Arbor Flats Help

[rarya]

Hi All,

Got my BT3100 last weekend and I am having problems with the blade installation. I am on page 19 of the manual, checking the saw blade installation. It states
"Insert the flat open end into the flats on the arbor shaft as shown"

Where is the flats on the arbor shaft?
If it is the arbor bolt head, I can't reach it because it is in the motor assembly.
If it is the squared part of the shaft, when I tighten the arbor nut it compresses the small wrench against the large spacer and when I remove the wrench the blade wobbles significantly.
If I only use the large wrench and tighten the nut only the blade is tight, but it hits up against something.

This is probably a real simple step, but I am very confused.

Thanks in advance
Rajiv

[LCHIEN]

Hi All,

Got my BT3100 last weekend and I am having problems with the blade installation. I am on page 19 of the manual, checking the saw blade installation. It states
"Insert the flat open end into the flats on the arbor shaft as shown"

Where is the flats on the arbor shaft?
If it is the arbor bolt head, I can't reach it because it is in the motor assembly.
If it is the squared part of the shaft, when I tighten the arbor nut it compresses the small wrench against the large spacer and when I remove the wrench the blade wobbles significantly.
If I only use the large wrench and tighten the nut only the blade is tight, but it hits up against something.

This is probably a real simple step, but I am very confused.

Thanks in advance
Rajiv

Use the smaller of the two wrenches, one end is open and looks like two parallel tines on a fork.

I assume you have the red throat plate removed.
Standing on the front of the saw, the saw openening looks long and narrow. On the right , long side there is a notch in the side, this notch is just wide enough to take the end of the wrench.
Right below this notch you should see the arbor. If you carefully rotate the blade you will see two flats on the arbor below the notch where you can insert the wrench. This will lock the arbor and allow you to use the larger closed end of the second wrench to remove the arbor nut (left hand thread!) on the far right end of the arbor.

[Jim Boyd]

Use the smaller of the two wrenches, one end is open and looks like two parallel tines on a fork.

I assume you have the red throat plate removed.
Standing on the front of the saw, the saw openening looks long and narrow. On the right , long side there is a notch in the side, this notch is just wide enough to take the end of the wrench.
Right below this notch you should see the arbor. If you carefully rotate the blade you will see two flats on the arbor below the notch where you can insert the wrench. This will lock the arbor and allow you to use the larger closed end of the second wrench to remove the arbor nut (left hand thread!) on the far right end of the arbor.

And you do not have to make it really tight. Just a good snug up will do.

[rarya]

Use the smaller of the two wrenches, one end is open and looks like two parallel tines on a fork.

I assume you have the red throat plate removed.
Standing on the front of the saw, the saw openening looks long and narrow. On the right , long side there is a notch in the side, this notch is just wide enough to take the end of the wrench.
Right below this notch you should see the arbor. If you carefully rotate the blade you will see two flats on the arbor below the notch where you can insert the wrench. This will lock the arbor and allow you to use the larger closed end of the second wrench to remove the arbor nut (left hand thread!) on the far right end of the arbor.

Thanks for the input. I have done everything as specified, but when I tighten the nut, after grabbing the arbor shaft. The large spacer butts up to the wrench, making it difficult to remove the R sided wrench because it is wedged between the large spacer and the motor housing.

Rajiv

[Jim Boyd]

By large spacer you mean thicker?

[Popeye]

This is the way the spacers and washers are supposed to be installed, are yours this way? Pat

[rarya]

Pat,

That is exactly how it looks like, but when I hand spin the blade it wobbles and spins independently of the arbor and the gap to the right side is lost (is that supposed to happen).

Rajiv

[Popeye]

No, How tight are you tightening the arbor nut? Pat

[LCHIEN]

Pat,

That is exactly how it looks like, but when I hand spin the blade it wobbles and spins independently of the arbor and the gap to the right side is lost (is that supposed to happen).

Rajiv

That picture is correct.
When you tighten the arbor nut
the blade should be tight between the two blade washers, and also holding or compressing the two washers to the right. The right-most washer should be against the shoulder on the arbor, the shoulder being just left of the flats where the right wrench holds it.
The wrench should slip out easily, the flats being wider than the wrench.

I suppose its possible the arbor is incorrectly machined in which case the
flats could be too narrow, the spacers tighten on the wrench and
when you remove the wrench the blade spins because the tension is removed. In the same way its possible the arbor is set too far to the right in the motor or something is similarly wrong.

I would consider that a very rare problem but like I say, possible.
If that's really what you have, then you should take the saw back and exchange it for another.

[rarya]

No, How tight are you tightening the arbor nut? Pat

Pat,
Thanks for taking some time to give me a hand, the past few hours have been little frustrating.

When I tighten the nut tight. I cannot remove the wrench from the arbor.

Rajiv

[LCHIEN]

Pat,
Thanks for taking some time to give me a hand, the past few hours have been little frustrating.

When I tighten the nut tight. I cannot remove the wrench from the arbor.

Rajiv

from what you describe, I'm almost sure that you have a defective saw,
either the whole motor-arbor assy sits too far to the right due to assembly or machining error or the arbor is incorrectly machined.
very reomtely possible, the wrench is too thick.


There's no way on a correctly made saw that the right arbor locking wrench should get trapped.

[rarya]

That picture is correct.
When you tighten the arbor nut
the blade should be tight between the two blade washers, and also holding or compressing the two washers to the right. The right-most washer should be against the shoulder on the arbor, the shoulder being just left of the flats where the right wrench holds it.
The wrench should slip out easily, the flats being wider than the wrench.

I suppose its possible the arbor is incorrectly machined in which case the
flats could be too narrow, the spacers tighten on the wrench and
when you remove the wrench the blade spins because the tension is removed. In the same way its possible the arbor is set too far to the right in the motor or something is similarly wrong.

I would consider that a very rare problem but like I say, possible.
If that's really what you have, then you should take the saw back and exchange it for another.

This is a picture of the arbor with everything taken off of it. I think the arbor as a whole is too far to the right. Should I take it back to HD.

Rajiv

[Stytooner]

Yep! Bad saw. You can just make out the flats for the wrench in the bearing hole there. These need to sit proud to this side so that wrench can lock the arbor. This is something that I wouldn't fiddle with myself and return the saw as defective. This problem to such an extent is rare. I have thought that some of the arbors on some saws weren't pushed out enough. The splitters wouldn't even line up with the blade. Your issue is far more critical.

[rarya]

Thanks for all the help,

Will return the saw.

Rajiv

[LCHIEN]

This is a picture of the arbor with everything taken off of it. I think the arbor as a whole is too far to the right. Should I take it back to HD.

Rajiv

yep. definately defective.

Sorry for the bad luck. Hope you get a better one.

It's the first time I have ever heard of this problem. My doctor friend told me this story of a doctor and a patient.

Doctor: I've done this procedure many, many times. there's less than 1/10th of one percent chance of something going wrong.
Patient: But what happens if its me?
Doctor: In that case, it's 100% for you.