trz Posted August 8, 2011 Report Share Posted August 8, 2011 The general concensus of contractor saws is that there underpowered with there 1 1/2 hp motors. So , anyone ever beef one up by putting a more powerful motor on it? And why is it not a common practice. $$$$ ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert T. Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 I would be interested to know if anyone has ever added a bigger motor to a contractor saw also. That being said if your going from a table top model to a contractor saw it will be quite a while before your looking for more horse power. I have never used a cabinet saw so I have no idea what I'm missing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans_Christopher Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 It is usally not done as a common practice because contractor saws are usally meant to be portable. Adding a more powerful motor makes the saw heavier and less portable and when its getting thrown in and out of a truck this is not a welcome change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikem Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 I have a 1980s contractor saw that I got from craigslist. Since most old style contractor saws (not to be confused with bench top or jobsite saws) have the motor hanging off the back of the saw, as long as the mounts allow it to be correctly positioned, it is possible. With my saw, I have researched putting a new, more powerful motor on it. The biggest issue is the cost. While putting a more powerful motor on the saw would still be cheaper then replacing the entire saw, its not cheap enough to replace a still running motor, even if it is a bit underpowered. One other very important consideration is the speed of the blade spinning. Most contractor saws spin at 3450 RPMs. When replacing the motor you must make sure to match that. The bearings on the saw are designed to function well at the speed. If you put a motor that spins the blade too fast you are risking damage to the bearings. Also it is very important to make sure the motor lines up correctly, otherwise it will create considerable vibration that will create all kinds of problems, especially vibration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave's Not Here Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 To jump to the other side of the fence, I disagree that a 1½ HP contractor style table saw is underpowered. Properly tuned, aligned and fitted with the proper blade for the job at hand a contractor saw has plenty of power to do most any job that a cabinet saw can do. If the saw isn't setup correctly in the first place putting a bigger motor on it won't make it perform any better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick LoDico Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 I don't think there's a general consensus on contractor saws being underpowered. Less powerful than a cabinet saw, yes. But not underpowered. Tuned properly and with well prepared stock, the contractor will handle pretty much anything a WW'er will want to do. Ripping unstable wood like a 2 x 4 was the only trouble I ever had. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave H Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 I don't think there's a general consensus on contractor saws being underpowered. Less powerful than a cabinet saw, yes. But not underpowered. Tuned properly and with well prepared stock, the contractor will handle pretty much anything a WW'er will want to do. Ripping unstable wood like a 2 x 4 was the only trouble I ever had. And when that 2x4 binds up the cabinet saw will just project it through the wall a little farther when it comes shooting back towards you, a properly tuned contractors saw with a sharp blade can do pretty much anything a cabinet saw can do, just at a slower feed rate. I've had a ridgid contractors saw for fifteen years and it does everything I've ever asked of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trz Posted August 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 Didn't mean to offend anyone with the 'underpowered ' statement but, i have heard a number of people mention they thought they were underpowered. I'm well aware of the aspects of setting them up properly and haveing a sharp blade and feeding at the proper rate. I was just curious if anyone has tried a more powerful motor on one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knotscott Posted August 10, 2011 Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 The added weight and torque of a more powerful motor can also cause complications with structural parts, bearings, pulleys, etc. The saw could very well end up less accurate from too heavy and too powerful of a motor for it's underpinnings....I'd keep it to 2hp or less. With good alignment, proper saw setup, and good blade selection, most contractor saws are capable of cutting just about anything you'll need. As mentioned, not as powerful as a 3hp cabinet saw, but capable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronteti Posted August 10, 2011 Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 A buddy of mine added a 2 hp baldor motor to his, other folks have converted to 220 v. Mines does everything I need(ed) as now I have mainly festool stuff. But I still like my old TS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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