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Should I do this????

2K views 19 replies 14 participants last post by  hoosier0311 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hey folks, I have an old, Craftsman 10" table saw. It has a the original motor and I'm wondering if upgrading to a 2HP would improve it's capabilities. I noticed that when cutting anything thicker than 1 1/2 it starts to bog down during the cut. Any suggestions would be of great heap. Thanks…
 
#2 ·
before changing out the motor, maybe try changing the blade as people never seem to give enough credit, to keeping the part that cuts, sharp ? in the event that fails, perhaps raisng the HP might help, but I would check out first, if the saw comes with an upgraded HP, as saws are engineered to the minimum standards of their maximum performance and so… exceeding the manufacturers specs, might not be wise
 
#3 ·
Kryptic, The blade is a new Diablo from Home Depot. so I know it's sharp, well as sharp as a blade from the big box stores can be. The saw is from around 1953 or so, pretty old Craftsman all cast Iron but I guess I can do a search and see if I can put a bigger blade on it. Thanks for the quick reply..
 
#5 ·
The performance of my old Craftsman saw (bought new in 1989) improved a great deal when I (1) cleaned my blades and (2) installed a linked belt. I still don't try to cut through 2" of hardwood in one pass. I make several graduated cuts and get the job done, just fine.
 
#7 ·
2 horses is good. 3 or more is better. I had a 12" INCA
cabinet saw with a 2.5hp motor and it was a good saw.

You'll get easier cutting with a thin kerf blade: 3/32" vs
1/8" for full kerf.

Also, if you cut softwoods and you have pitch stuck on
the blade that can decrease performance. I soak
pitchy blades in detergent water and that softens
the gunk enough to get it off with a nylon bristle brush.
Works on band saw blades too. Carbide tips don't
rust but band saw blades will so it's important to dry
them or if it's sunny I just lay them out and they
dry quick enough.
 
#10 ·
the biggest contributing factor to letting the wind out of the sails of a carbide tooth, to the dismay of most, is not abrasion from carbide, to wood, rather the exposure of moisture, thus corrosion of the carbide ….Loren ?

the thin kerf blades work best cutting thin stock
 
#11 ·
OK, I think what I'll do is invest in a link belt, and like the suggestion, "sneak" up on thick cuts. Thanks guys great input My Craftsman is a 113 as well. Probably ought to invest in a decent thin kerf blade from somewhere other than Home D.
Thanks again,,,
Jack
 
#12 ·
Diablo blades are as good as most any other. Link belt may or may not help? Thin kerf Diablo should be just fine. Also, Diablo also makes a good ripper in a 24 tooth blade, maybe a 30 too. I'd suggest a 24 or 30 thin blade for ripping.
 
#14 ·
I use a linked belt and pulleys which up the speed.
My Forrest thin kerf blade really is great.
Make sure the fence is set right.
I installed a Delta T2 fence on my old Craftstman and it made a big difference in accuracy.

My old saw is a 3/4 hp motor and it does pretty well.
 
#16 ·
I noticed that when cutting anything thicker than 1 1/2 it starts to bog down during the cut.

i have a similar 113 series c-man and it rips 8/4 hardwoods with no burning. i need to use a ripping blade (24-30T with and aggressive hook angle), keep the carbide teeth just above the top of the work piece so the gullets can clear the saw dust and i moderate my feed rate. 2 hp wouldn't really make much of a difference.
 
#17 ·
I had an old Cman saw, would be about 60 now, maybe it would be eligible for social security, but anyway the motor was worn out, had to spin it to get it to start, the fence was horrible, looked at a new motor and a new fence, was too close to what I could buy a new unisaw for. This was in 05, ended up buying the least expensive unisaw with long rails, ran 1000 for the model with one year warranty. Still a good saw, only repair I have needed was the piece the splitter bolts to, I over tightened it and the threads wore out. Now I just snug it.
 
#19 ·
My father had about the same vintage table saw, and every few years we would change the belt, the old
one would get dried out and slip, the same as fan belt on an automotive motor. You never mentioned
if the saw blade would bog down, or if it was the motor. If I remember correctly Dad had put a different
motor on his and wired it for 220 volt when he had a bunch of oak wood to cut. It would walk right
through 8/4 oak with no problem. .
 
#20 ·
I was thinking the same thing as jaytay, 1953 is an old motor. I would look at a new set of brushes and maybe even have it re-wound. One could also look at pulley sizes, you may be able to come up with a some size changes that would keep RPMs close but give you some more torque.
 
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