TS55REQ Blade Loosened Up?

[grbmds]

Recently I was having some problems cutting with my TS55REQ. The symptoms were similar to those you'd see when the blade is being pinched and, at one point, couldn't continue the cut.

Just because I was checking everything, I checked the tightness of the bolt holding the blade. It was just slightly loose.

I'm always very careful when I install the blade and actually haven't installed a different blade or removed and replaced the existing blade for cleaning for some time. It was a problem the suddenly just occurred.

Since that I have removed the blade, cleaned it, and replaced it, making sure the nut was really tight. I haven't had any problems since then. However, what I don't understand is why the blade would loosen up if it was tight enough not to cause problems for many weeks (or months). I am a home and non-professional woodworker, so don't use the saw everyday. It was used enough since the last time I removed and replaced the blade that I would have though the problem would have occurred sooner if it wasn't tight to begin with.

It's never happened with any saw before and I don't want it to happen again. Any suggestions about how tight the nut should be? Has this happened to anyone else? I doubt the saw is defective as I've owned and used it for 2 years.

 

[Tayler_mann]

That sounds scary. I get my blade but just past snug and its always very tight when I take it off. I am not sure how that could happen I guess unless when you installed it there was debris behind the screw and the blade and it worked itself free overtime. Otherwise the blade spinning would only tighten the screw which is what happens to me.

 

[peter halle]

My mind works slowly at times.  So is this an accurate summary.

You have had the saw for a couple of years.  You are diligent with tightening the bolt that holds the blade on.  Everything has worked fine until the other day.

On that day you were cutting and in that process the blade bound and the cutting action stopped.  After that you found the bolt loosened.

Is my understanding correct?

Peter

 

[Rick Christopherson]

I get my blade but just past snug and its always very tight when I take it off.

Forgive me for singling you out Taylor, but this is rather important. The arbor bolt on TS saws is not the self-tightening type like you would find on tablesaws and some other tools. Those self-tighten because friction from the blade that is slipping will cause the arbor nut to spin in the tightening direction.

However, on the TS-series of saws, the inboard and outboard arbor flanges are keyed and cannot slip relative to each other. This prevents a slipping blade from tightening the arbor bolt.

 

[Tinker]

I get my blade but just past snug and its always very tight when I take it off.

Forgive me for singling you out Taylor, but this is rather important. The arbor bolt on TS saws is not the self-tightening type like you would find on tablesaws and some other tools. Those self-tighten because friction from the blade that is slipping will cause the arbor nut to spin in the tightening direction.

However, on the TS-series of saws, the inboard and outboard arbor flanges are keyed and cannot slip relative to each other. This prevents a slipping blade from tightening the arbor bolt.

I do Just the same as Tyler does.  Just tight, but do not go extra tight.  The blade has never come loose for me either.  Are we just lucky?
Tinker

 

[Rick Christopherson]

Well, insomuch as the blade won't self-tighten when you pull the trigger, it also won't self-loosen when you shut it off. So you don't need to crank it down, but you do need to make it tight enough that it won't loosen over time or from vibrations.

 

[grbmds]

My mind works slowly at times.  So is this an accurate summary.

You have had the saw for a couple of years.  You are diligent with tightening the bolt that holds the blade on.  Everything has worked fine until the other day.

On that day you were cutting and in that process the blade bound and the cutting action stopped.  After that you found the bolt loosened.

Is my understanding correct?

Peter

Essentially yes. I had trouble making a couple of cuts before I finally checked it. As soon as I tightened it the problem went away. I guess I do wonder how that happened since it was my understanding also that the direction of the threads would only tighten it during use.

 

[grbmds]

Well, insomuch as the blade won't self-tighten when you pull the trigger, it also won't self-loosen when you shut it off. So you don't need to crank it down, but you do need to make it tight enough that it won't loosen over time or from vibrations.

Good to know it doesn't self-tighten. I didn't know that. Still, I'm not careless about these things and obviously will be extra careful in the future. From what you say, the only thing that could have happened is that it did work loose slightly over time; just enough to let the blade slip a little (which is what I believe happened). I guess I just need to check it more often. Maybe that's an incentive to take the blade out to clean it more often.

 

[Tinker]

Well, insomuch as the blade won't self-tighten when you pull the trigger, it also won't self-loosen when you shut it off. So you don't need to crank it down, but you do need to make it tight enough that it won't loosen over time or from vibrations.

Thanks for that info, Rick. 
Tinker