Help me fix my table saw

Sounds like a thermal issue as that is what causes the protection to trip whether it be caused by a mechanical or electrical problem. Have you tried resetting after several hours to let it cool down? It may be that the bearings are bad causing the overheat or it may be that there is some other problem with the motor. Even considering that it was only 60 bucks I doubt if it would be worth it to have the motor replaced or repaired unless you could do it yourself.

-- T.A.N.S.T.A.A.F.L.E.

Dez no i have not tried using it since this happened a few weeks ago. It is currently at my camphouse which is 30 miles away and i havent had time to try it.

I’m no expert on electric motors at all, but… if you are not the electrical-genius type (no, me neither) who can take the thing apart and start troubleshooting on your own, having the motor fixed by someone else or replacing it is going to cost more than you paid for the saw. At some point, I guess the question becomes “How much am I willing to spend to have this saw working again?”

Only you can answer that, but I’d look at the prices of some new saws to get an idea before you decide.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

ok brent i have this same saw as a second saw it has a direct drive motor and more then likely the little thermal switch that you press to reset it ether needed time to cool or is bad i have replace it on mine many times over 15 years. the switch is worth replacing also make sure you didn’t throw a beaker in the process. the next bit of advice i can give you on this saw is don’t skimp on blades for it the better your blades for it are the less work it will have to do a good combination blade like a forest ww II or Freud fusion while expensive well keep this saw in service far longer then any thing else you can do.

one last thing if you tune up this saw it is almost impossible the get the blade perfectly true to the miter slot so make sure you set up you fence so its true to the blade and not the slot.

hope that helps

regards jason

-- I buy tools so i can make more money,so ican buy more tools so I can work more, to make more money, so I can buy more tool, so I can work more

Thanks Jason….do you happen to know where i can get a new switch?

you can find it here http://www.toolpartsdirect.com i think its around 13 of 14 dollars if you need one

-- I buy tools so i can make more money,so ican buy more tools so I can work more, to make more money, so I can buy more tool, so I can work more

i have to chime in here too, I doubt your reset switch has gone all pear shaped on you but it might have, the cool down will likely fix your problem there, i feel it is the blade as Jason said, combine a dull blade with what was probably a wet 2X4 and you’ll pop that switch every time. So I would get a new blade on that thing first, try it, if the problem still exists then order your switch…Just my thoughts.

-- Dave- New Brunswick

NEW SAWWW!!! NEW SAWWW!!! as he shakes his fists excitingly :D

-- Good, better, best; Never let it rest until your good is better and your better best! Mark, Windsor, Ontario

alright i will try that…thanks Dave and Jason…the blade was pretty dull when i got i believe now that you mention it.

Since you were ripping 2×4’s with the saw, sounds like it might have been a binding issue that caused the saw to overheat. Is your fence parallel to the saw blade? You might have to adjust the fence since its a used saw.

The 2×4 could be the problem too, as you rip it, the cut you are making could be closing up on you, pinching the blade. You might have to stop the cut and insert a wedge to open up the cut before you proceed to keep it from binding. Some saws are equipped with a Rifing Knife to keep the cut open, but not sure if the Delta saw ever had one.

I personally like the new “gold” blade from Home Depot by Rigid, titanium coated, for the money its a great blade and is holding up very well to all my cabinetmaking.

By the way, you can most likely get the owner’s manual to your saw on the Delta website that comes in handy when looking for parts for it.

-- James

I think your tablesaw functioned perfectly. The cuttoff switch removed power from a dull bound blade just before the motor launched a 2×4 into your chest.

Also, judging by the amount of rust on the top and the elevation screw the saw has led a neglected life well before you purchased it. No crime to put it out to pasture.

Since it is a direct drive motor I’d probably advise against sinking a lot of money into repairs, the lower end saws rarely have the safety features that will help you stay at happy “10,” instead of sad “9 and 1/2.”

