Okay so i am new to having a Skil 100 type 4. I totally rebuilt it with new blades bearings belt and brushes. Now that it is put back together it sometimes starts up a bit slow with a strong blue arc and every once in a while it sounds like a very faint pop when i pull the trigger, starts a tad slow then gets up to revolution. Is this common or did I do something wrong. I also put in a locking trigger.
That signpost, up ahead, says ‘‘disaster on the way.’’ For God’s sake, get PeteC involved with saving your ass. NONE of what you’ve described, in normal. Please, get his professional help. You’re close to burning up your planer.
Yeah …no
Did it have these symptoms before you messed with it? Try putting your old brushes and switch back in and see if it changes anything. That thing should torque your hand…it fires up so fast…when you trigger it. Arcing is bad. Backtrack your steps or let someone who knows electric motors check it out.
I think I figured it out. There is a break in the windings on the armature. Just need to either find a armature or have it rewound. Also the arcing was a bit of an overreach. I think it is just the standard blue contact from the brushes. I am just not use to the 7.5 amp. Any suggestions on rewinding?
Once again, PeteC may be your best shot. My experience with him has been OUTSTANDING, in every way.
I will pm him
Pete is the man. Super nice dude
Based on the symptoms you’ve described, the armature is shorting out. When you pull the trigger and hear that pop, that’s a short. The slow start is because all of the windings aren’t there (due to the shorting) so there’s not enough initial torque to start the belt and sprockets at the correct speed. It may build up momentum once it gets going, but obviously that’s not the way it’s supposed to run. At some point you’ll hit the switch and only smoke will happen. The blue arc at the brushes is because these old motors will draw whatever current is available (until the breaker trips) to turn it, the higher the current the more arcing the brushes will be doing. Measure the current with a meter while running, if over 4.5 amps the motor is history .
So is it possible to have the armature rewound? I see these guys do it http://eurtonelectric.com/catalog/motors/Skil_100_Planer_Motor_Repair_Rewind
Are these guys legit? Pretty pricey at $345 but I see it is a complete rehaul of the planer with New brushes, bearings, and belt.
Eurton is a good company, been around since the late 1930’s and was Skil’s motor warranty place. All of the old Skil monster tools (concrete cutters, DWP stuff) for LA County are maintained and repaired by Eurton. If you send it to other advertised motor places, it generally goes to Eurton anyhow. They are also one of my main suppliers for substitute Skil electrical parts and usually forward the Skil to me if there’s anything more than motor work to be done.
Having said all of that, rewinding motors is hit or miss even for Eurton. They have done 4 for me, and each one went back (up to 3 times) before they would run reliably. All of them ran about 1 - 1.5K slower than normal 16K rpm when they finally worked. I would just get another Skil if a motor is needed instead of rewinding. Keep in mind that motor housings are different for 5.5 and 7.5 amp versions. Each is machined differently due to the field coils. Obviously the armatures themselves are not interchangeable between motor types either. So either get another 7.5 or swap the entire motor housing assembly to convert to 5.5. At that point though you need to determine which of the Skil’s is better overall and make your investment there.
Its funny you say that about getting another Skil. I have a 5.5 being delivered today I won off ebay for $275. I just stripped and polished the 7.5 and made it a short bed but if the 5.5 runs stronger then I will swap motor housings. I wanted to keep one a longbed for LB’s and SUPs. So with that said do you have any recommendations to make the skil more EPS friendly? I blow it out every time I make a few passes especially if making a fully open shoe cut. I have heard of people.putting some kind of screen over the motor housing to keep particles out.
Get a vacuum system. A screen will restrict the motor airflow especially since it will be clogged most of the time. Once the beads get into the hot motor, they will melt at very low temps and gum up everything. Next to impossible to clean that mess out once melted. Blades need to be very sharp for EPS and passes slow and shallow or you’ll rip out chunks. Not so much chunking on the molded EPS blanks, but certainly on slabs.