saw wrenches...

[steveg]

The person that I bought my saw from said he didn't have the original wrenches. I figured that is was not a problem in that I could simply use standard combination wrenches. However, from a few things I've read, it seems that the original wrenches that came with the saw may be necessary, to hold the arbor, if I understand correctly, while you loosen the arbor nut. It is not immediately clear to me why a box wrench cannot be used to hold the arbor shaft securely while you loosen the nut. Can someone clear this up for me -- whether I need to buy these wrenches, or whether something I have at home (other, standard wrenches) will do the trick?

Thanks,

Steve

[Uncle Cracker]

Some standard box wrenches may be too thick to gain the proper clearances, but thin wrenches are available in most every size if it turns out to be a problem. There is nothing else special about the OEM wrenches, other than they are stamped metal, leaving them very thin.

[cabinetman]

The person that I bought my saw from said he didn't have the original wrenches. I figured that is was not a problem in that I could simply use standard combination wrenches. However, from a few things I've read, it seems that the original wrenches that came with the saw may be necessary, to hold the arbor, if I understand correctly, while you loosen the arbor nut. It is not immediately clear to me why a box wrench cannot be used to hold the arbor shaft securely while you loosen the nut. Can someone clear this up for me -- whether I need to buy these wrenches, or whether something I have at home (other, standard wrenches) will do the trick?

Thanks,

Steve

If you are referring to a table saw, you don't need the factory wrench. What I do is unplug the saw, crank the blade all the way up, and place a piece of wood in front of the blade against the teeth, and use an adjustable wrench, or an open end or boxed end wrench on the nut to loosen. With the wood in place, and the wrench on the nut, pull the wrench towards your body to loosen the nut.

To replace the blade, clean arbor and stop flange and nut, and place blade then the washer, and finger tighten the nut. Place the wood at the rear of the blade against the teeth, and hold the blade. Use the wrench and tighten, pushing the wrench away from your body. The nut should be as snug as you can get it. That is about as tight as you need it. As the saw runs, the direction of blade travel applies force to tighten the blade.
.

[Daryl]

Tappet wrenches are long and skinny. Check with Sears.

[August86]

And if you can't find any of the other suggestions and still feel the need, get a cheap open end wrench and grind it thinner.

Mike D.

If you are referring to a table saw, you don't need the factory wrench. What I do is unplug the saw, crank the blade all the way up, and place a piece of wood in front of the blade against the teeth, and use an adjustable wrench, or an open end or boxed end wrench on the nut to loosen. With the wood in place, and the wrench on the nut, pull the wrench towards your body to loosen the nut.

To replace the blade, clean arbor and stop flange and nut, and place blade then the washer, and finger tighten the nut. Place the wood at the rear of the blade against the teeth, and hold the blade. Use the wrench and tighten, pushing the wrench away from your body. The nut should be as snug as you can get it. That is about as tight as you need it. As the saw runs, the direction of blade travel applies force to tighten the blade.
.

[pelligrini]

It's really just the one wrench that needs to be thin, the one that goes on the arbor in the narrow slot before the spacer washers for the blade.

[LCHIEN]

the Arbor nut is 3/4", any open or closed end wrench will work.
The arbor lock is also 3/4" - this requires a thin wrench
The other supplied wrench is 1/2" and fits the nuts on the splitter. Again, any standard open or closed end wrench will work well on these.

Just made a few observations of mine:
There's a number of limitations of size if you elect to make your own or modify a wrench to fit the arbor lock position.
1. the entire wrench must not be wider than .128" - that means a wrench ground thin must also have the edges ground off as an open end wrench head is wider than this. Its also useful that the supplied wrench is .127 wide over the entire length, this allows locking the arbor effectively at almost any height.
2. The thinness of the wrench portion must be less than approx .170"; the supplied wrenches are .133 thick but being stamped they are overall .150" thick due to deformations, the flats on the arbor are only .170 so it can't be thicker than that.
3. the wrench must be flat, any offset and it will not work.

just a quick search on the internet for tappet wrench specs, for example the Armstrong tappet wrench in 3/4" size head is 1.550 wide and the thickness is .210 so basically this tool would need multiple modifications to use for an arbor lock wrench.

