over while running. 

 

Next mission is to see if I can get my older 3-wheel benchtop bandsaw running again.  It may suffer from failing bearings.  Motor runs but squeals badly. It spins one wheel directly.  The other two wheels spin freely.  With the blade off the squeal still remains when the motor runs.  A hex nut holds the drive wheel to the motor shaft and as yet I haven't been able to loosed it. Motor is housed inside the plastic case and isn't obviously accessible.   I'd like to get this bandsaw running smoothly again and pass it down to a nephew who has shown an interest in woodworking.  There doesn't appear to be a model number or manufacturer name anywhere on the case.  Can't find an image of it anywhere on line either. Brown/orange injection molded body. 

1 hour ago, 4DThinker said:

There doesn't appear to be a model number or manufacturer name anywhere on the case.  Can't find an image of it anywhere on line either. Brown/orange injection molded body

Missed this entire thread originally. Glad it was a relatively easy fix on your user BS.

Can you post some pictures of your older 3 wheel model? Overall views as well as "door"/ wheel cover removed. Seeing different views, maybe someone here as one similar.

Took this one.  I'll take an inside shot next time I'm down in the basement shop where it lives.   4D

Thanks 4D.

I've seen similar. Don't remember any specific manufacturer but likely all were made in the same factory with multiple brand names. Craftsman had a model very similar but the table was larger and aluminum. Guessing the handle showing on the backside is either a tensioning or blade release? Maybe there is a label, tag or ID of some sort inside the cover? Looks like you've marked as 57" blade length??

Inside view.  I pulled the saw away from the wall and a label on the motor housing said "Edison".  Still can't find another image of it on the web,  

4D

 

 

Now that I know it is an Edison bandsaw I did find a few other photos by searching google images for "Edison benchtop band saw".  As it has a variable speed control and the case lists a metal cutting blade to use with it I may keep it for metal work.  That is of course if I can get it to run smoothly without squealing. 

4D

So far no luck getting access to the motor on that 3-wheeled bandsaw.  There was one screw on the bottom of the back cover which didn't release anything when removed.  There are 3 screws with washer that hold a bearing in place.  Removing them didn't release anything else.   The hex nut on the center of the wheel so far hasn't budged.  I'm not exactly sure if it is a right hand or left hand threaded nut.   To me it seems spinning it on counterclockwise would make sure it didn't come loose when the motor spun up. Love to hear any advise from the pros here. As rare as this saw is I understand the lack of info about it on the web.  I'm sure I bought it from a local store before there was an internet to shop at. 

 

4D 

I think this is what you have :

 

 

This may be the manual: https://masterpdf.pro/download/4717851-mcgraw-edison-band-saw

 

Found other references but was not sure and not sure if would help. Just do a search for McGraw Edison bandsaw.

Thanks.  The video is indeed the bandsaw I have.  Manuals for it that I've found focus on an earlier model that has a small disc sander on the front and more complicated motor mount.  Under lubrication they state none needed for sealed bearings.  Exploded view doesn't appear as if it is for my model but rather the older model and gives no clue how my motor would come out if it does. 

Mine specifically is a T6760-16 Type A.  

4D

Edited November 24, 20223 yr by 4DThinker

I just ordered a Milwaukee impact driver I can use with my existing batteries. Hoping it will remove the front hex nut that holds the wheel to the motor shaft.  There is also the possibility that more screws are under the label on the rear of the motor cover.  Not sure I want to destroy the label to find them if they are there, but I may have no choice. 

For a bandsaw this old it surprises me that new tires for the 3 wheels are readily available.  New 57" blades are also an easy find.  This little bandsaw has a 1/2" deeper throat than my Craftsman benchtop.  It has a dust collector port on the backside behind the blade.  I suspect new bearings for it will also be an easy find if I can just gain access to them. 

4D  

Edited November 25, 20223 yr by 4DThinker

Finally got the 5/8" socket needed to take the wheel off the motor shaft.  It did take a clockwise twist (left handed) to unscrew a bolt that screwed into the shaft. 

I then found, hidden in shadows, two more screws to remove to take off the motor cover on the back.   This revealed two 3/8" head bolts holding the motor bracket to the plastic body.  

With the motor backed off out of the bearing, the bearing seemed to spin easily.  The motor though has an offset gear to slow down and increase torque.  When powered up it is the gear housing that makes the horrible noise when run.   Tomorrow I'll take the gear housing off the motor to see if it is salvageable.   I don't think I've ever jammed the blade when using this bandsaw. There doesn't seem to be anyway to add lube to the gear case.   Something in there is amiss though.  If I could find a new identical motor with gear out there I'd order it and start fresh. I believe this is the only flaw with what was a good hobby band saw. 

4D 

The gear housing was encrusted with a sawdust/oil/grease mix.  I haven't taken it off yet but suspect whatever lubricant was in the gear housing eventually leaked out to make the mess.   I've got some lithium grease I can pack the gear case with if the gears aren't broken/worn.   I can spin the motor but not the drive shaft, implying they are still engaged inside the gear case.  The video above does sound like that bandsaw also has started to fail.  The noise it makes when running is starting to sound like the horrid screech mine makes when running. 

4D 

Hopefully a thorough clean and repack will rejuvenate it 4D. Similar happened to me an old Craftsman Wet Sharpener. It had sit in storage so long the grease caked so much it wouldn't rotate. Fortunately no gear damage. Cleaned and repacked...runs quieter than ever. Boy did that old grease stink too. 

Took the motor all apart.   Cleaned up all the parts.  Brushes looked good.  Gear pack still had plenty of grease in it.  I saw that the back end of the motor shaft ran in a bronze bushing.  Having had a Skil router that also had a bronze bushing which needed a shot of oil periodically I added a few drops of oil to that bronze bushing.  Put the motor back together enough to power up and low and behold there was no more screech.  Put the motor back into the saw body, Completely re-assembled the saw including putting the blade back on just to see if the noise returned.   Nope.   Runs far quieter than I remember.  Cutting through a scrap of wood I hear a bit of annoying blade vibration from the thin blades, but that is normal.  I'm about ready to order a metal cutting blade for it. 

Crossing this bandsaw revival off my todo list now.  Two saws put back into running order.  A warm feeling courses through me, but that may just be an old age symptom. 

4D