A miter saw is one of the useful and most versatile power tools out there. It is a tool capable of making cuts at a variety of angles. Hence, the versatility.
It has a swing arm that pivots in both left and right direction. The blade is actually mounted on the swing arm allowing it to make the desired angled cuts.
A miter saw is useful in making cuts for window casing, door frames, picture frames, etc. in addition to that, miter saws can make cuts at a quick pace and also they are great at making cross cuts. Furthermore, these saws are pretty damn accurate. And that is what we DIY workers love.
Quick Overview
Is It Really Time To Change the Blade?
It is fine that you want to change the blade of your saw. But is it the right time? And if it is then how do you know that your saw demands a new blade?
As you continue on cutting with your blade, it will eventually become dull like any other tool. So, it will stop giving results that you desire. That is why you will need to change the blade.
Here is another indication for you to keep in mind. When you do need to change the blade, one indication will be the cut that the blade makes. In fact, the cuts will have unusual excess burns. Precision is something the miter saw is known for. But that will not be the case with a dull, worn out blade. In addition to burns, you are likely to discover that the blade is making excess chips. There are good indications for you to consider if you want to change the miter saw blade.
Why change saw blade?
So, now you know some crucial indications for when your saw needs a new blade. Also, you need to know the exact reasons as to why there is a need to change.
When you have indicated a blade that is dull then it needs to be changed. We have discussed that. But what happens if you don’t change? That is gonna give a big headache. It is absolutely not right that you leave a blade that is dull on your saw.
It is harder to cut through any material with a dull, worn out blade. This certainly puts an extra burden on your saw. Eventually, it requires a high degree of power from your saw which is not possible. As a result, it harms your saw itself ultimately. Your blade, tool, and you yourself are in danger actually if you cut with a dull blade.
You might also need to change blade even if it is not dull. Power saws require different blades for different materials. So, you might want to cut metal but you have a wood-cutting blade on. That is when you have to switch or change the blades.
Teeth per inch (TPI) could be another reason why you need to change miter saw blades. You might have a blade with more TPI, but you require to cut through your material at a fast pace. So, you have to change the blade and get one that has less TPI.
[Remember: More TPI means slow pace cut with good accuracy. And less TPI means rougher cuts with a faster speed].Another reason is the need to make different cuts. You need different blades for making different types of cut. If you don’t have the right blade on for the right kind of cut then change is what you need, my friend.
How to Change Miter Saw Blade
Before we get onto the discussion, let’s know in short the steps.
- Get rid of any power supplied to the saw.
- Take blade guard out of the way.
- Lock the spindle.
- Loosen the bolts and take out the blade.
- Install the new blade nice and easy.
- Unlock the spindle and tighten the bolts.
It is pretty easy, isn’t it? Well, let’s make it easier and discuss the steps in detail how to change miter saw blade.
Step 1
Before doing anything at all, you need to make sure that all the power source is out of reach from your saw. For doing this, make sure that you unplug the saw. Also, it includes removing the batteries from the saw.
Step 2
The next step is to get the blade guard out of the way. There are two ways you can do this. You can either keep the guard on or remove the guard fully.
Removing the blade guard is easy. There will be bolt or screw which keeps the guard in its position. All you have to do is unscrew it and then take the guard out easily.
The other way is to pivot the blade guard all the way to the top as much as it moves. And then lock it there so that it does not fall back. This will give you a clear path to work and remove the blade.
Step 3
The next job is to lock down the spindle. Your miter saw should have a spindle lock feature. Press it and the lock will become active. Locking it will secure the blade which is essential in removing the blade.
Step 4
The blade is attached to the arbor with the help of an arbor bolt. Now that you have secured the blade and locked the spindle, you can loosen the arbor bolt. Use a simple Allen wrench for this job. Also, you might have a wrench that came with your saw when you bought it. You can use that too.
After unscrewing the bolt, remove the blade from the saw.
Step 5
And of course, chose your new blade and put it in. It is really simple, I am sure you got the idea. Just do the steps in reverse fashion and install the blade safely. This is how to change miter saw blade.
Be Aware
There are some things that you should follow.
After you are done removing the blade and before you install the new blade clean the places near the blade’s position. The places which cannot be usually cleaned if a blade is in place.
Once you have removed the blade then be careful with it. The blades could be sharp and do pose a threat to you. You can wear gloves in addition to being cautious for more safety.
Always make sure that the plug is out of the circuit. It is important that your saw stays away from any sort of power source during this procedure. So, double check and remove the plug or take out the batteries.