Another point i recall is that the wrenches for all the sears BT3 clones are the same, but the prices are quite different. A while back the wrenches for the 22811 (model 315.228110) saw were like $5 each and the same wrenches for the 21829 (model 315.218290) saw were like $10 each. Pays to check both saws parts lists on Sears website as the 22811, 21829, BT30000, BT3100 all use the same wrenches. At $5 it'll be cheaper than a retail priced tappet wrench, too.

[Mr__Bill]

At least one flat wrench is nice to hold the arbor as it stays in place by it's self while your hands are busy trying to not drop the nut. If you have occasion to order parts then order a wrench to but in the meantime as Daryl said, tappet wrenches work well and I too got mine at Sears.

Whenever I am at a garage sale I look for the flat wrenches, so far I have several that almost fit and one that does. It gives me something to do while LOML is buying something that we will be selling in our next garage sale.

Bill

[sparkeyjames]

You could always get the correct wrenches from Sears parts. The Craftman 21829 is the same as a BT3xxx as far as the arbor and blade installation is concerned. Below is the direct link to the parts page needed. It's about $16.50 plus shipping for the wrenches in question.

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/getSubComp.pd?modelNumber=315218290&productCategoryId=0744600&brandId=0247&brandDescription=CRAFTSMAN&modelName=10%22-TABLE-SAW&diagramPageId=00005&componentDescription=SAW%20BLADE&documentId=50027597&blt=06

Jim

[steveg]

Thanks for all the replies, guys. Tells me exactly what I need to know.

Steve

[jdon]

ereplacements.com has the wrenches for 3.55 and 3.60 + shipping

[tlt]

ereplacements.com has the wrenches for 3.55 and 3.60 + shipping

do you have a direct link? i went to the site and found a bunch of batteries/toner/etc, but a search on "wrench" yielded nothing.

[dbhost]

On the BT3x00, the arbor threads are counter threaded. Meaning turn the wrench clockwise to loosen, counter clockwise to tighten.

[jdon]

do you have a direct link? i went to the site and found a bunch of batteries/toner/etc, but a search on "wrench" yielded nothing.

Sorry for the bum steer- http://www.ereplacementparts.com/ was the site I meant. Do a search for BT3000, and you can then click on the parts diagrams (page C has the wrenches: #504 and #505. You only need one of the open ended wrenches to hold the arbor, if you already have a 3/4" for the arbor nut (doesn't have to be thin). I've ordered several times from them, and they're pretty fast shipping, if the part is in stock. Shipping cost is extra, not exorbitant, but it might be worthwhile ordering other parts at the same time (I bought a used BT3000 that had missing SMT slides (the squares on the the eccentric screws), and they seem to wear out. Also, if you have a 3000, consider getting a set of shims for the blade elevator.

Sorry again for the mis-info, and good luck!

[jabe]

You don't need an arbor wrench if U don't tighten the arbor nut too tight. Most of U tighten the arbor nut too much.
This is what I do and I've done it for 30 + yrs. Unplug the saw. raise the blade all the way up. Remove blade insert. Pinch the blade with your index finger & thumb (I have strong fingers) and with your other hand loosen the arbor nut with an wrench. Be careful when pinching the blade with your fingers, do not let your fingers or hand touch the cutting tips of the blade. Remove the blade and install the new blade, washer & arbor nut. Pinch the blade as hard as U can and tighten the arbor nut with the wrench in your other hand. Tighten the arbor nut till U loose your pinch grip on the blade. That is as tight as you need to make it. Remember the arbor is a reverse thread so as the saw runs, the blade gets tighter. I have never had a blade get loose on me while operating the TS. Tightening the arbor nut too tight will cause the blade to warp or run with a slight wobble.
If you use cman's method, just hand tighten plus 1/8 to 1/4 turn more that should be enough. Any more than that is overkill.