Table saw smoking - any ideas?

Check to see that the caps aren’t swelled/leaky.

If there is no more smoke and the power is still there you should be ok.

The smoke could have been the belt. Check it for a scorched spot from the motor stall.

-- The hump with the stump and the pump!

I second the look at the belt, is it a v belt or ribbed?

-- Lifting one end of the plank.

Did it smell like burnt hair?
To me a burnt motor/cap/lighting ballast smell like burning hair. Definitely a unique smell and not something I’d confuse with the smell of a burning belt.

Did it smell like burnt hair?
To me a burnt motor/cap/lighting ballast smell like burning hair. Definitely a unique smell and not something I d confuse with the smell of a burning belt.

- Scap

Didn’t smell like burning hair. Will check belt tonight. Thanks for the responses!

Every smoke has it’s own hint. Motors smell like “fish paper” the smell of the lacquer. Rubber is unique. Caps a sharper smell. Hot bearings different yet. I have heard of enough sawdust to get in motors to overheat then and you are smelling cooking dust.

If there was smoke, there IS a problem. Do not assume it magically fixed itself. If it was the motor, it may fail more catastrophically, like short. The motor SHOULD have an internal breaker on it though, so normally a stall won’t kill it.
If it does not run quite as smooth, then that points to the belt. Sometimes there is tell-tale black dust.

The motor SHOULD have an internal breaker on it though, so normally a stall won’t kill it.
tvrgeek

The “should” was a problem for me. I was in the final stages of ripping trim molding for an install when the Unisaw started to smell funny. The cabinets were loaded on the trailer and we were trying to beat rain. My Dad came in and said the motor has a shut off, finish. Half way through the last piece, screech, stop. No switch. Rewind.

-- Doug - As my Dad taught me, you're not a cabinet maker until you can hide your mistakes.