Undoubtedly miter saw is a great companion for professional woodworkers. This amazing tool can make your work easier and you can save time on projects. Whether you are a new user of a miter saw or have years of experience, you must know how to change the blade on a miter saw. Even if you have purchased the best miter saw from the market, still, you have to change the blade after a certain time.
Usually, you will get blades with the miter saw and you can use them for a certain time. After that, the effectiveness of the blade will reduce. Also, for a variety of works, you may have to use different types of blades and that requires the replacement. This article is to introduce you to the whole process.
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Why Should You Change the Blade On a Miter Saw?
As I mentioned earlier, if you already have a blade on the saw, it will lose effectiveness over time. Especially, if you do too many projects with the same blade, you won’t get perfect finishing and it could spoil your reputation. Moreover, some miter saws don’t come with a good quality blade or all sizes of blades. So, you have to pick a new one that can make your work easier.
Who Can Change a Miter Saw Blade?
First of all, changing a miter saw blade is not rocket science. Anyone who has a piece of proper knowledge about tools and has the essential tools can change the blade from a miter saw. But if you don’t have any idea about woodworking tools, you should take some expert help. Yet, if you are a professional worker, you can do the work easily.
Step by Step Process To Change Miter Saw Blade:
If you are just going to change a blade on a miter saw, you can follow the following steps –
Step 1: Unplug the Miter Saw
Before you start the process, the very first thing you should do is unplug the miter saw. If your miter saw is connected to the power source and you are going to change the blade, it can cause a serious accident. Make sure that you have removed the plug from the socket before going to the detailed process.
Step 2: Remove the Blade Guard
Regardless of the type of miter saw or the miter saw model, one thing is common. There will be a blade guard on the saw and you need to pull it before removing the old blade. It is not a difficult thing at all. You can do this task by loosening the screw that keeps secured the blade guard. Use a good screwdriver at this step. Once the screws are loose enough, pull the hardware back and this will give you access to the mounting screw of the blade. You may have to force when the screws are too tight.
Step 3: Find Out the Blade Locking Pin
Based on the type of miter saw model and type, it may have a blade locking pin or not. However, most of the miter saws will have a blade locking pin and you have to push it down before replacing the old blade. If your miter saw has a blade locking pin, find it in the miter saw. It is usually located on the right side of the blade. You may also detect the pin according to its color as mostly it comes in black color. Once you have found the pin, hold the button and use a good wrench handle that is pointed toward you and push it down.
If your miter saw doesn’t have the blade locking pin, you can use a piece of wood. Place the wooden piece under the blade and lower the blade onto the wood. It will keep the blade locked from spinning and make it easy to remove the blade. For blade locking pin, depress the pin and rotate the blade so that the pinfalls from its original place.
Step 4: Remove the Bolt Cover
If you have followed the above steps properly, now it is time to remove the bolt cover. To do this, rotate the blade guard and keep rotating until you can see the Philips-head screw. This screw used to hold the blade bolt cover. Release this one and move the bolt cover. It will go up, then you will see the hex-head blade bolt.
Step 5: Remove the Blade
If you have done everything as instructed in the previous steps, the blade of the miter saw is ready to remove. At this step, make sure that you are not touching the teeth of the blade to avoid any injurious things. Take a good wrench to remove the bolt from the blade. Use the wrench gently and move the bolt to remove the blade. You may apply some machine oil on the inner bolt washer.
Step 6: Place the New Blade
Once you have removed the old blade from the miter saw, it is time to place the new one in place. If you check the new blade, you will find that there are arrows painted on the blade. Follow the arrows to place the blade in the right direction. Slide the new blade up onto the spindle and secure the blade guard. Keep the blade teeth downward at the front of the machine. After placing the blade, check the arrows if it is in the right direction so that you don’t have to perform the same job again.
Things Could Happen During the Blade Change
Several issues may arise when placing a new blade in your miter saw. But the most common thing is faulty screws and bolts. This can make your work difficult. Because giving too much force can damage the whole system. The thing you should do is applying some lubricant oil in both the screws and bolts. This will loosen up them for hassle-free removing. Also, if you are using an old wrench, that may not work properly as it supposed to do. If so, change the wrench and try again. If you are unable to move the blade, you must take some expert help.
Additional Tips to Follow When Changing the Blade
It is okay to follow the above instructions to replace the old blade from your miter saw. But you must follow some safety tips when performing the job.
- Only choose the blades that the manufacturer of the miter saw instructed. There are several points related to this. For instance, the number of teeth should be accurate.
- When loosening the screws of bolts, don’t give too much pressure which may damage the screws.
- Like loosening the screws and bolts, tightening also requires care. Don’t overtighten the bolts and screws which will affect the performance of the miter saw.
- The size of the blade should be accurate that match the requirements of the miter saw.
- Though here I have shared the detailed instructions, still you should follow the user manual that you got with the product.
Where to Buy a New Miter Saw Blade?
Replacing the blade or installing a new blade in the miter saw requires to find out the right blade. There are several ways to get a perfect miter saw blade. If you don’t want to take much hassle, I would suggest going to online stores. You can easily find the right blade from the manufacturer of the miter saw. Also, there are so many brands that produce high-quality blades. To have the right deal, read the after purchase feedback from the customers. If you find most of the people are positive about the product, you can assume it is going to be a good choice.
Final Verdict
You don’t have to be an expert to change the blade on the miter saw. This guide has in-depth instructions on how to change the blade on a miter saw. Follow each step one by one and your work will be done. Don’t try to place a faulty or large blade which is not suitable for your miter saw.