table saw maintenance issue/question & dust collection question

Don’t know what to tell you. It might just go away.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Does it return with restarting?

If so, I would take the belts off the motor pulleys and restart the motor with the access door open to observe the motor while starting. Doing this will determine if the noise is emanating from the motor or from something driven from the motor.

If you hear the noise on startup with no driven load (belts off), and if it goes away after 15 or so seconds, you likely have a motor bearing going bad or dry. If the noise is not heard with the belts off, then reattach the belts, startup again and listen for the noise.

If you hear it, and if it goes away after some seconds, I would suspect an arbor bearing going bad or being dry.

If you suspect that the dust collection system is related to this in any way, isolate it from the saw (remove the pipe) and use the same technique for identifying the noise. I call it the “divide and conquer” method of troubleshooting.

Hope this helps.

-- Earle Wright, Lenoir City, Tennessee

Just letting you know they missed you.

Lee

-- No piece is cut too short. It was meant for a smaller project.

Ditto Sawdust, we’re glad your back in the game.

-- Maplewood, MN

You said that your saw was not used for awhile. I wonder if the belt(s) could have developed a “memory” from the pulleys and it goes away after a few revolutions of the saw/motor.

Maybe that spider that was living in your saw is now sitting in your DC, blocking the flow and is waiting for you to take the bags off. Then it will jump out at you and get even for wrecking his home in the saw!!!

-- Jim

and maybe your DC is clogged up from sitting.. needs a good shake rattle and roll.. and a cleaning as mentioned by Dick earlier this month.. or was it last month.. hmm

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

I would echo Debbit as related to the DC. I have a small collector as well. The normal culprits for me are clogging on the grate before the impeller or a dirty bag. Clogging is obvious and easy to ID, so I’m thinking this isn’t your issue unless you have an intricate system to large for a small collector. I would start by using a different vac to clean the inside of both bags. If air can’t escape due to dust packing the cloth, that’s a significant problem.

No idea about the Delta. Ignorant as to mechanics.

-- Jeff, South Carolina

I was thinking the belt would be the most likely culprit on the table saw. I had a similar issue on my bandsaw.

-- Chris

Thanks for the help. I’ve been putzing with this issue today. Anything mechanical is no small job for me. But I took the belt off, cleaned the pulleys real well and took a much better look at the belt. When I took the belt off, I started the motor – no noise. That’s a good thing.

After examining the belt closer I found some small spots on the edges that looked a little bit chewed up. That made me think maybe the belt was not riding on the pulley correctly. I went back to the cabinet and looked a bit closer at the floor of the cabinet and I did find small bits of black “dust.” I can’t imagine how the belt would have slipped off the pulley since I’ve not been using the saw. I’m also not sure why the clicking noise would go away after a few seconds if the belt/pulley is not set right.

I’ve went back and looked at the pulleys and they are as smooth as a baby’s bottom so there is nothing on there that is tearing the sides of the belt. When I put the belt back on – the noise came back. So I guess from process of elimination I think I need to get a new belt.

As to the dust collector – that’s next.

Thanks for welcome backs!

-- Betsy - GO BUCKS!

Hi Betsy

May not be your issue, but if there is a bind or something that is keeping your motor from coming up to speed and staying there the start switch could be cutting in and out. However because your belt sat for a while, that sounds like the culprit, get a segmented belt—they don’t develop memory as easily—AND you can adjust the length for that perfect fit!

-- Fred, Springfield, Ma

Glad to hear you’re well enough to get back in the shop, Betsy!

-- North Texas

Thanks Fred and Tom!

-- Betsy - GO BUCKS!

Check the set screws on your pulleys, sometimes they can loosen on you. I had that happen on both my drill press, & jointer.

Another possibility is the weights in your motor starting switch may be causing the clicking noise, until the motor reaches full speed.

Vacuum, or wash the filter bags. I you’ve been sawing highly resinous wood, the resins may have plugged up the bags.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

Interesting thought about the filter bag Dick.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

I think that’s what happened to my 5 micron bags, but I ended up buying a 1 micron cannister.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

Thanks for your help. I vacummed the inside of the bags. We’ll see how they do when I do my next shop session.

Dick – I’ll check those set screws to.

-- Betsy - GO BUCKS!