# Logan/MW motor question



## Jack C. (Dec 4, 2013)

New guy back again. I finally finished cleaning/painting my Logan/wards 10" lathe and started to reassemble. The original MW 1/2 HP motor worked when I bought the lathe and 1 week ago on my bench. I just remounted it and it won't run. I have power to the motor leads. My question is what are the two small pushbuttons (1 black, 1 red) on the front of the motor. If I push the red one in it latches in, pushing the black one pops the red one out. I never saw anything like this before. There is a small red button on the end bell that I assume is a thermal cutout, it's in. Any help greatly appreciated.

Jack C.


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## Chuck K (Dec 5, 2013)

Jack, It sounds like the motor has a starter on it.  When you bench tested it, did you bypass the starter?  If it worked on the bench, it seems logical that it would work when installed.  Something must have changed.

Chuck


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## Jack C. (Dec 5, 2013)

Chuck K said:


> Jack, It sounds like the motor has a starter on it.  When you bench tested it, did you bypass the starter?  If it worked on the bench, it seems logical that it would work when installed.  Something must have changed.
> 
> Chuck



No starter, it was wired through the original toggle switch on the front of the headstock. I can't figure out what the two small buttons on the motor are for. It's almost like it might be an on/off switch. If so it's in a very bad location behind the headstock. I guess I'll have to take the motor apart to find out. Thanks.

Jack C.


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## wa5cab (Dec 6, 2013)

Jack,

There are two types of motor starters.  Electromagnetic, with remote pushbuttons (usually) and mechanical.  What Chuck meant is that from your description of what happens when you push the red and black pair of pushbuttons on the motor, they are a mechanical motor starter.  The red button closes and latches the switch contacts.  The black button releases (opens) the contacts.  Did you try pushing in the red button and then operating the headstock switch to ON?  

Why the motor would have a built-in starter, I have no idea.  It's unusual, to say the least.

Robert D.


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## Jack C. (Dec 6, 2013)

wa5cab said:


> Jack,
> 
> There are two types of motor starters.  Electromagnetic, with remote pushbuttons (usually) and mechanical.  What Chuck meant is that from your description of what happens when you push the red and black pair of pushbuttons on the motor, they are a mechanical motor starter.  The red button closes and latches the switch contacts.  The black button releases (opens) the contacts.  Did you try pushing in the red button and then operating the headstock switch to ON?
> 
> ...



Hey Robert. I think I found the problem. The internal capacitor (date stamped 8/4/53) has one shorted terminal. The connections were soldered so I had to cut the wires to test it. I ordered a new cap and hope to try it on Tue. As to the small buttons when you push the black one it comes back out but you get continuity - push the red, it latches in and you lose continuity??? The centrifugal swith is of a type I never saw either but it seems to work. I guess if this stuff was easy anybody could do it! Thanks for the input.

Jack C.


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## wa5cab (Dec 7, 2013)

OK.  Guess the capacitor just failed.

The only other purpose I can think of for the red button, then (and poor access would be a plus here) would be to disable the lathe if you had knob twiddlers, switch throwers or button pushers around.  I.e., children or adults who don't know any better.

Robert D.


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