For me, I’d unscrew the reset switch and make sure the componants aren’t melted, sniff the motor and do other cleanup/wire tests. Make sure to not use an exension cord, they’ll steal enough power to mess with a DD motor. Worst case engine repair/replace would exceed $100. For that price and maybe a little more you could get an okay used induction motor table saw that is built to last forever.

Let us know if it fires back up after cooling down. If it does, spend $30 (or more) and get a decent blade….HD has the Freud Diablo D1040X (40T) for < $30 and it’s a very good general purpose blade at a great price. If you plan to rip thick materials and don’t need a fine finish, get something like the D1024X 24T ripping blade (<$28).

The alignment and blade selection are very important to performance, as is a good power supply.

I can’t believe all of the people telling you to buy a new one instead of fixing it, that is hardly the lumberjock attitude. Finding a used table saw for less that it will cost you to fix it is unlikely. Sure you bought this one for $60, but the next used one might cost you $200 or more. I almost never see used table saws for cheap, and I’ve been looking for some time.

If the thermal switch is only $14, just replace it. If that’s not the problem, you aren’t out much, and you’ll know its new for the future when you do get the saw running. Worst case it’ll need a new motor, find a used one on ebay and you’ll be good to go.

Ok i went and tried the saw and couldnt get it to turn on. The reset button still wouldnt set, and the saw wouldnt come on.

Should i go ahead and buy the thermal switch ? What do yal think now,, that it wont come on after a few weeks?

ok brent you can try by passing the thermal switch just to see if the motor still works but dont use the saw with out it

-- I buy tools so i can make more money,so ican buy more tools so I can work more, to make more money, so I can buy more tool, so I can work more

It’s just the thermal protection switch…it is probably reset by now…it takes 15 minutes or so after it kicks off to cool enough to reset. Ripping a long 2×4 can make the motor work too hard especially if the 2×4 pinches the blade or if you don’t have a decent blade. It’s probably just a stock 1.5 hp motor.

edit…if it still won’t run check the other breaker for your electricity. Maybe you kicked the breaker.

-- Dan, Sterling Alaska, http://sullcon.homestead.com/ Before you criticise some one, walk a mile in their shoes...then you will be a mile away and you have their shoes!

mics….i checked the switch and its not a tripped breaker because i plugged a shop vac in and it ran

It’s not terribly common for tp switches to go bad …pull the access plate to the motor and put a multi meter on the terminals at the motor to make sure you are getting voltage at the motor. Eliminate all the variables before making assumptions. In other words it could be the cord or plug or main switch or…

-- Dan, Sterling Alaska, http://sullcon.homestead.com/ Before you criticise some one, walk a mile in their shoes...then you will be a mile away and you have their shoes!

Mics when i plugged the saw in to the wall and flipped it on and it didnt come on. I wiggled the wires to the back of the reset switch and i felt the electricity going there. So im assuming its getting voltage?

Brantly, Please consider buying a new saw. I have one like that at work and I hate it. I’m sorry but I am spoiled with my Delta UNISAW At home. Someone’s (^) trying to tell you not to use that saw. Good luck in what ever you end up with.
KHOP

-- How am I doing? Better than I deserve.

• wiggled the wires to the back of the reset switch and i felt the electricity going there. *

HUH?

-- Dan, Sterling Alaska, http://sullcon.homestead.com/ Before you criticise some one, walk a mile in their shoes...then you will be a mile away and you have their shoes!

khop is kinda right but i think u should weigh your opptions are u gonna be a full blown woodworker or are u just gonna do stuff like cut 2×4’s for projects around the house cuz i dont think that saw would be good for makeing fine furniture but cutting wood for stuff around the house like what u used it for in the first place (cutting 2×4’s) u might want to keep and fix it if your going the other way just get one thats gonna be able to handle your work load and sell that one on ebay to see if u can get your money back or some anyway.

