- Upgrading old craftsman table saw how to#
- Upgrading old craftsman table saw upgrade#
- Upgrading old craftsman table saw full#
Both of these machines use Craftsman table saws from the early to mid 1950s for the chassis. The build logs for the laser engraver and 3D printer are pic heavy and text lean, but there’s enough detail to make a few educated guesses.
Upgrading old craftsman table saw how to#
No one has yet figured out how to build a 3D printer or laser cutter out of several hundred pounds of cast iron, so until then will lead the charge modifying old table saws into these modern machine tools. The 3D printer and laser cutter are the tools of the future. If one wants the alignment as perfect as can be for ripping, use a machinist's square to make the blade perpendicular and then clamp the trunnion both front and rear.Somehow or another, the modern hackerspace isn’t centered around table saws, drill presses, band saws, lathes, or mills.
The design of the Craftsman trunnion/motor mount puts a twist on it.
I made a matching clamping bolt for the rear. Look at the clamp bolt on the front of the trunnion. Since 220-volt is available, rewire for that and use a larger gauge, good quality wire lead and plug.
Even a small bit off or twisted will absorb horsepower. They bend easier around the small pulley on the arbor.Ĭheck the side-to-side alignment of the drive/driven pulleys. Replace the V-belt with a notched/cog belt. Takes seconds to measure from the front and rear of the miter slots. The Craftsman rip fence doesn't always clamp up parallel to the blade. A bit of misalignment here makes for a frustrating cutting experience. The bearing replacement is cheap and easy.Ĭarefully align the blade parallel to the miter slots. While the belt is off, verify the arbor spins freely. Oh well maybe - it will still give up one day. I will be vacuuming it much more frequently now, but I had been looking forward to a good reason to do the 1.5 hp upgrade. The one thing I'm surprised about - is why didn't it catch fire, although I am grateful it didn't.Ī lot of vacuuming and brushing out with a tiny acid brush and it's good as new. When I opened up the motor the centrifugal switch was so packed with saw dust it couldn't move. The new shop has a 100% improvement in Dust Collection so I suspect very little was added to the insides of the motor since I moved but I have had the saw since the late '70's so time had it's chance. I had moved about 3 years ago and had to strip down the saw to move it and I had thought I had done a pretty good job of Vacuuming out the motor at the time.
Upgrading old craftsman table saw full#
I had time to look into the issue over the weekend.Īnd I am SAD to report I will NOT be getting a new 1.5 HP upgrade.Īs expected it was pretty full of saw dust.įor some reason the engineers at Craftsman thought it was a good idea to put an OPEN Fan Cooled Motor in a Table Saw hanging out the back, right in the path of a major dust storm. I don't use if enough to make a noticeable difference in the electric bill. $250 - $400.Īlso I do have access to 208 so "IF" I do have to swap it out I will likely wire it all for 208.ĭoes that add any Real Power to the party or is it just mostly just cooler/smoother running? I have found that motors that fit the spec's are NOT Cheap.
Upgrading old craftsman table saw upgrade#
I am curious as to "IF", I find it is not easily fixed and need to replace it if the larger motor Mfg's overate their motors to the same extent?Īnd all things equal would anyone here think it would be reasonable to upgrade to a 1.5 HP Motor TEFC, to keep out the saw dust, and add a little power. (and YES I have nice Sharp Carbide Tip Blades Several in different tooth combinations) Try to rip a 2x4 and you have to feed it like a baby. I've always thought the saw could use a little more power as it slows down cutting anything thicker than a 1" thick anything. I've heard that Craftsman overstated the HP of there motors by a substantial margin. NOTE: I do stick a Stubby Vacuum Tool up to the vents frequently which is probably what has saved me so far.īut none of that is why I'm posting here.
I also fully expect to find it packed full of sawdust as I can see some in the vent. I've done the basic internet research and will over the weekend look into both the Start Cap and Centrifugal Switch. This week I was cutting some parts on my table saw for a current project when it suddenly decided to just BUZZ and not run.