mike wrote:
I've had two tools die on me in the last fortnight. The first was a
cement mixer and the second a table saw. Both had induction motors
and in both cases it was the capacitor that supplies the starting
torque that failed... an acrid smell followed by a humming and a
failure to rotate, cured by a shove to the blade or barrel.

Were you at the time starting them frequently?
The capacitor is not rated for the continuous starting current, just
intermittent.

They can also dry out over time.