Table saw motor upgrade

[Travis Teichmann]

I have an older Craftsman 10" TS (1952-54) with a 1hp motor and freshly sharpened Nicholson thin kerf combo blade. It seem to bog down while cutting stock 2" or thicker (rip or crosscut). As a hobby WW, I don't cut thick stock each day, but I don't like the saw bogging down for safety reasons as well as motor burn-out.

Here's my questions:
1. Would a better blade (dedicated rip/crosscut blades) with carbide teeth help me out much with a 1HP motor?
2. Has anyone adapted a larger (2-3HP) motor to an older saw such as this? If so, was it a major ordeal or can larger HP motors be found that fit up? I had also thought of moving the motor below the blade more like a cabinet saw. Maybe it's too much trouble? I'm on a low budget and fabricating mounts/brackets is not a problem for me. I enjoy metalworking as much as woodworking, hotrods, dirtbikes, and rock climbing. Too many hobbies? Nah. Not enough time (or shop space)!

Any advice/caution/help is appreciated.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Travis, I had a contractor saw with a 1 1/4 HP motor which worked well with thick hardwood if I used the correct blade, and reduced the feed rate.

When ripping I used a 24 tooth rip blade, standard kerf, and it worked well, without burning, at reduced feed rates.

One item to check is that your voltage is OK when the motor is under load.

Are you using an extension cord of less then 14 gauge for short runs of say 25 feet or less?

Have you measured the voltage while ripping? That would require an assistant, however it will determine whether your circuit has excessive voltage drop.

Regards, Rod.

[scott spencer]

Hi Travis - Stock that's 2" or thicker is pretty thick for a combo blade. Switching to a decent quality 24T TK ripper is considerably less expensive than a motor change, and may yield results that are as substantial. There are plenty of choices ~ $30 or less for a good quality blade. Amazon's 25% off Freud puts the Freud LU87R010 to your door for ~ $28 shipped. Holbren has the Amana AGE MD10-240TB for ~ $30 shipped with "SMC10" discount code. You might also find a deal on a DW7124PT.

A dedicated crosscut blade should make a cleaner cut, but won't likely cut any easier, but I'm not familiar with the quality level of the Nicholson blades.

A check of the fence to blade alignment, pulleys, and belt tension are also possible cheap improvements. In the meantime, you can keep your eyes peeled for a motor upgrade, though I don't think I'd venture with anything more than 2hp on that trunnion system...even 1.5hp is more reasonable.

[Travis Teichmann]

Thanks for the advise. I'll start looking for some dedicated blades, and maybe a 1.5HP motor. Thanks again fellas.

[Randal Stevenson]

Thanks for the advise. I'll start looking for some dedicated blades, and maybe a 1.5HP motor. Thanks again fellas.

Look in the classifieds at Joe Branch's custom tablesaw add. He currently has listed a Craftsman 1.5 HP motor with bracket.

When you swap them, if you haven't already done so, consider replacing the belt with a link belt.