How to Change Blade on Ridgid Miter Saw Without Being Injured
The Ridgid miter saw is famous for its rigid and durable blade. The sharpness of the blade enables you to cut objects smoothly. However, with time, the sharpness starts decreasing. Slowly, it becomes dull. Sharpening is the only way to bring back the effectiveness of the blade. But you cannot do that repeatedly. After a certain period, sharpening does not work. The only option remains- replacing the blade. Changing blades requires small effort and extra cautions. However, as a newbie, this small effort and cautions are challenging to do. If you know how to change blade on Ridgid miter saw, things will become easier for you. To make your life easier, today we will discuss the process of replacing the blade on the Ridgid miter saw. After reading this guide, you can understand what to do, and what not to do when replacing the blade. Let’s begin.
When to change the blade?
Sharpening the blade might seem to be a good solution. But it doesn’t work all the time. You have to change the blade when you see:
- Any broken teeth in the circular saw
- The carbide-tipped circular saw blades start becoming round
- Your saw motor is making more noise to cut
- The blade is cutting slowly
- It creates more tears or chipping than usual
- Burn marks on the wood or smoke when cutting
- Not following the cut line
How to Change Blade on Ridgid Miter Saw – Depth Analysis
Changing the blade is not rocket science. Follow the steps below to change Ridgid miter saw blade.
Take right preparation
How to change blade on Ridgid miter saw? The first step to replace the blade is to take the right preparation. And the first preparation is to get familiar with the parts. Here are the parts you need to know about.
- Blade cover: A cover placed on the top of the blade to protect your hand and finger.
- Bracket screw: You will find a screw around the blade holding the blade cover and blade arm together.
- Spindle lock: The lock locks the blade and stops rotating. Press the pin to stop rotation.
- Blade screw: A large screw located in the middle of the blade holds the blade with the machine.
After getting familiar with the parts, ensure safety measurement. For that,
- Turn off your saw. Remove its plug from the socket. If it is battery powered, remove its battery to prevent motor power.
- Wait for a while to cool down the motor and blade. Do not touch it until it is cool enough.
- Wear hand gloves before starting to replace the blade.
- Take safety goggles, helmets, and boots to protect yourself from electric shock and injuries.
- Do not let anyone touch the blade in the naked hand.
Along with safety measurements, you need to take care of your parts. To do that,
- Keep your new blade beside your working space
- Do not lose any parts; keep them in a box.
- Clean the working surface
- Put all its removed parts aside
Replace the blade
You are done with preparation. It is high time to replace your saw blade. Remember that the position will provide you the comfort of changing the blade. Follow the guide below.
- Remove saw from side bench or table it is attached to
- Place the saw in the most convenient position
Remove blade cover
Removing the blade cover is important for a comfortable operation. Some people prefer to keep the guard locked. If you are one of those people, pull on your locking pin. Then simply lift the blade to the higher position. It will lock automatically and you can do the rest of the tasks.
If you are not one of those and want to remove the cover completely, follow the methods below.
- Locate the blade guard screw near the arbor bolt.
- Take a star bit screwdriver, other screwdrivers might work as well
- Rotate opposite to clockwise to loosen the screws
- Remove the blade guard smoothly
Lock the blade
Lock the blade before going to any further operation. You may face unwanted incidents while changing or removing the blade if you don’t lock it. The blade will keep rotating if you don’t lock it. I know it is dull and blunt. But a rotating dull and blunt blade is more than enough to cut your hand. So be careful here. For that,
- Rotate the saw blade
- Find the spindle lock. You will find it on the right side of your blade
- Push the lock to the maximum
- The blade should stop rotating
Remove the blade
Once the blade is stopped, you can remove the blade to install a new one. To do that,
- Make sure you keep the spindle lock pushed with your hand until you complete removing the blade.
- Loosen the arbor bolt with a wrench. Make sure to rotate clockwise since the thread is not traditional. Many people try anti-clockwise to follow the traditional thread and fail to loosen the screw. Do not make that mistake.
- The bolt is not large; it should come out easily with a little effort.
- You will find a washer. Remove that with bare hands. Keep it safe.
- Now slide the blade carefully. It should come out easily. If it doesn’t come out easily, put pressure.
- Place it in a safe place.
Change the blade
The saw is naked. You need to install the brand new blade you have purchased. Make sure you have bought the right blade that suits your saw perfectly. To install the blade:
- Place the blade as the old one was
- Make sure the teeth are downward
- Place the washer on the arbor
- Put the arbor bolt
- Use your wrench and tighten the bolt. Rotate anti-clockwise to tighten.
Place the blade guard
If you have removed the guard, it is time to re-install it. You can avoid this part if you haven’t removed the guard. To remove the guard:
- Place your blade guard as it was
- Place the screw
- Use a screwdriver to tighten the screws
- Rotate clockwise to tighten
Have a test cut
You have successfully changed the blade on your ridgid miter saw. Congratulations.
However, you are not finished yet. It is time to check whether you have installed the blade properly or not. Take a small wood piece and cut it with the new blade. If you find out it cuts smoothly, you have done it correctly.
Here we added a tutorial video about how to change the blade on a Ridgid miter saw.
You can also read – How to Use A Sliding Miter Saw Safely!
Frequently asked questions
After reading the blade replacement guide, getting some questions in mind is common. We have collected some questions and answered those below. Have a close look at those.
Which Issues You May Encounter To Change A Blade On Miter Saw?
The blade might not come easily after removing the arbor bolt and washer. Besides, the blade guard might create a problem if you do not remove it, instead, just lift that up.
What should be done before changing blades on a power miter saw or chop saw?
You need to keep the area neat and clean. The motor and blade should be cool enough before operation. Make sure to take safety measures. Also, don’t forget to remove the blade guard.
How often should you change a miter saw blade?
It varies on the blade quality and your use. You can continuously run the blade for up to 120 hours. After that, you can sharpen it if the performance drops. When sharpening does not work and the blade’s performance falls down, change the miter saw blade.
Are miter saw blades reverse threaded?
Yes, the miter saw blades are reversely threaded. The reason for the reverse thread is to make the cutting more convenient for the user. If it was inversely threaded, the dust generated from the cut may fly towards the user.
How tight should a miter saw blade be?
The blade should be tight enough so that it does not come out. At the same time, do not make it too tight that can cause problems. It should be in a middle position.
Conclusion
You cannot work with a blunt, dull blade for sure. Knowing how to change blade on Ridgid miter saw helps you bring back the effectiveness of the saw again. The process is not that tough and requires a few minutes only, but maintaining safety and following the right process is important.
That is why we have shown you the right process with the required preparation and adequate safety. Our intention was to make the process as easy as possible. Make sure you follow our guide and take necessary safety measures. If you do not understand any part of the article, please go through it again and you can get it clearly.
