It's dead Jim!

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ToddMR

ToddMR

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Joined
May 3, 2010
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Location
Columbus, OH
Well the wife came out to work on something on the big lathe, while turning it plain stopped. She flipped the switch a couple times and nothing. No movement, no buzzing, no nothing. We had been keeping the bearings oiled for the last month or so since it is an old one and at the time we didn't know. The spindle still turns super easy so we know the arbor is moving. I think it was going to die on us sooner or later anyhow. May it rest in peace. :smile:
 
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Well first check the to obvious to think about stuff. did it come unplugged? did a breaker or fuse blow. that sort of stuff. Don't laugh it happens often.

Switch or brushes in the motor are the next two things I would check. If the brushed wore out in the motor you should have gotten a real weird odor though. if it was a dead field in the windings hand turning the motor should have gotten it past the dead spot. If it is electronic at all. well that could be several more problems.
 
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Yeah I know it wasn't a fuse or other thing like it unplugged because there are other things working off that fuse that were on. The big thing to realize is this motor is more than 40 years old at least. If it did finally bite the dust not a huge deal.
 
Will it start to run on its own if you give the headstock a spin by hand with the switch on?

Are there any humming noises coming from the motor? Is the belt good?
 
Similar experience with bandsaw, remove the motor, take to motor repair--worked.

Switch!

Jet lathe---switch!

I don't know where they get their switches, but seems to be a common issue. (Hardwire in and put the plug in a switched "multi outlet"--very easy to replace)
 
LarryDNJR said:
Could be the capacitor. Have My Dad look at it.
Click to expand...

Yeah told him and your mom when we saw them pulling out of the drive way. We got back home and took the motor off the lathe, even tried spinning the arbor and it just would not start. Wiring still seems stable. I told him no rush on it.

There is no noises at all from the motor. No hums or anything else. I understand if it did die. At least I have my Jet mini which I use mostly anyhow. The wife normally uses the big old lathe.
 
So have you tried running a jumper over the switch to see if the switch is dead? Motors usually give warnings before they die, this sounds like a total lack of power to the motor.
 
Oh, come on, guys. The wife broke it.
It's her job to make sure he gets another.
You break it, you fix it.

At least that's how it works in my house, When I break it I replace it.

Lee
 
Gary Beasley said:
So have you tried running a jumper over the switch to see if the switch is dead? Motors usually give warnings before they die, this sounds like a total lack of power to the motor.
Click to expand...

Yeah. If the motor was getting current, you'd either see it trying to turn, or hear it making noise. Jumper the switch!
 
I had the same problem with my Laguna bandsaw - quit working. I took the motor off, and had it tested. The motor was perfect, purred like a kitten. Turned out to be the switch. I called Laguna and they sent me a replacement switch for free - which I think would have cost me about $85 if I had to buy it myself.
 
Well I bypassed the switch yesterday and the motor fired right up. So I re-twisted the wires and put them back on the switch. Then that too was working. I figured it must have been a loose connection or something. This is twice now I have been fooled by this motor lol. Today I am going to remount the motor but this time building a small shelf so the oil ports for the bearings point up instead of to the floor. This motor my dad believes is the original to the lathe which would date it around 1930's. Very happy with it now. Thanks for the suggestions of jumping the switch.
 
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