# Sears Craftsman Lathe Problem



## alexsmithlonglake (Mar 24, 2017)

Hey folks!
Got a question: I’ve got an old Sears Craftsman Model 113.228162 lathe, and the other day I was turning a spindle on it. I turned off the lathe and noticed that the piece stopped rather suddenly rather than carrying on spinning while slowing down like normal. When I turned it on again the motor hummed but the headstock pulley never started spinning. When I tried to turn it by hand it wouldnt budge. 
I oiled it and left for the night, and when I came back in the morning it started as it normally would. After working for an hour, it stopped on its own. Once again, the motor hummed but the pulley was hard to turn. I can now hand start it if the belts are off and there’s no load at all (it runs at normal RPM in this case) but if I put the belt on and load the motor at all it cant be started.
Any ideas? Any help would be much appreciated!


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## Mr Mac (May 31, 2010)

First, welcome to the forum!

I would have the motor checked out as it is likely a bearing issue. Last time I had one rebuilt it cost about $80 and that was far cheaper than a new motor!

Mac


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## Bob Willing (Jul 4, 2008)

alexsmithlonglake said:


> Hey folks!
> Got a question: I’ve got an old Sears Craftsman Model 113.228162 lathe, and the other day I was turning a spindle on it. I turned off the lathe and noticed that the piece stopped rather suddenly rather than carrying on spinning while slowing down like normal. When I turned it on again the motor hummed but the headstock pulley never started spinning. When I tried to turn it by hand it wouldnt budge.
> I oiled it and left for the night, and when I came back in the morning it started as it normally would. After working for an hour, it stopped on its own. Once again, the motor hummed but the pulley was hard to turn. I can now hand start it if the belts are off and there’s no load at all (it runs at normal RPM in this case) but if I put the belt on and load the motor at all it cant be started.
> Any ideas? Any help would be much appreciated!


Sounds like the starting capacitor is bad or the starting windings are bad.


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## Maylar (Sep 3, 2013)

Bob Willing said:


> Sounds like the starting capacitor is bad or the starting windings are bad.


Not if the shaft won't turn. That's probably bearings.


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## holtzdreher (Jul 20, 2016)

a little confusing because at one point he says he could not turn the head stock pulley. Yes sounds like the motor/bearings, if the motor can't be turned. Perhaps the belt was over tightened too long. Hard to say. If on the other hand, the head stock pulley is stopping up, probably the head stock bearings. If the headstock bearings, I do not know whether it is worth installing new bearings.


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## Mr Mac (May 31, 2010)

As bearings go bad they tend to heat up and things get tight until they bind due to expansion. Let them cool a bit and things start to turn again...for a bit.


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## Gary Beasley (Jan 21, 2009)

Ive had problems like this with older motors, one was a hundred years old! The grease in the bearings eventually breaks down into an asphalt like mess that freezes in place as it cools down essentially gluing the shaft in place. The cure was disassembly, wash out the bearings with a good solvent, relube and reassemble. This is especially bad with journal bearings. In your case this may be happening with the headstock bearings as you say the motor will start without the belt. A quick and nasty check will be to flush out the bearings with solvent until it all feels loose and relube it. If it still freezes up when cooled it will need disassembly and clean or replace the bearings.


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## Pineknot_86 (Feb 19, 2016)

I would use this as an excuse to buy a new lathe. Good luck on getting a solution to the problem.


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## alexsmithlonglake (Mar 24, 2017)

*Thanks*

Much appreicated! I’m trying to get the pulley off to get the motor apart and it wont budge, removed the little hex set screw but its still stuck on any idea if theres anything else to remove?


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## alexsmithlonglake (Mar 24, 2017)

Update: got it apart and lubricated the bearings, shaft is spinning freely now. However, there’s now some fore and aft play in the shaft for some reason, enough that when run with the belt on the pulley and shaft are pulled ahead enough that the fan interferes with the housing at the front of the motor. It seems as though there should be some kind of spacer to keep this from happening, but one never came out. Any ideas?


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