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Thread: Delta bandsaw stopped working after moving?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Ijamsville, MD
    Posts
    7

    Delta bandsaw stopped working after moving?

    Sorry my first post here is a help-wanted. I've been a lurker here for a while and finally decided to start a profile and post. I've been piecing together my hobby woodshop for a while now. The last piece I needed was a decent bandsaw, and over the holidays I found one on craigslist. 1990's USA-made Delta 14" closed stand saw with a carter guide, factory Delta fence, and a mobile base. $325, which wasn't a 'steal' but still a pretty good deal IMO. I went and checked it out, it ran fine, so I paid and loaded it on my little utility trailer. I moved it on its back, and being a closed-stand it strapped down quite level and made it home without any fuss. Got it into the shop and back on the mobile base, positioned it, plugged it in and got NOTHING with I hit the switch . No buzz, hum, click, breaker didn't trip, lights didn't flicker, nothing. Double checked the outlet with another tool, everything was fine. Took the switch off to see if any of the little wires rattled loose, everything was tight and in place as it should be. I've tried spinning the motor over by hand with the switch on, still nothing. No signs of life whatsoever. Just wondering what I should check? I haven't had time to get the meter out and start tracing power from the beginning, but it seems like something must have happened on the short 25 minute drive home? Any likely cuplrits?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    West Lafayette, IN
    Posts
    6,529
    Sounds like the move may have shook loose a wire. Did you check the wires at the switch and the motor?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Ijamsville, MD
    Posts
    7
    Yeah, I opened up the box on the side of the motor where all the wires terminate and checked all the wire nuts. Nothing was loose or disconnected in there that I could find, although it occurs to me I should go back in and see if any wires broke off inside the wire nuts. I've had that happen before, and since the insulated part is twisted together they won't always be obviously loose. The wires at the switch were fine.

  4. #4
    Please check the connections, capacitors, contacts and the switch.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Central Ohio
    Posts
    336
    This is probably so obvious that you've checked it already, but just in case... Does the motor have a reset button on it?

    If all of the wiring checks out, I'll bet it's the switch. Shopvac it out and try it. I assume it's set for 120V? If you're comfortable with wiring, you could temporarily wire in a normal 20A-rated light switch.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Ijamsville, MD
    Posts
    7
    I did look for a reset switch and didn't find one. The motor is a factory Delta 1hp motor. It can be wired 110v/220v but is presently wired 110v which is the way it came from Delta (has a tag still on it that says how it was wired). The switch is a particularly nice one where you flip it up underneath and then the whole thing becomes an emergency stop. This evening I'll start checking voltage in earnest. My heat pump quit yesterday as well so I've suddenly got a lot of troubleshooting to do around the house.

    The switch is a little more complicated because the cord goes into the motor housing and then there's a set of wires that run up to the switch and back down to the motor. I've got the manual, but it doesn't show anything as specific as wiring (presumably because it varies depending on how you order the saw).

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Battle Ground, WA.
    Posts
    594
    John
    If your motor is not a TEFC type there may be some saw dust in it start switch. Blowing out with air may help. Also check wires on start capacitor. Tom

  8. #8
    I am not trying to be a butt but do you have a meter?

    You need to check just were you are losing the power at, with a meter you can check the switch to make sure it working, you can check the wiring all the way to the motor and not have to guess at any of it.

    Meters are cheap and I just can not imagine not having one in the shop, there are a lot of time you need to check things and this is one of them.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Peoria, IL
    Posts
    4,443
    Check where the current is for sure with a meter. Also look at mechanical matters. Bandsaws don't have much start up torque, and if the blade guides are now pinching the blade, the motor won't spin. Remove the blade, remove the motor belt, etc.....

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Ijamsville, MD
    Posts
    7
    I do have a meter, and I have found the problem. Thanks for the suggestions. It seems one of the contactors inside the switch jiggled out of place. Fortunately the switch is completely serviceable so I took it apart and cleaned/realigned everything and it works great now. Just gotta get a few new blades now. It turns out this is the Delta "Grand Edition" whatever that's worth. That's why it came with a better set of guides (plus the carter guide I got too), mobile base, and Delta fence.

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