0

How to Change Blade on Craftsman Miter Saw – 9 Simple Steps

Craftsman is a renowned company for its quality meter saw. They offer durable and sharp blades for effective and efficient cutting. Unfortunately, the blade starts getting dull with time. Changing the blade is the only option to get the sharpness back. Yes, you can sharpen the blade several times before changing, but eventually, you have to change it. However, changing the blade is a tedious and challenging task. Hence, our writings on how to change blade on Craftsman miter saw will make it easier for you to change the blade. You can hire a professional to get the job done for sure. But you don’t have to do that after reading this guide. You can smoothly change the blade by yourself.

How to Change Blade on Craftsman Miter Saw – Deep Discussion

The process of changing the blade on a Craftsman miter saw is not different from other saws. Just follow the guideline below.

Step 1: safety

Safety comes first, always. A silly mistake or laziness can cause you serious damage. Ensuring protection and safety is more important than knowing How to change blade on Craftsman miter saw. For that, make sure you wear

• Safety goggles for eye protection
• Rubber hand gloves
• A helmet
• Ear protection from sound
• Full sleeves shirt
• High-quality boots 

Step 2: Preparation

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”

That means good preparation will do half of the job. To ensure perfect preparation, make sure to

• Remove or unplug the miter saw even after turning off the machine. It will reduce any risk.
• Wait until the motor and blade become cool. The motor and blade stay hot even after turning off your saw.
• Keep the area clean so you don’t lose any parts
• Put all the removed parts aside to find it easily
• Keep a wrench, screwdriver, and new blade right beside your workstation

Step 3: Turn off its switch

First, turn off its switch. Simply flip the switch to the off position. Also, unplug the cord since it will prevent any accidental switching on. 

Step 4: Remove blade cover

Some people change the blade without removing the blade cover or guard. If you want to do that, simply grab it and lock it to its highest position. You will have enough space to work on. However, sometimes, it may come into the line with a blade. In that case, removing the guard would be a better idea. To do that,

• Set the guard cover to the highest position
• Take your screwdriver and loosen the guard screw
• Detach the screw and remove its cover

Step 5: Lock the blade

Before unscrewing the saw blade, it is important to lock it. Press the lock knob in one hand. It will stop the blade from turning. Without locking, it will be a risky task to change your saw blade. Remember to keep pressing the knob until you remove the blade.

Step 6: Remove the blade

After locking, simply remove the blade. To remove the blade from the saw,

• Use your other hand and take a wrench. Some people prefer using a standard 3/8” wrench. However, depending on the screw size, pick the most suitable wrench. 
• Then use your wrench and unscrew the blade arbor bolt. Here, make sure to rotate clockwise. Some people find it bread and butter to remove any bolt since all have a common thread. But here, you will face a reverse thread that needs to be rotated clockwise.
• After removing the arbor bolt, remove the washer.
• Now unlock the blade
• Finally, use both of your hands, take the blade, and remove it. Be careful handling the blade.

Sometimes, you may find it stubborn to remove. In that case, tip it slowly forward and back. It will be free and come up easily.

Step 7: Install a new blade

You already have a new blade beside your table. Install the new sharp blade. To do that,

• Simply slip the new blade onto the arbor
• Make sure the teeth of the blade are facing downward
• Now put back the washer where it was
• Use your wrench and screw the arbor bolt. Tighten properly.

Step 8: Put back the blade guard

Just like you remove the blade guard, put it back in the same way. Use the screwdriver to tighten the blade guard screw.

Step 9: Have a trial

Finally, plug it on and turn on the switch. Have a trial cut to make sure you have done it correctly. If you follow the steps above, it should work fine.

Watch the video below if you still have any confusion –

Also, read this – How to Use A Sliding Miter Saw Safely!

Frequently asked questions

Have you got any questions related to blade changing on Craftsman miter saw? Then quickly have a look at these questions asked often by people.

How often should you change a miter saw blade?

There is no rule of thumb to change a miter saw blade. Whenever you find out your saw blade is dull, making tears in wood pieces, and making too much sound, you should consider changing the blade.

Can you sharpen a miter saw blade?

Yes, you can sharpen a miter saw blade when it is blunt. Simply remove the blade, use a clamp to place it on the workbench, and then sharpen your blade.

Can I put a 10-inch blade on a 12 inch miter saw?

You can put a 10-inch blade on a 12-inch miter saw since the arbor hole size is the same. However, it is not recommended to use any size smaller and larger blade for miter saw for better performance and safety.

Conclusion

Changing your dull, blunt saw blade will bring efficiency to your work. Some people ignore changing the blade for the tediousness and challenges of replacing it. Our guide on “how to change blade on Craftsman miter saw” will make it easier and non-challenging to replace it. You can do it by spending less than an hour.

With a new and sharp blade, working becomes easier. Also, it delivers a smooth and straight cut line, unlike the dull blade. The wood pieces stay in shape after cutting and no wear and tear are found there. So make sure to change the blade in time to get the maximum result from it.