NuTool HBS230 bandsaw troubles

[Seb Palmer]

Hi,

I bought a NuTool HBS230 bandsaw recently.

It worked when I bought it, but had numerous issues. So I've been trying to get it going a bit better. But instead it's actually stopped altogether: I took it apart to clean it, and I've replaced the tyres with electrical tape (5 turns per wheel), as the original tyres had become brittle, and fallen to bits. Having cleaned it all and put it back together it ran for a few seconds, and then simply stopped.

I checked the fuse - the plug says 13A, but the fuse inside is 5A - but the fuse is fine. Anybody able to help? I've tried 'googling' stuff like Nutool HBS230 troubleshooting, but can't find anything helpful.

Thanks

Sebastian

 

[sunnybob]

It should have safety switches on the door(s) to stop the machine running with the doors open.
How did you check the fuse? with a circuit tester? any other way is not reliable. replace the 5 amp with a 13 amp because even small motors take a lot more current as they start up.

 

[Seb Palmer]

Thanks for replying Sunnybob.

Yes, it has a safety switch in the lower compartment. I checked the fuse with one of those screwdrivers that lights up when you complete a circuit.

Ok, I'll upgrade the fuse to 13A. I was also wondering if perhaps I'd overtightened the lower wheel when reassembling. Might that cause any issues?

Regards

Sebastian

 

[Seb Palmer]

Changed the fuse to 13A, still not working. I'm wondering if the on/off switch is bust? Going to loosen lower wheel - connected directly to motor - a bit...

 

[MikeJhn]

Take the blade off and try again that should indicate if its a interference issue i.e. blade too tight, you should not be able to over tighten the lower wheel unless you left out a spacing washer between the wheel and bearings.

Take the blade off and by-pass the switch to check.

Mike

 

[Seb Palmer]

Hi Mike, thanks for replying.

I've tried with the blade off, both with the door closed and open (pressing the safety switch in manually on the latter). And I loosened the lower wheel a bit. I don't think it's interference.

I've opened the switch casing to have a look inside, but I can't tell if it's working as it should be or not. I'll google this next question as well, but... how do I by-pass the switch? The wiring in the switch-housing is quite packed, and looks fairly intimidating to me!

Thanks, Sebastian

 

[MikeJhn]

We are not talking about the main switch here, but the safety switch to the wheel housing, there will only be two leads into it, shorting them out will by-pass them, but do this with the power turned off and insulate the wires to prevent them earthing and causing a shock or making the case live, stand back and turn it on from the wall socket if all is well it may start up, if so don't celebrate until you have turned it off from the wall.

Mike

 

[sunnybob]

Having re - read your first post, "it ran for a few seconds and stopped", its possible there is an "overheat" safety button on the motor.
have a look around the casing and the connection box for a red button. If you find one, you might have to press quite hard to make it click back in. There was one type of motor I worked on that I could not reset with my finger, I had to use the blunt end of a pencil and really push.

If you find it and if its tripped, you would then need to find out what had caused the motor to overheat. A wheel too tight would do it. does the top wheel spin freely?
Does the lower wheel move easily (you say the motor is attached so it wont rotate all that freely)
Even to looking inside the end of the motor to see if a piece of wood has fallen inside and is stopping the motor turning.

 

[Seb Palmer]

Thanks Mike and Bob, I'll try your suggestions.

In the meantime: I've been unable to buy a suitable new switch at any of my local tool suppliers. So I dismantled the original one, and found that there's a broken plastic cross-shaped part inside. I've superglued that back together, hopefully correctly. In doing so one of the wires came loose at a weak soldering joint. So now that needs fixing! Talk about the 'gas man cometh'!

If I do have to buy a new switch - most home repairs I do with superglue don't last long - can anyone enlighten me as to what the KJD and MFD mean on the back of the switch? In full it's says KJD4 240V MFD. I can find all sorts of KJD6 or KJD12 etc switches, but hardly any KJD4. I'd love to know what either of these acronyms stand for, in case that'll help me find a suitable replacement.

Regards


Sebastian

 

[Seb Palmer]

Well, to my surprise and delight, stripping the switch and rebuilding it has actually worked. I'm a bit mystified as to how exactly it operates, despite having it all apart and seeing the innards... still. It works. Now I just need a blade that actually fits (blade it came with - bought the saw on Gumtree - was too wide for the wheels, and the replacement I got from Tool Station wasn't long enough!), and I can resume cutting stuff up with it.

 

[MikeJhn]

Basically its a NVR switch (no volt release) which means if the power in your workshop fails the tool switch's off, when the power is restored the tool is still off as the switch has released itself, any replacement of the right size will do: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=KJD4+ ... s6mh8EV9yM:

Mike

 

[Seb Palmer]

Thanks Mike, good to know.

Unfortunately your link doesn't work for me, poss 'cause I'm on an old iPad? It just loads an enormous blank page that I can scroll down, but which contains nowt visible. I'll email the link to my wife's non Apple tablet and try on that... ah, right oh, works on her tablet; lots of pics of similar switches.