-- Ike, Big Daddies Woodshop,www.icombadaniels@yahoo.com

Hey Brantley;

I’m sure everyone else has pretty much covered what could be the problem. But, in case you bought the saw and do not have a manual for it – here is a link to find one:

http://www.manualsonline.com/

In fact, you can pretty much find ANY manual for just about anything there!

Good luck, and watch those fingers!
Thomas

-- " .... For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.”

Brantley the saw was an excellent value and will do everything you need with a few tweeks. Some day when you want to be a “full blown woodworker” (whatever that is) with “the best tools”, you can upgrade.

-- Dan, Sterling Alaska, http://sullcon.homestead.com/ Before you criticise some one, walk a mile in their shoes...then you will be a mile away and you have their shoes!

Hi Brantley,

Whether you fix it or sell it depends on your personality. I would fix it in a heartbeat. I wouldn’t think of selling it until I got it running and tuned up.

For me it wouldn’t be about the money, it would be about the learning process.

I recently bought a Delta Unisaw and have been restoring it. I learned quite a bit and the all the guys on this site are a great help.

Good luck and let us know what you decide.

Bothus

P.S. Here a link to my yet unfinished Unisaw restoration project, if you are interested.

-- Professional kitchen designer, amature woodworker.

I wigggled the wires to the back of the reset button and it shocked me a little bit… thats why i think its getting voltage. earlier i think you posted to check and see if he saw was getting any power

I wigggled the wires to the back of the reset button and it shocked me a little bit… thats why i think its getting voltage. earlier i think you posted to check and see if he saw was getting any power

I found some literature that the guy gave me on the saw when i bought it from him. It looks like the model number for the saw is 36-600….i found this online manual for it … http://www.mikestools.com/download/DeltaTableSawManuals/36-600.pdf

Wiggling any wires and getting shocked is not good. Also checking voltage by getting shocked is not the recommended practice although after today, you couldn’t tell it by me (Not once but twice today). Get yourself to WallyWorld or HD or Lowes and pick up an inexpensive multimeter. Once you get one, you’ll wonder what you did without one. Nice to double check a circuit with a meter rather than plugging something in.

First the short at the switch needs to be corrected, then using the multimeter, work backwards from the motor to see where/if you have voltage.

-- My greatest fear is that when I die, my wife will sell all my stuff for what I told her I bought it for.

Sounds like the thermal overload is bad. It was working and tripping, finally won’t reset any more. Sounds like a weak point if doyoulikegumwood has replaced his several times in 15 years.

-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.

You can try bypassing the breaker to see if the motor will run BUT JUST DO IT MOMENTARILY to see if the motor runs. If it does then replace the breaker. To do that unplug the saw. Disconnect the two wires on the breaker and connect them to each other. Plug the saw back on and turn it on. If the motor runs the breaker is bad. The more times those breakers trip the less resistance to overload they have so they trip easier. Eventually they break.

The reason you got shocked when you touched the wires on the breaker is because that is the positive or “hot” lead and your body furnished a ground by touching it. That only indicated you have electricity going to the breaker not whether it is passing through to the motor….unless you got shocked when you touched each wire separately; which I do not recommend. A volt meter can be bought at Radio Shack for about $10 to test for electricity. Much better than your finger (-:
Direct drive motors over heat easier than belt drives because there is no slippage that a belt can provide if the blade starts binding. Some motors have the breaker built into the motor housing. I see your’s is on the saw housing next to the on/off switch. Much easier to replace. I can’t see from the pictures but some motors have bushings and oil holes instead of bearings. Check for that and add a few drops of oil occasionally. Otherwise listen for bearing noise and replace the bearings if necessary.
A sharp carbide tipped blade will really help. A ripping blade will be much better for cutting 2×4s than a combination cut or cross cut. You can always be comfortable putting money into a good 10” blade because that is pretty standard size and if you get rid of this saw you can keep the blade for your new one.

-- Les B, Oregon