cms blade not tight?

**91FE** · 10-09-2006, 10:38 AM

I've got the same saw... with no wobble in the blade. I'd start my trouble shooting by taking off the laser to see if I could get it tight with the regular hardware.

**gimpy** · 10-09-2006, 10:53 AM

Thx, 91. I will try that as soon as I put some work clothes on and get off the computer here.

Frank

**LCHIEN** · 10-09-2006, 08:34 PM

Originally posted by gimpy

I just bought a Ridgid 12 inch cms about a month ago. I am questioning whether I put the blade on correctly. I have used it some, although lightly over the last couple of weeks. Yesterday, I used it some and found that the blade had loosened considerably. In fact, it was loose enough so that it wobbled quite a bit and did not spin much, before I noticed it.

I took it off and repositioned it back on and retightened it but did it the same way as I did originally. The screw is a left handed screw and I got it as tight as possible (both times). I notice now (I think it was there originally, too), that there is just a slight wobble or movement to the blade after tightening it. I did put the laser attachment on it, which seems to work just fine.

Am I doing something wrong, or was/is it just a fluke that it loosened? Is it supposed to have that real slight movement (I think not)?

I went to Ridgid's sight, but was not able to post, yet (just now registered and am waiting for access now).

thx, for any help, Frank

The most common two reasons for blade wobble in a TS (and I would suspect similar for a CMS or MS) are

1) dirt, or bits of wood on the arbor or blade causing it not to be flat against the flange on the arbor to which it is pressed when itghtened.

2) overtightening, which distorts the blade. In TSes, the general rule is that the nut (or sometimes a bolt in the MS) are self tighteneing (that's why a Left handed thread is used) and that the initial torque is finger tight, then snug and just a little more. Those who claimed to put a "death grip" on it had trouble. As you said, "tightened it as much as possible" makes me think you overtightened it.

**gimpy** · 10-10-2006, 10:30 PM

Thx, for the replies. Loring, what I don't understand is that, if it is self tightening because it is a left handed thread, then how did it get so loose? I mean, it was loose enough that the blade wasn't really turning on the arbor running at full speed.

Anyways, I am keeping a much closer eye on it now. I check it every time I use it.

Well, I have another question now. Today I was cutting off a small piece of wood. I needed to cut a 125* angle. Anyway, a small triangular piece (maybe two inches long on the base) came flying/shooting out, much like kickback on a table saw. Luckily for me, it just missed me and bounced around the shop a bit. This is actually the second time that has happened to me. What am I doing wrong? How can I keep that small piece from shooting out like that? I had the other end clamped/held down, but the triangular piece was really too small/too close to the blade to hold onto.

Thx, Frank

**jwaterdawg** · 10-11-2006, 05:17 AM

Did you let the blade come to a stop in the down position? If not, you should be; that's the generally accepted approach for using the CMS and why they have a braking mechanism.

If that's not the issue was the board bowed near the cut line causing it to pinch the blade and ricochet (sp) off the back fence.

Other possible extreme option: do you have the blade on backwards? That would cause kickback, and may be related to the arbor nut loosening. You wouldn't be the first to mount a blade backwards; can't count how many times I've done it on the CMS and TS. HTH

**sweensdv** · 10-11-2006, 07:21 AM

Are you sure that you mounted the laser disc correctly? If you look at the side of the disc that sits next to the blade you'll notice that the disc must be lined up with the flat spots on the arbor. If it isn't lined up properly the disc won't seat against the blade and arbor will just spin and not turn the blade.

**LarryG** · 10-11-2006, 07:37 AM

Originally posted by gimpy

What am I doing wrong? How can I keep that small piece from shooting out like that? I had the other end clamped/held down, but the triangular piece was really too small/too close to the blade to hold onto.

As mentioned, it's best to let the blade stop before raising the saw's head back up (I will confess to not always doing this). Also, many miter saws have a fairly large gap between the fence halves, even when they are slid together as far as they'll go. If the offcut is too small to bridge the fence gap opening on that side of the blade, it will have a greater tendency to be caught by the blade's teeth and sent flying, as you have experienced.

I sometimes secure a small offcut by laying a longer piece atop it, placing the end just clear of the blade, and then clamping the longer piece to the table or fence.

**gimpy** · 10-11-2006, 10:05 PM

Thx, all, for the suggestions.
Larry, I was not leaving the saw head down for the whole cut and was wondering why the brake was not working. I guess now I know why. I make sure I leave it down now until it stops spinning (the brake seems to be stopping it pretty quickly now). There is quite a gap, it seems like, between the fence halves, but nothing that I can do about that (I don't think).

sweens, the laser disk is mounted properly as far as I can tell. It seems to work just fine. It is mounted per the manual instructions.

waterdawg, the blade is on correctly (I did check it), and as I told Larry, I now leave the head in a down position until it stops (I was not doing that, initially).

Again, thx for all the suggestions. I will keep an eye on the blade a lot closer now, for safety sake.

Frank

cms blade not tight?

cms blade not tight?

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