Shopsmith Forums

Motor trips breaker. Video link at bottom.

I got sucked down the rabbit hole. I've decided shopsmiths are awesome. I've been searching around for a bit and got to talking to an 85 year old man who had one in a shed stored for several years.

It was his dads. Serial number pulls up 1983. His brother briefly had it. Before I get there he tries to plug it in to see if it still works. Trips breaker.

I get there, rotate sanding disk and go from its current fast setting down about halfway before I got resistance and stopped. Turned it on that this speed and it ran for a few seconds. I turn it off because I have no idea when it was last serviced.

$100. Came with a bandsaw and a footlocker of various small things. Very dusty, light surface rust.

Get it home and 220 sandpaper easily cleaned the ways up. Wet towel mostly got housing cleaned.

Headstock, 1 1/8 motor

Pulled cover, full of old sawdust. Clean up some. Take belt off. Plug it in trips gfci outlet. So I drop motor out. Plug it in. Trips outlet again.

Newer home. Pretty much all outlets are gfci. Very annoyed right now.

Ceiling has a garage opener outlet. So I blow out motor and plug it in to the ceiling lol. Runs for a few seconds. Makes a sound. Trips main 15 amp breaker.

see video.

https://youtu.be/5Ir3dpr_RPY

Welcome to the forum. While you may be annoyed and frustrated now, that will soon pass as you have come to the right place where many users with years of experience are more than willing to share their knowledge to help you past this hurdle.

Sounds like you have taken all the right steps so far to try to isolate the problem. An undersized extension cord sometimes can be the problem, but I doubt that is your problem. You did not mention which model (500, 510, etc) you have, or which brand motor. The brand of motor may be needed to help you further.

A good motor repair shop may be your last resort, but if it were me, I'd open up the motor and give it good cleaning. My first guess would be the centrifugal start switch mechanism is stuck or not releasing. Each brand of motor has its own version. My motor is a GE and this is usually the problem with mine when it doesn't want to start.

Best of luck, and don't despair ... fellow forum members are always willing to help new owners such as yourself and I'm sure more help will be along soon.

Matt50,

Welcome to the Shopsmith Forum.

Something is definitely wrong with the motor. It should not sound like that. Since that sound only occurs while power is going to the motor, I would start with the centrifugal start switch mechanism as br549 suggested. The smooth quite spinning as it slows down with the power off indicates an electrical problem. Further inspection inside the motor checking the centrifugal start switch mechanism is warranted.

While it is apart it would be a good time to check the other internal Headstock parts. Do the bearings in the Idler Shaft Assembly, Drive Sleeve Assembly and Quill Assembly turn freely? Also check the button bearing on the back of the Idler Shaft's movable Sheave. As you indicated this Shopsmith is 40 years old and may not have always been stored under the best conditions. Nice smooth turning bearings will have less drag on the system and more turning power to the Quill's Spindle.' Do get the movable sheaves of the motor and Idler Shaft Pulleys properly lubricated with a lightweight oil. The gear teeth of the Speed Control Assembly should be lubricated with a dry lubricant. Since they are exposed oil on these parts will attract dust and debris. A bad thing.

Try running the bare motor without the belt to isolate motor issues.

If you watch the video the motor is completely out of the headstock including the motor pan.

what is the amp rating on the gfci plug ? if it is a 15 amp it may not be enough and will trip .

I think his receptacle is irrelevant to his problem.

I would suspect a stuck closed start switch.

Or, this may be the unique occurrence of a bad start capacitor.

If the start switch is stuck closed, then be very careful not to let it run too long. Be thankful your breaker IS tripping. Last year I had to clean out my motor when it only hummed when trying to start, and I re-formed the contact arms too much such they were unable to disengage properly, and then the capacitor overheated and the blue smoke appeared ...

viewtopic.php?t=30315

Thank you for the replys guys. With the motor out I also looked over the headstock and the rest of the machine and made a list of things to buy. Broken handle, missing lathe tool rest, belts ect ect. $200 bucks and thats before taking apart the motor.

Did have capacitor checked. Its within range, so starter switch?

Couple hours from me i found a shopsmith being basically sold for the parts. Only a year off from my other one. $225. He pulled it out of storage, new belts and stuff but complained the speed changer was too hard to move and something was wrong. Replaced stuff too. He kept old parts as well and included it all.

I decided to play with it myself before writing it off and guess what? New parts inside next to gunky un oiled parts. Got it cleaned up and everything moving and it runs great.

I'll still try to fix the other motor.