Trouble Cutting wood...

[Albertt62]

Hi everyone,

I have had me Mark V (used) for about a year. I have messed around with several functions building a work bench for myself. This weekend, I tried using the table saw for the first time. My 20 year old son was helping me, so that might have been a distraction....

Anyway, at some point, the set screw on the saw arbor came loose, what clued me in was it was scraping on the table insert. After that, I had a time trying to lock down everything so the blade didn't move again.

I realize this is a newbie mistake, but what procedure am I missing to lock that blade in place so it doesn't move side to side? I only have the guide to woodworking book to go by with this machine.

[reubenjames]

Hello,

I had the same thing happen the other day when I was trying out a new saw blade. I was so excited, I didn't get the set screw tightened down and it rode off and started hitting the insert, as you suggested.

Remove the arbor with the blade, make sure the set screw is seated properly and of correct length, and replace the arbor on the shaft, making sure that the set screw is lined up with the *flat* spot on the arbor shaft. You want to make sure the set screw it tightened against the flat. Give that a try and let us know if you have any better luck. Remember to keep your saw guards in place and be careful, if you think you're having issues with an errant saw blade!

[dusty]

Hello,

I had the same thing happen the other day when I was trying out a new saw blade. I was so excited, I didn't get the set screw tightened down and it rode off and started hitting the insert, as you suggested.

Remove the arbor with the blade, make sure the set screw is seated properly and of correct length, and replace the arbor on the shaft, making sure that the set screw is lined up with the *flat* spot on the arbor shaft. You want to make sure the set screw it tightened against the flat. Give that a try and let us know if you have any better luck. Remember to keep your saw guards in place and be careful, if you think you're having issues with an errant saw blade!

The type of tip and the length are equally important. Furthermore, I would suggest that you get a new set screw.

[reubenjames]

Yes, Dusty is right on tip. We should be asking if this is an arbor made by ShopSmith with original set screw or if this is a third-party arbor that's being used.

[reible]

The brass tip set screw has never come loose on me. Older versions have and it is hard to say if it was me not doing things right or some sort of vibration thing. I believe all of my 5/8" blade arbors now have that set screw but it could be I missed some......

BTW the new setscrew was expensive so I did the change reluctantly, but in the end I think it was the right way to go.

Also it never hurts to check the tightness once in a while while cutting. I've become lax in that department since the newer set screws but it would still be a good thing to do.

Ed

[dusty]

The brass tip set screw has never come loose on me. Older versions have and it is hard to say if it was me not doing things right or some sort of vibration thing. I believe all of my blade arbors now have that set screw but it could be I missed some......

BTW the new setscrew was expensive so I did the change reluctantly, but in the end I think it was the right way to go.

Also it never hurts to check the tightness once in a while while cutting. I've become lax in that department since the newer set screws but it would still be a good thing to do.

Ed

"The new setscrew"? I missed the boat somewhere along this trip. When was it determined that there should be a "new setscrew". I gather from the conversation that this new set screw is brass tipped. Is that so and who declared that it should be that way? The "new setscrew" - is it the recommended replacement for ONLY the saw arbors or should all of the setscrews (PN 222458) be changed out?

[algale]

Dress your Allen wrench, too. Makes a big difference in how much torque you can apply before it spins out. .

[jsburger]

The brass tip set screw has never come loose on me. Older versions have and it is hard to say if it was me not doing things right or some sort of vibration thing. I believe all of my blade arbors now have that set screw but it could be I missed some......

BTW the new setscrew was expensive so I did the change reluctantly, but in the end I think it was the right way to go.

Also it never hurts to check the tightness once in a while while cutting. I've become lax in that department since the newer set screws but it would still be a good thing to do.

Ed

"The new setscrew"? I missed the boat somewhere along this trip. When was it determined that there should be a "new setscrew". I gather from the conversation that this new set screw is brass tipped. Is that so and who declared that it should be that way? The "new setscrew" - is it the recommended replacement for ONLY the saw arbors or should all of the setscrews (PN 222458) be changed out?

We had a huge discussion back in February on this very subject. Yes there are brass tipped set screws. Are they the new standard for saw arbors? I don't know since I have not bought a new saw arbor from the MS in probably 20 years.

Look at this thread where we were discussing the angle of the arbor/hub set screws.

http://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/woodw ... 3-s50.html

As that post says, I have two saw arbors with brass tipped set screws. They are both 5/8" arbors. None of my 1 1/4" arbors have those set screws. All of the arbors were bought new from 1994 to around 1998.

So has anyone bought new arbors lately? Do both 1 1/4" and 5/8 " arbors now come with brass tipped set screws? If this a quantum leap in product safety I would think that all new (current) items that connect to the spindle shafts with the tapered flat would have the same set screw (sanding disks, dado arbor, molder head, drill chuck, etc.). Or is this just a case of the engineers whim when the 5/8" arbor was first designed.

[Albertt62]

I don't know if this is a Shopsmith Arbor or not. It came with the collection from the previous owners.

I don't remember if I tightened the set screw, or if I did. If he did, it is entirely possible he tightened it on the round.

The screw is all steel.

[reible]

When I upgraded to the 520 they gave me a saw arbor for the larger shopsmith blades but I never use them and it is some where in my collection. My guess is that since it is so much smaller a set screw (length wise) that it is not brass tipped.

The later versions of the 510/520 length saw hubs for 5/8" blades started coming with the brass tipped set screw. I do not know if that is the current set screw or not since I have nothing really new here to look at.

We have had several discussions on this set screw please use the search function of you want to read them.

Ed