Shopsmith Forums

1"1/4 saw arbor, what is it for ? Bigger saw ?
What is the biggest saw that you can use on a Shopsmith ?

All Shopsmith 10" blades come with a 1 1/4" arbor hole. This is Shopsmith's standard. Shopsmith also makes an arbor to accomodate blades with a 5/8" hole.

Also note that the Arbors for the models 510 and 520 are longer in length than arbors for the 500.

camerio wrote:1"1/4 saw arbor, what is it for ? Bigger saw ?
What is the biggest saw that you can use on a Shopsmith ?

Sunday my son helped me use Shopsmith equipment to mill a single strip of 40 year old garage door molding. He had never used anything but his portable circular saw and a few other hand tools. The first thing he noted was haw stable the 10" blade functioned. When he tried it himself. He began asking what my plans were for the second 520. I have a feeling it will move to his new house. I still use my circular saw on occasion, truth be known every time I do I wish my Power Pro was more portable. My answer to your question would be stability equals superior quality. Fjimp

camerio wrote:1"1/4 saw arbor, what is it for ? Bigger saw ?
What is the biggest saw that you can use on a Shopsmith ?

The 1 1/4" arbor accommodates the Shopsmith brand circular saw blades which have 1 1/4" arbor holes. These blades have the same 10" diameter as other industry blades for hobbyist-type saws, except most other manufacturers use the standard 5/8" arbor, and thus a 5/8" hole. A larger arbor provides greater support (clamping surface area) around the blade, which is a feature of larger commercial saws and generally of higher quality than most hobbyist table saws and certainly anything you'll get from Lowe's or HD. In other words, it reduces wobble or "run-out" at the edge of the blade. To get this kind of precision with a 5/8" hole/arbor combination generally requires blade stabilizers. Here is an example of that.



It might be said the drawback to having a 1 1/4" arbor hole is that the total depth of cut is a bit more limited. However, if you are cutting stock that requires more than a 4" depth of cut, you're using the wrong tool anyway (bandsaw). The primary drawback is that you can only get those blades from Shopsmith. However, they make and source quality products.

The Shopsmith system is made to accomodate 10" diameter blades and using larger blades is not recommend and will increase risk to the user.

Here is a videoproduced by Shopsmith, Inc. that discusses the different types of saw blades. About 14 minutes in Nick explains why SS uses the larger arbors. Here is some further information to help with your understanding of blades and please be sure to educate yourself in proper saw safety.

You can get a 1 1/4" arbor blade from Forrest.
A quality sharpening service can usually bore the arbor out to 1 1/4".

I mention that the Mark 5 models(Greenies/Goldies...) were 9" saws.

Dalton, thanks for your post. I had a discussion with a man in a shop that put in the 1 1/4" arbor holes for me. Neither of us knew, but after seeing this, I realize that when watching other saws, I hear the runout against a piece of wood with the zing zing zing noise. I have yet to hear that on my SS. I really appreciate that explanation.

Thank you all guys for the good info, this forum and its members is the best.