Using some techniques is essential for reducing the struggle of miter saw blade changing. For continuous wood cutting work, a standard blade barely lasts five days. With wobbly installation, the miter saw can troubleshoot anytime and might also become a danger for the user. That’s why learning how to change the blade on a miter saw will save a lot of time.
In the first instance, changing miter saw blades might seem complicated for a home user. However, the process isn’t difficult at all. Additionally, in this article, you will also get to know about the mistakes side by side.
Most people often encounter difficulties while changing the blade on a miter saw. With these tricks, a beginner can also replace the miter saw’s blades. All sizes of miter saw blades can be changed using the same procedure.
5 Easy Steps To Change Blade On Miter Saw: Applicable For All Model
Removing and replacing the blade on the miter saw is easy if you follow the step-by-step guidelines below.
Things You Will Need:
To start the process, you will need to manage the following things:
- 10-millimeter wrench;
- 5-millimeter hex key;
- Combination square;
- Phillips screwdriver;
- Machine oil.
Step 1: Take A Few Security Precautions
Before making any power tool maintenance, taking some initial security precautions while changing your miter saw blades is important. Disconnect the power plug from the outlet. If the miter saw blade is spinning, wait for it to stop completely.
Dealing with a blade is always risky. So, wear the necessary safety equipment before starting the replacement procedure. Don’t forget to wear safety glasses.
Step 2: Release The Blade Arm
If the blade arm is in its down position and locked, to release the tension on the blade arm, push the lock slightly on the blade arm. To release the blade arm, pull out the lock pin and let the arm move upward.
Step 3: Move The Bolt Cover Out Of The Way
Rotate the blade guard to bring it to the upward position until it exposes the Phillips- head screw. This screw holds the blade bolt cover in place. Loosen this screw and move the bolt cover up and out of the way to expose the hexhead blade bolt.
Step 4: Remove The Blade
Follow the instructions below to remove the blade from a Ryobi miter saw. Push the spindle lock button until it fully locks the spindle, stopping the ability of the blade bolt to spin. If the lock can’t be fully locked, turn the spindle using a 10mm wrench. At the same time, apply pressure to the spindle lock.
Note that the blade bolt is a left-handed thread bolt (the reverse of conventional threading), so you have to turn it to the right to loosen and remove it. See the process below:
- Remove the bolt and outer of the washer;
- Then remove the blade from the unit;
- Use a drop of machine oil on the inner bolt washer;
- But don’t take out the inner washer.
Step 5: Install The New Blade
Replacing the new blade is the opposite process of removing the blade. Notify that there are rotation arrows printed on the blade. Follow these arrows to install in the correct direction.
Slide the new blade up past the lower blade guard and onto the spindle. Point the blade teeth downward at the front of the miter saw. Double-check that you install the blade following the right rotation arrows to spin in the correct direction.
- Replace the outer washer and bolt. Turn the bolt in a counterclockwise direction).
- Push the spindle lock and then safely tighten the bolt with the help of a 10mm wrench.
- Install the spindle cover screw.
- Lower the blade guard.
Before turning on the saw, ensure you disengaged the spindle lock. Using a combination square, check that the blade is square to the table and fence.
7 Common Mistakes That Can Happen While Changing Blade On Miter Saw:
A wobbly miter saw blade performs a bad cut. Troubleshooting is typical in that type of tool. Placing the laser on the blade in the wrong way creates this problem. Below you will read the common mistakes a beginner might face while installing a new blade.
Mistake 1: Plugin Socket
Every starter’s most seen mistake is forgetting to unplug the main power socket. A heavy tool initially runs with a starting work that makes a good balance afterward. However, you might lose fingers with a socket plugin if you mistakenly press the run switch.
Therefore, it is important to ensure the sockets are unplugged for miter saw bladeS. The blades are so sharp that it will not take a second to cut the fingers or wrist. In this case, it is better to work by wearing rubber gloves.
Mistake 2: Unscrew The Wrong Bolt
The center section is screwed with two bolts. Both bolts hold it cross-sectionally on two sides of the center. There is no need to unscrew all the nuts. Most starters do not know which bolts to loosen.
Loose and unscrew the upper bolt a little bit higher. It is for passing the spindle through underneath the bolt. Choosing the wrong bolt to unscrew is a waste of time and effort.
Mistake 3: Damage The Plastic Guard
When unscrewing the right bolt, the upper one, which passes the plastic plate to the other end, is more tricky. A plastic plate covers the front side of the blade for safety reasons. Therefore, dealing only with the plastic guard is a common mistake in damaging it.
Most beginners break the plate while moving it to the other side. It is because they do not apply the correct technique. One forgets to push the lever in the top position that holds the guard to the center section.
Mistake 4: Forget To Press The Spindle Lock
Opening the blade after removing the plastic cover and the spindle cover to the other side looks very easy. But do you know that there is a hook that locks the blade internally?
It is impossible to unhook the blade without pressing the small button on the right side of the miter saw. In addition, pressing the spindle lock prevents the blade from rotating.
Mistake 5: Unscrew The Laser Bolt In The Wrong Direction
The position of the laser is on the left side of the blade. In theory, a general bolt opens if you unscrew it in the anticlockwise order and tightens in the clock direction.
But it is not the same for the bolt to be on the opposite side of the universal theory. So, a new installer mistakenly tightens the laser bolt by rotating in an anticlockwise direction with a suitable Allen range.
Mistake 6: Unnecessary Force In Tightening The Laser Bolt
After replacing the old blade with the new one, put the laser back on the center section. While screwing the laser bolt in an anticlockwise direction with the Allen range, gently push the bolt back to its initial position.
