Uh-oh. Drill press problem. Help?

[blackieNYC]

At my place of employment we have a Sears craftsman 17" 16 speed 3/4HP drill press. 
I and one or two others have mentioned used it occasionally for 12 years, it's probably twice that old. Most of that time for work stuff, but in the last two and a half years I've done a good deal of you-know-what, and my bosses also know what.  It has exhibited a problem of late, and I fear for its life. And maybe my standing at work.
When you start up the drill (no contact with the material to be drilled yet) it starts very slowly. The lamp dims. It's clearly drawing some juice.  It seems like it will remain like that or stop altogether, so I either shut it off - or I give it a little push, or spin, by hand. Once you get it spinning it is perfectly fine.
Belts seem fine. What do you think is going on here?  Starter capacitor? A lube thing? This symptom is rather consistent in behavior.
Being a craftsman, I suppose it has a lifetime guarantee, but that may be of little consequence.  I can't ship it and they won't make house calls.

[pappasmurfsharem]

At my place of employment we have a Sears craftsman 17" 16 speed 3/4HP drill press. 
I and one or two others have mentioned used it occasionally for 12 years, it's probably twice that old. Most of that time for work stuff, but in the last two and a half years I've done a good deal of you-know-what, and my bosses also know what.  It has exhibited a problem of late, and I fear for its life. And maybe my standing at work.
When you start up the drill (no contact with the material to be drilled yet) it starts very slowly. The lamp dims. It's clearly drawing some juice.  It seems like it will remain like that or stop altogether, so I either shut it off - or I give it a little push, or spin, by hand. Once you get it spinning it is perfectly fine.
Belts seem fine. What do you think is going on here?  Starter capacitor? A lube thing? This symptom is rather consistent in behavior.
Being a craftsman, I suppose it has a lifetime guarantee, but that may be of little consequence.  I can't ship it and they won't make house calls.

I'd try the starter capacitor first. sounds similara to what my HVAC squirrel cage was doing. Not enough juice to kick on. If it was LUBE I'd assume it wouldn't matter if you spun it by hand.

[Rixen]

when you say you give it a spin by hand and it's fine- does it sort of take off immediately to full speed ? if so, I would be 90% certain it's a starter cap problem. There is also a chance that the centrifugal switch for the starter cap has a problem.

[blackieNYC]

Yes, full speed. I'll find a cap for it. 

[PRR]

> starts very slowly

A single phase motor won't start spinning at all.

(The cap or inductor gives a fake 2-phase for starting.)

(A good push will usually get it limping up to line speed.)

If that is the case, cap or cap switch, way under $50, and it is age related not abuse.

[blackieNYC]

Yes, no abuse, I know what I'm doing - I've just got a hater.
Found some general info and tool forum threads. I expect to find 100-150uf in there. Will report back.  Thanks guys.

[PRR]

Oh----

> craftsman, I suppose it has a lifetime guarantee

No. The Craftsman HAND tools were (maybe still are) LifeTime.

The power tools always had time limits.

Worst to worst-- that motor is surely a standard size. A drill-rated 3/4 horse should be $100-$150 new. Dataplate has a "frame size" and RPM. Calipers gets the shaft size.

I say "drill rated" because compressor motors ARE different; and farm-motors are often different. A drill is nearly the easiest job for a motor. Starting torque can be trivial (a compressor must chug FULL torque on the first turn) and it isn't likely to work 8 hours like a fan, nor live in dirt and chaff.

Every town has a Motor Repair shop. Look for "Starters and Alternators", because these days car/truck is their main business; these guys also know AC motors enough to repair.

But cap or switch death is very likely and (knowing your posts) probably something you can manage quickly.

[amptramp]

Had a similar problem two weeks ago.  My Hayward pool pump shut off and would just hum for about ten seconds then trip the 15 amp breaker.  It is a capacitor start motor so I cleaned the contacts and no change.  Tried to measure the capacitance, which was supposed to be 161 to 192 µF.  It was zero.  Went to a local motor shop and got a replacement for $15 that the vendor measured at 186 µF.  The pump is working perfectly at the moment.

Starting capacitors are rated for short duration use because they remain in circuit for maybe two seconds then get disconnected.  If the drill was ever subjected to a load that brought it down to start speed (about 75% of full speed), you could go through months of the rated life in a few minutes.  If the centrifugal switch shorts out, the start capacitor is continually on and it will not survive long.

[blackieNYC]

Damn!  New starter cap. Right value. Film cap. (Original appears to be nonpolar electro)
Same issue - starts to slowly turn but doesn't take off. I might try to turn the chuck in the right direction for a second, but I shut the thing off very quickly. New motor?  Or this centrifugal switch - are those replaceable.

[PRR]

Start taking it apart, look for tarnish on the switch contacts

-or-

Take it to the motor repair shop.

Burnishing contacts is free. The shop will have a minimum charge.

[Rixen]

Also, and you may well have done this, with the belt off the pulley, does the shaft of the motor rotate freely ?