# Worksharp Motor Just Burned Up. ****UPDATED***



## fivecodys (Dec 2, 2013)

*UPDATE*
The good folks at Worksharp are sending me a new unit at a heavily reduced price.
Very nice folks to deal with. Thank you Heather & Richard for your help.

***

Good morning Lumberjocks.

I have been a big fan of my Worksharp 3000 until a couple hours ago when the motor started popping the breaker.
I pulled it apart to see if maybe I had lost a bearing. No bearings, just bushings. I oiled every thing up real good and put the motor back together but it is still very hard to turn. Plugged it back in and it popped the breaker again.

So, Let's talk Sharpening Stones. I have always wanted to try this method but I have zero experience here and I am hoping that you all can point me in the right direction. Wife wants to know what I want for Fathers day so here I am.

Thank you in advance for all of your help.


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## sansoo22 (May 7, 2019)

I use DMT brand diamond stones and a Shapton whetstone. The order is extra coarse, fine, extra fine, 8000 whet stone.

I went with the extra coarse DMT because it will wear to coarse grade pretty quickly. I got that advice from Paul Sellers blog and he was spot on. I pretty much follow his sharpening methods except I added the 8000 grit whetstone at the end.

For the money I spent on those 4 stones I probably could have bought a Worksharp though.


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

If I were you, I'd get another Worksharp ;-) I used diamond plates then switched to the Worksharp. I don't think you're gonna be very happy with the switch in the other direction…

That being said, I do still have my diamond plates (and several oil stones) that I still use for some things so I don't think it's a bad investment in any case.

I've never used water stones so I can only recommend diamond based on personal experience. I use DMT plates but any reputable manufacturer should be fine. I like the 3" wide stones because the handle my widest plane blades and I like longer ones because I use a honing guide. I have x-coarse, medium and fine plates. I use lapping paper if I need something finer than my fine plate will give me.

Best of luck going forward!


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## fivecodys (Dec 2, 2013)

Thank guys for the advice. I will watch Paul's videos again (been a while).
As for purchasing another Worksharp…..probably not. A $200 machine ought to last more that 20 hours. That leaves a bad taste in my wallet.  We'll see whay happens. You never know. I might find one cheap on e-bay.


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

It certainly should last longer than that! Mine has done that many times over and is still going strong. Sorry you got a lemon!


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## shampeon (Jun 3, 2012)

20 hours? Have you contacted WorkSharp about this?


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

Now personally, if it were me, i would look at the brushes on the motor and try to replace them. Usually its a pretty easy soldering job once you find the brushes. Some wet dry paper on the comm and for a few bucks its good as new. If you are adamant on stones, i also have the DMT diamond plates, but recently Paul Sellers tested out those dirt cheap diamond plates from China and has been happy with them.
https://paulsellers.com/2020/03/edge-sharpening-under-10/


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

> If I were you, I d get another Worksharp ;-) I used diamond plates then switched to the Worksharp. I don t think you re gonna be very happy with the switch in the other direction…
> 
> - HokieKen


Went from all manner of sharpening to a WS 3000. Ain't going back. I'd just buy a new WS. Wouldn't be the first motor that burned up, probably won't be the last. Stuff happens….


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

> 20 hours? Have you contacted WorkSharp about this?
> 
> - shampeon


20 hours over how many years, if it's close to one year, I'd call them.


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## fivecodys (Dec 2, 2013)

> 20 hours? Have you contacted WorkSharp about this?
> 
> - shampeon
> 
> ...


It's probably 2-1/2 to 3 years old. Lightly used. That's what really ticked me off. I will go back and check the brushes. both ends of the shaft spin smoothy in the bushings so what ever is going on is happening in the internals. I pulled everything apart and I didn't see any obvious damage.
Thank you for the reply.


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

> It s probably 2-1/2 to 3 years old. Lightly used. That s what really ticked me off. I will go back and check the brushes. both ends of the shaft spin smoothy in the bushings so what ever is going on is happening in the internals. I pulled everything apart and I didn t see any obvious damage.
> Thank you for the reply.
> 
> - fivecodys


What i also do when overhauling electric motors is check the commutator and take a razor blade and clean up the grooves. Those are alternating voltage, and i've seen where carbon/copper dust stick in those cracks and create a path for voltage, almost like a weak short circuit.


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

Atoma diamond plates

8000 Water stones w/Nagura slurry cleaning stone

Leather strop with green compound.

Good luck on your decision.


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## dschlic1 (Jan 3, 2013)

I was under the impression that the motor in the Worksharp is an induction motor, no brushes. It should be a speed switch and a capacitor similar to the induction motors on tablesaws, joiners etc.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

> I was under the impression that the motor in the Worksharp is an induction motor, no brushes. It should be a speed switch and a capacitor similar to the induction motors on tablesaws, joiners etc.
> 
> - dschlic1


I was wondering about that, you can't look at the motor without some disassembly…but my guess was it's an induction motor.


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## bndawgs (Oct 21, 2016)

I just got a WS. I'd be interested in the rest of your stuff if you go another route. Just lmk.


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## torus (Apr 8, 2017)

> It s probably 2-1/2 to 3 years old. Lightly used. That s what really ticked me off. I will go back and check the brushes. both ends of the shaft spin smoothy in the bushings so what ever is going on is happening in the internals. I pulled everything apart and I didn t see any obvious damage.
> Thank you for the reply.
> 
> - fivecodys


Contact WS! They are nice people. And you have nothing to lose


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## fivecodys (Dec 2, 2013)

**UPDATE**
After speaking with Tech Support I found out the following.
They do not sell ANY parts that require opening up the case to replace.
So, that means they do not sell a motor replacement.
They have offered to work with me to replace the entire unit at a reduced cost.
I will let you all know where this winds up.


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## RJweb (Mar 12, 2011)

Please keep us posted, I have a Worksharp 3000, still in box that I was trying to sell a while back, it will be interesting what they do for you, RJ


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