Lathe motor problem

[Charl]

I encountered a problem with my lathe tonight and was wondering if anybody could help. The motor runs, but much slower than it's supposed to and also gets very hot. Oh, and it tripped the power a couple of times. New motor, rewiring, capacitor? Being absolutely clueless about electronics, I would really appreciate anybody pointing me into more or less the right direction.

[RadDavis]

Sounds like you need a new motor.

Rad

[Charl]

Ouch! Not really what I wanted to hear, Rad!

[KurtHuhn]

To echo Rad,it sounds like you need a new motor.

From what you describe, it sounds like it got overheated at some point, melted the lacquer insulator on the motor windings, and now it's shorting out internally. Here in the US there used to be all sorts of places that would rewind motors with new wire, but the cost these days would be almost as much as a new motor.

[caskwith]

Yep I had a similar problem, laquer was worn or melted away and shorted the windings causing the motor to run slowly for a second or two until the current got high enough to trip the circuit breaker. I stripped down the motor to see if it was just some stray chips but i found a nicely blackened area around part of the winding. Looking into a motor re-wind it was as Kurt says more expensive than getting a new motor so thats what I did, set me back about $500 but i have had very few problems since, the start windings are a little sticky at times and dont always disengage when they should but thats about all.

[Charl]

Thanks, guys. Seems like re-winding or a new motor for me then. Why is it that this sort of thing happens at exactly when the finances are not so good!
Just wondering what the chances for getting a motor like that would be, seeing that it's an old Emco lathe? Hmm, will have to hear what the motor guys say.

[Sasquatch]

motors are basically standard shapes and sizes and have been for about 100 years. It should be no problem to find one that size shape and speed.

[FredS]

If the motor has a label or plaque on it, let us know the numbers. As Sas says, it may be a standard frame size & configuration that's easy to replace. Or not.

[Charl]

Or not standard, I found out today. First re-wind place I went to wanted to charge 3x the cost of a new motor. 2nd place sold new motors, and with switch and adapting to my mounting, would end up to be 2x the price of a new motor. 3rd place I got "lucky", and ended up with a rewind that'll cost 1 and a half times the cost of a new. About $290, which is twice what I paid for the lathe!
Thanks for all the help and replies, guys.