Shopsmith Forums

dusty wrote:I second the comment on leaving the arbor on the quill shaft (headstock) until the blade is removed from the arbor. I learned that lesson by doing it otherwise, lost control and the blade met the concrete floor. Scratch two carbide saw teeth (same as one saw blade).

I take mine off the spindle, put the flats on the arbor between the jaws on my vice.

I like to secure the "quill shaft" end of the arbor in a vice on the workbench. Then you can easily use an adjustable wrench to unscrew the arbor nut. Trying to use two adjustable wrenches, one on each side of the blade, can result in injury from the sharp blade if one of the wrenches happens to slip. Yes. This can happen. Remember Murphy's Law.

Also realize that arbors have left hand threads, just the opposite of most threaded objects.

If the nut is super tight, let it soak for a few hours with WD40 or Liquid Wrench.

Always remember the saw arbor has LEFT HANDED THREAD. So to loosen, your have to reverse the old saying - it is no longer righty tighty, lefty loosey - With the saw arbor it is righty to loosen, lefty tightens. Rembering this helps with hand safety from slipping wrenches.

I also recommend the bench vice to hold the arbor.

Personally, I have found that a 7/8", a 15/16" and a 1 1/2" open end wrenches when used in the correct combination, does the job quite well!:D The 1 1/2" especially keeps yer knuckles safe from those teeth.

P.S. Since the arbors are always flatted on the quill side, if the 'nut' is on the same side of the blade, the threads are left handed. If the nut is on the other side of the blade the nut is a 'normal' right hand thread. The vise trick works best with nut on the opposite side of the blade. It is the left handed nut on the same side of the blade that benefits most from on quill shaft loosening or tightening.