TS blade changing

[Hoyt Weathers]

For years I used a pair of Vise Grips to hold the blade while I took the arbor nut off. I suspect some of you did and some still do that. Then I became brilliant! I ordered and used that orange Blade Lok thingie. That is a POS and a waste of money IMO. It has no inside detail to hold the teeth. Apparently I must push against the top of it for it to be effective. That did not work for me ahtall. The blade just kept slipping inside that thing. That was the end of my brilliant relapse. Since I suspect most of you have changed a few TS blades in your time and are using a much better approach, I ask for your effective and safe suggestions on this matter.

Hoyt W.

[Tom]

Hoyt W. wrote:>For years I used a pair of Vise Grips to hold the blade while I took the

A hunk of scrap softwood laid perpendicular to the blade. Although your really expensive blades might deserve an arbor wrench. Tom Someday, it'll all be over....

[Wood Butcher]

My unisaw uses 2 wrenches to tighten/loosen the blade so this is not an issue for it. This is also a non-answer to your question, but fits perfectly with most of the posts here lately.

The old crapsman TS uses only 1 wrench and I just used a pine 1x2 as a lever between the blade teeth and the frame to keep things immobile. I hope this helps you some.

Art

[Rob Mills]

[Lawrence Wasserman]

If I can't just hold it with my hand, I use a block of wood jammed between the teeth and the table.

[Vic Baron]

I just slide a 3/16" dowel perpendicular to the blade. Fits nicely in a gullet.

vb

[bridger]

a flat stick of wood, usually a cutoff from same saw.

[Chipper Wood]

Hmmmm, as I have the two wrench option I hadn't thought about it but..... Seems that 2 1/4 inch holes drilled near the edge and exactly opposite each other would allow for a 3 inch or so bolt or rod to secure the blade against the table for tightening or loosening the blade ? I usually just jamb a 1x under the RAS blade rather than using the second wrench.

[Upscale]

I've always use a screwdriver passed through one of the gullets like you do. It's a combination blade so the gullets are pretty big. Haven't looked at a cut off blade close enough to see if a screwdriver might fit there too.

[mttt]

A'yup. Got one of those as a present. I use it, but you nailed it, in that you have to push down hard on it to grab the blade. After a coupl'a tries, I mastered the damned thing and now actually prefer it to the chunk-o-wood-crammed-into-the-opening approach.

[B a r r y]

My old saw didn't have a flat on the arbor for a wrench, so I used a Quick Grip clamp, with the rubber pads on the flat of the blade. When the nut was tight, the grip slipped. It worked well.

My current saw has flats on the arbor, so I use two wrenches.

Barry

[cjrost]

I went to home depot with my arbor nut (no pun intended) in tow. Bought a shiney new box/open end combination wrench to use on the arbor nut. I use the factory wrench to hold the arbor from turning. Arbor nuts are kinda large, so dont be surprised if the one wrench is kinda expensive; but it sure beats anything else Ive tried.

[Unisaw A100]

I use both wrenches.

UA100

[Leon]

I got my extra wrench from Jet for about $5.

[Larry Blanchard]

Can't be. It was mine :-).

[Pounds on Wood]

If you need anything more than a scrap stick to break it loose, then you are over tightening the arbor nut. I usually use a stick under a tooth, which is usually in the form of my zero clearance insert. What could be handier, since you just pulled it from the table. To tighten I use nothing more than my hand and one wrench.

--

[George Berlinger]

[CW]

I so the same even though I have flats for two wrench use.

[KB8QLR]

Two wrenches came with my Craftsman. One for the flat spot on the arbor, the other for the nut. I use both. Works good. I've used your method too. Joe

[John, in MN]

I use an old leather glove and wrap it over the blade to hold it. The old Powermatics don't have flats on the arbor for a wrench. I drop the wrench in the glove, roll it up and store it in the Biesmeyer front rail when I'm done with it. Always know where it is.

-- John, in Minnesota