The mistake that everyone makes is applying external pressure to the laser bolt. It is not a permanent lock bolt because, again, you need to change the blade of the miter saw wood.
Mistake 7: Rough Handling Of The Miter Blade
When the blade is placed in the exact position, lock it internally by rotating it in the clock direction. So, forgetting to hold the button on the right side might lead to rough handling.
Besides, while opening the plastic cover, ensure not to put pressure on the blade. It might lead to a severe injury. Rough handling is the most common mistake every DIYrs makes while changing it.
These are common mistakes that happen accidentally. These accidents are not minor. It can rip off your tendon2, including sufferings of finger cuts. But working with carefulness prevents everyone from repeating them.
When Is A Miter Saw Blade Dull?
Miter saw blade gets dull if lots of dust covers the sharp edges along with the rust. In factories, the cut capacity of a miter saw is adjusted according to the lower limit of the blades. But most cases tell that with dust, a blade gives the same performance as a new one. So, below are some professional ways of finding it out.
- Proper Visualization Of The Blade
One of the easiest ways of finding it out is to give a professional look over the blade in bear hand. If you observe some crack or bend portion on the metal surface, it is the reason behind the blade is dull.
Look for the edges to check the measurement of each blade. Blades with a little low or bend in look is also a reason.
- Applying Force To Cut The Woods
Another way of checking the sharpness is by cutting the wood. Take it as a test and give a run over a piece of wood. A dull blade needs external pressure from the shoulder to penetrate and slide over the wood piece.
- Indication Of The Birth/New Wood Pieces
The newly observed wood drains after cutting are also a reason for dullness in the blade. On the other hand, if the blade is sharp enough, a clean plain surface will also be visible from a distance.
- The Bottom Wood Gets Excess Chipout
Chip-Out happens when the blade is excessively dull. You will observe lots of wood materials on the outer edge of the bottom of the wood after the cut.
Sometimes the edges of the wood get lots of slightly curved shapes and inclinations. It is a perfect example of knowing about the dullness of the blade.
- Different Noise In Miter Saw Blade
A dull blade makes an awful sound than the regular blade while cutting the wood. It is like a hammer that penetrates the side of the wood piece. When a sharp blade cuts through the wood, it sounds like an accurate saw cut. So, with this difference in audio, one can justify the dullness of their miter saw blade.
Blades in a miter saw are more sturdy3, enabling one to put less effort than a hand saw. So, it is obvious that dullness happens in this type of power saw. A professional carpenter will follow the above observation to replace miter blades.
Expert’s Tips About Changing Blade On Miter Saw: See The Magic
These are some useful tips that will help you to change the blade on the miter saw properly:
- To achieve accurate, precise cuts, ensure that the blade is square to the table and the fence is square to the blade.
- Don’t over-tighten the screws and bolts. It may result in cross-threading damage, a critical error to correct.
- Avoid installing a blade that is too thick to fit the saw. If you find that the washer can’t engage the flats on the spindle, learn that the blade is thick to fit the saw.
- You should refer to your miter saw’s owner’s manual for the miter saw blade replacement. If you miss the manual, just Google your saw’s brand name and model number. You’ll find it online.
Related Questions:
Which Way Do You Loosen A Bolt On A Miter Saw Blade?
By unscrewing the bolt clockwise with an Allen range or bolt screwdriver, it is made loose for the laser to come out of the blade. A miter saw blade rotates in a counter-clockwise direction.
It is impossible to lose the center bolt without locking the lever on the other side of the miter saw. The laser bolt holds both the laser and the blade itself. So, holding the blade with that spindle lock will make the nut lose in the counter direction.
Are Miter Saw Blades Reverse Threaded?
All types of saws, including miter saw blades, are reverse threaded. The concept of losing by twisting in a counter-clockwise direction goes for the general bolt. But for miter blades, the construction of each thread is designed in an anti-clock direction.
So, for loosening a nut from a miter blade, rotating in a counter-clockwise direction proves it to be reversely threaded.
How Do You Change The Blade On A 10-Inch Miter Saw?
To change the blade on a 10-inch miter saw, use a small Allen range to fit the laser bolt. Open the laser with the help of a splinter lock. Make sure to move the splinter cover to the opposite side before going for the laser bolt.
No exceptional work or changes need to replace the old blade with the new one. The same process goes for all blades on the miter saws. Besides, a proper Allen range is necessary for preventing the hustle of unscrewing the nuts of the miter saw.
How Long Do Miter Saw Blades Last?
A good and powerful miter saw blade lasts 5 to 6 days after rough use. Sadly, people don’t change it until they are unable to cut heavy wood pieces. In addition, the longevity of a miter saw blade varies based on the type of wood.
For instance, the blade gets harder to use when cutting over a wood pile. For this type of wood, a blade will no longer last more than three days.
Final Verdict:
Changing the blade on a miter saw is easy if anyone follows the techniques appropriately before rushing into it. In the same way, talking about safety, one must avoid the mistakes mentioned earlier and work patiently without hustle.
Before changing the blade, I hope you have good knowledge of determining its dullness. Then, take precautions while doing it because safety comes first. I hope now you have the proper knowledge on how to change the blade on a miter saw.
References
stołem, P. u. z. (n.d.). Table Top Miter Saw. LH1040-4langs.book. Retrieved August 9, 2022, from https://www.korvet.su/images/content/1260.pdf
Occupation Safety and Health Administration. (2017, January 11). United States Department of Labour. Occupation Safety and Health Administration. Retrieved August 11, 2022, from https://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/accidentsearch.accident_detail?id=102437.015
Rennie, A. (2021, August 12). Best Power Saws in 2021. Insider. https://www.insider.com/guides/home/best-power-saw#methodology-1
