Help with Table Saw.

[Harold R]

I've been given a 10" table saw that is an older Craftsman. I have a picture below. I think it's around mid '60's vintage. It needed cleaning, and today I put it on a stand and cleaned and oiled it up. Seems to be good quality. The only problem....it doesn't have a motor. I do have one that is 3/4 hp, but turns at 3450 RPM. Would this be too fast for the 10" blade? The saw spindle has a small pulley on it, my motor has a pulley about the same size at 2 1/2 inches dia.

[Rudi]

Harold:

I have a 1-1/2 hp heavy duty on mine... 1 hp is about right I think.. but depends on what you are cutting with that saw..

Personally.. Craftsman was good at one time.. they were made under contract either by Skil, Delta or B&D at different times..

I hope that if you are going to cut sheet goods that you will build a table surround for that small saw... they are not that stable with a full sheet on em..

Also depends on what type of blade you are going to use.. More pics, more info would help. I can't remember what mine turns at.. I should fire it up and give it a test.... with my SW757W then I will know for sure.

Remember especially with old tools such as that. ...... Safety, Safety, Safety.. I have a few combat injuries to remind me of the 3 s's around tools...

[Cecil]

I don't think that a 3/4 horse would be enough. It should be a little bigger with capacitor start. Make sure you check the arbor and all the bolts holding it for tightness. There are many woodworking sites available that will give you a step by step on how to tune your saw. If you plan on using the saw very much you will be a lot happier if it is adjusted and set up properly.

[Harold R]

I really don't do much wood work. On occassions though, there is a need
for a table saw. This one has quite a history,and belonged to a good friend of the family. As to it's usefullness, I'm sure it's not of the quality that one would use for a living, but it was purchased in Alaska, and served several years with a pipeline crew. My goal is to clean it up, make it usuable, and keep it in the shop for those school projects,etc. I just can't help it. I like older tools. Lots of metal...made in North America....directions in English.....last long time, etc.

Here's one just like it on ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/craftsman-10-table-saw_W0QQitemZ300044071114QQihZ020QQcategoryZ42296QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Paul_NJ]

Motors for table saws turn at 3450 rpm, but 3/4 HP is really too small. You couldn't cut much beyond soft and thin material I wouldn't think. The old Craftsman table saws had cast iron tops and were very good machines . . . short of a Delta Unisaw of course. I have an old Craftsman ( circa 1980), though not as old as yours. It came with a 1 HP motor, but Sears motors are notoriously overrated. It bogged down with hardwoods and 3/4 plywood. I replaced it with a 1 1/2 HP enclosed motor from Grainger and wired it for 220v. It works much better that way. The pulley sizes you mentioned are what mine are, but I replaced them with cast iron pulleys. I use my saw every day and it is accurate and stable.

You first might check blade runout with a dial indicator, blade/table slot squareness, and table flatness to make sure the bearing mechanism and table are sound before investing alot of time and money.

[john2189]

I have an oldr sears tables saw much like yours. It is a 9" and it has a one h.p. motor, not sure of the rpms I can look tomorrow .

[Harold R]

Thanks guys. My Dad has a motor that will work he says. It is a 220/110v depending on how you set up the wiring. I'll start with 110. We're going to give it the "once over" before spinning it up and trying a cut. Think it's going to be a good saw. Thanks for the advice.

[LiL' Red]

Your motor will develop more torque wired 220. The arbor speed will be fine with a 2 1/2 motor pulley. 1 1/2 hp would be adequate for power if you use good quality thin kerf blades. Freud or CMT make about the best blades for the money.

['Country' Elliott]

Harold...Your Craftsman 10 inch table saw is identical to mine They're actually from the late 1950's and WEIGH A TON There are additional bolt on side pieces that extend the table. Mine has a 1 1/2 H.P. motor on it and I believe it is the original motor that was rebuilt at one time.

Once you get a motor on it....You'll LOVE the results. Mine saws like a dream and I can't start to tell you how many projects I've built with it I've owned mine now since 1976 and haven't needed to replace anything (except blades).

HINT: KROIL and 0000 steel wool will have your table saw rust-free in minutes

[Harold R]

Alright...another question. When facing the saw.....as if you were going to cut.......the saw blade spins towards you....correct? My motor spins in the other direction. And the way the saw is made, I can't just turn the motor around. Is this a wiring issue? Alright 2 questions.

[Bigdog]

1. yes
2. maybe - some motors are reversable some are not. You'll need to look at the data plate to see if it shows a diagram for reversal.

[Hengy]

:roll: My motor spins in the other direction. And the way the saw is made, I can't just turn the motor around. Is this a wiring issue? Alright 2 questions.

Did you end up using the 220 motor or getting a 110? I would assume that the 220 is a single phase motor and not three phase. If the motor is reversible, there will be a wiring diagram either on the nameplate or inside the junction box on the motor which will tell you how to change rotation...

If it were three phase it would be simple...just swap two of the three leads (doesn't matter which ones) and you motor will switch rotation...

Mike in La Crosse, WI

[George Willer]

:roll: Alright...another question. When facing the saw.....as if you were going to cut.......the saw blade spins towards you....correct? My motor spins in the other direction. And the way the saw is made, I can't just turn the motor around. Is this a wiring issue? Alright 2 questions.

Harold,

On most motors you can identify two sets of windings, start and run. The start winding goes through a centrifugal switch which opens as the motor comes up to speed. Both windings are attached to the line. If either winding is reversed the motor will start in the opposite direction and continue to run that way. Dual voltage motors are a bit more complicated but usually have a diagram on the wiring cover.

I have seen non-reversible motors that could still be reversed by disassembling and turning the center part around.

I have a later version of that same saw (highly modified) that I bought new in 1964. I use a 1 1/2 HP 3450 RPM 240 V motor on it. It occasionally shows up in my tractor pictures. For occasional non-production work 3/4 HP could work. My smaller jobsite saws were always 3/4 HP.

[Harold R]

The data plate isn't very legible. It has a diagram for switching 220v to 110v. I searched the internet and found very similar data plates with the same wiring diagrams for 110/220v. Under some of the diagrams were words in bold........."not reversible". The words are not on my diagram....but that probably doesn't mean anything. I've taken the wiring plate off the end of the motor and the wiring block has many connections and numbers stamped in 1-3-5 on one end and 2-4-6 on the other. At this point.....I'm pretty sure I'd hook something wrong and burn up a good motor. Dad's going to take a look, but he was skeptical as it was single phase. He did qualify that statement with something about being old and couldn't remember......but I know better.

Here's a pic or two.

http://home.jam.rr.com/hroberts/Data%20Plate.jpg
http://home.jam.rr.com/hroberts/Saw%20Motor.jpg

[400lbsonacubseatspring]

I've got 3 table saws...which, for someone who doesn't like to work with wood is a bit much....

My "best" is some obscure brand from the 1930's, that has a base of pure cast.....I would estimate its weight at somewhere around 800 lbs........

I have one of those which you have, HR,......it kinda came with the house....my uncle devised a mounting system so that one could mount the motor in line, or sticking out the right side....so the direction of the motor wasn't really an issue for him. Just flip it, and the problem is solved. I never used that one much.

I've a little portable Delta that is lightweight, that I carry around the yard, or to a "jobsite"....as George mentioned....it's 1 HP, but it rattles like the devil, and loses bolts out of it's stand......the base is mostly plastic.... It does the job ripping 2X's, however, and has built many things........