Ian Ferguson has a burned out motor [190502 MMD].  An old motor
restoration place should be able to rewind the motor and get it
working.

You really need a "Variac", a variable transformer.  That's much
better than a series resistor.  A 500 watt resistor is a bit of
a hazard and wasteful to boot.

And a question from the USA:  Here we have 230-volt service too,
mostly for heavy loads like a stove or clothes dryer. It's really
two 115-volt AC lines that are 180 degrees out of phase.  There is
also a return such that either 110-volt log paired with the return
gives you 110 volts.  How does a 220-volt line work where you are?

Regards,
Craig Smith
Upstate New York