For a professional woodworker, a miter saw is a blessing. This makes the projects easier and at the same time, it saves time. Different brands are now producing high-quality miter saws with a variety of features. Ryobi is one of the most popular brands among them that has a wide range of products. If you are a user of their product, you must know how to change the blade on Ryobi miter saw.
Though it seems like changing the blade on a miter saw is something technical, truth is, anyone can do it when having the proper knowledge. To have the proper installation, you need to right instructions. If you are serious, then continue reading this short guideline.
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Why Do You Need To Change The Blade On A Miter Saw?
Before you are going to change the blade, you may want to know if it is necessary to change the blade or not and why it is important. Here are some factors that make it required to change the blade-
Blades Get Less Effective- The first common thing is, the blade can’t give the optimum performance all the time. Over time, it will lose the sharpness and the performance will be getting poor. A new blade replacement can give you the performance of a new product.
Changing Blade According to Material- Though miter saw is supposed to cut only wood materials, nowadays, people used to apply miter saws for a wide range of projects where they may have to cut even metal. But cutting metal requires a different blade than the wood cutting blade.
Changing the Blade for Different Cuts- All blades are not designed equally. Some miter saw blades are to cut only thin wooden pieces while some are for thick wood. Based on the thickness of the object, you will have to change the blade.
What Do You Need To Change The Blade On A Ryobi Miter Saw?
Before you start you go for the detail process, you must keep the essential tools on your hand. Here are the tools that must have-
- 5 and 100 mm hex key
- Philips screwdriver
- A good quality machine oil
- Combination square
Step By Step Process Of Changing The Blade On Ryobi Miter Saw:
Follow the following steps to change the blade on a Ryobi Miter Saw –
Step 1: Disconnect Power
Before starting the process, you must unplug the miter saw from the power source. Just find out the power cable and remove it from the socket. Keeping the miter saw connected to the power source can cause serious incidents during the blade changing.
Step 2: Release The Blade Guard
Almost all miter saws come with a blade guard for the users’ safety. You need to move the blade guard to pull out the blade from the saw. To release it, push the lock on the blade guard. Don’t give too much force when moving it. The blade guard will slowly become loose. Now remove the lock pin and keep the guard upward.
Step 3: Remove The Bolt Cover
In step 3, you have to move the bolt cover that is attached to the blade. Rotate the blade guard slowly with minimal force until you see the Philips screw expose. Now use the Philips-screw to loosen up the bolt. Usually, the screw holds the bolt cover. Move the cover and keep it upward and you will see the hex-head blade bolt. Push it down to pull out the blade.
Step 4: Pull Out The Blade
If the above steps are done successfully, you are ready to remove the blade from your miter saw. Push the spindle lock button so that it locks the spindle. It stops the blade from rotating. If the blade rotates when moving it, this can cause injury to your fingers. Also, make sure that you are not touching the inner side of the blade.
You may also follow the user manual when removing the old blade. Use a wrench to turn the spindle if it is cannot be locked. Turn the threaded bolt right to loosen it. now pull out the bolt and the washer and pull the blade from the miter saw. Apply some machine oil on the inner bolt washer without taking out it.
Step 5: Adjust The New Blade
Once everything is done as instructed in the previous steps, now it is time to place a new blade. Whatever blade you purchase for the miter saw, there will be arrows on the blade, you can place the blade according to the arrows. The blade teeth should be in the downwards when placing a new blade.
So, make sure that you are following the arrows when attaching the new blade. If the blade is placed properly, return the outer washer and the bolt. Tighten up the bolt to the counter-clockwise direction. Lock the spindle by pushing it back. Tighten up the bolt with a wrench and fix the spindle cover and finally the blade guard.
If each step is done, you can plug the miter saw to the power source and check the blade if it is rotating properly and the miter saw is working. If you have attached the blade in the right manner, it will work for sure.
Tips On Successful Changing Of Ryobi Miter Saw Blade
When changing the old blade, follow these things to stay safe-
- Only use the recommended blades from the manufacturer.
- Pick the right size of the blade and the teeth number as instructed in the user manual.
- When tightening the screws and bolts, don’t apply too much pressure which may break them.
- Your selected blade shouldn’t be too thick which doesn’t match with the Ryobi miter saw.
- Don’t do anything against the user manual.
Final Verdict
Now you know the exact process of how to change blade on Ryobi miter saw. Though it seems like the process is lengthy the whole process won’t take much time. Especially, if you are using the right tools for the blade changing, this would be easy. However, if you find any difficulty, take some expert suggestions.