The Jet lathe is dying...

[WoodMangler]

OK... help me out here... the lathe made a klunking sound, and a puff of smoke came out... I took the covers off, cleaned it out, and put it back together... and it seemed to run fine.

.... but now it just hums when I turn it on, and I have to spin it by hand to get it to go...

I am sure I have read this on this forum somewhere, but can't find it http://www.woodhelp.com/confused-smiley-013.gif

So... what died?

[quartlow]

Start capacitor, or the that centrifical thinga ma jingy on the back side.

[arcticfox46]

Don't the capacitor start motors use brushes for the initial start - then the centrifical mechanism moves the brushes away after the motor starts turning?

Sounds like the motor is fine anter that initial turn of Marc fingers.

With that in mind - I think either brushes or the mechanism itself needs attention.

Maybe just a disassemble of the motor and a GOOD cleaning is all that is needed.

[WoodMangler]

OK... can't see what the problem is ....

The motor tries to run backwards when I start it... kinda oscillates back and forth and the motor just hums...

[Danford C Jennings]

Start capacitor, Marc.

Just write down the info off of the capicitor, run down to the local electric motor repair guy, whip out a couple of bucks (should even get some change back), and you'll be good to go....

Dano

[okie]

Starting cap is bad. Cheap if you can find one. Do you have a parts list for the lathe? A capacitor is just a high capicity battery that can dump its charge really fast to kick start the motor. I have used a grinder like that for years. A little pull on the belt, then let go really fast and you are in business.

[beamerweb]

Yep, start cap, like everyone said. That motor may have both a START cap and a RUN cap. I'm not sure exactly how to tell which is which.

[Sawduster]

Yep, should be a little cover hanging off the side of the motor held by a couple screws. Under that cover ought to be a cylindrical shaped do-dad. You did unplug the thing, right? Take the cylinder thing out and find one just like it ('cept if it's cooked, you don't want a cooked one). Take it with you and a motor place ought to be able to find a match for it.

[woodmannie]

Marc,
I got to go with the start cap. too. That puff of smoke you said was white in another post. That's the steam from the juice in the cap. We used to blow those up for fun. If you run too much juice into them, the fluid boils and it'll pop. If it has the two legs down, you can get the can to hit the ceiling. Lots of fun when you don't have to pay for them.
Anyhoo, a good hardware store may have them. I get mine right down the road. About $5 list time for the one on my BS.

wm

[deathwish2]

My first thought is the cap as well.

Time to put on the UHaul shirt and head to Grainger!

[link:www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/productIndex.shtml?originalValue=capacitor&L2=Moto r+Start&operator=prodIndexRefinementSearch&L1=Capa citors%2C|Starting Capacitors]