I'm in the middle of restoring my dad's 1959 Walker Turner 6" jointer, but I'm running into an issue with the motor. When I try to power it on, it just hums and then trips the breaker after a few seconds. I've already swapped out the starting capacitor, but it still won't turn on. I'm debating whether it's worth tearing into the motor to figure out what's wrong or if I should just buy a new one from Grizzly. I really want to keep the original motor if possible, but I'm curious if these old motors have a limited lifespan. I'd like to avoid rewiring if I can.
3 Answers
If the motor's internal windings need rewinding, it can be pricey—like over $1k. You might want to look for a new motor, which can typically range from $100 to $200 depending on the horsepower.
First off, check if the motor spins freely by hand when it's unplugged. If it does, that's a good sign! Otherwise, it might have seized bearings or need some cleaning. A lot of older tools have grease fittings you can use.
You could do some tests with a multimeter to see if there's a short in the wiring or to the housing. There are plenty of YouTube tutorials that show how to diagnose motor issues, so that could help you figure out what's wrong before you dive into a full repair or replacement.
I did check, and it spins fine by hand, so I guess the bearings aren't the issue.