radial arm saw has 20 thousandths of wobble in the blade

[cody michael]

I have a new to me craftsman 12 inch radial arms saw. I bought a new for it, and the cut has a bunch of saw marks. I got out my dial indicator and it measures about 20 thousandths (my table saw saw setup measures 1-3) I cleaned up arbor put blade back on same thing. Tried old blade. Same thing. Any ideas?

[Myk Rian]

Is there runout with the arbor flange? If so, you'll have to get that trued up.

[cody michael]

HHow do I check that? If there is how do I fix it?

[HANK METZ]

HHow do I check that? If there is how do I fix it?

Google is still your best friend Cody:
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+...-a&channel=nts

[cody michael]

if there is wobble is this an except able method of fixing it? what type of stone would I need? I don't have any.

http://woodgears.ca/saw_arbor/

is something like this what I would need? any better inexpensive solution? if a very basic stone that could also be used to sharpen hand planes would work can someone link it. I have a few but only times I used them I sharpened on my grind I use for lathe tools, so there is lots of room for improvement.
http://www.amazon.com/Bora-501057-Co...grinding+stone

[cody michael]

Would the grinding stone help to fix this issue?

[Duane Meadows]

Possibly. As Mathias states, it needs to be held stable with respect to the arbor.. can't do it hand held( on the arbor with the motor running anyway)! Also keep in mind that a very small wobble(runout) at the arbor washer will create a much larger wobble at the blade tip!

Also If I remember correctly, the arbor washer is removable on that saw(is on mine anyway) so flattening off the saw is likely the best way to go.

It's also worthwhile to check the arbor shaft(motor shaft) runout as well. In fact i'd want to do that first... no point trying to flatten a washer and finding out the motor bearings are bad or the shaft is bent!

[cody michael]

My arbor has a spacer on each side of the blade, so I don't know how to check that for run out? The spacer just moves?

[Don Jarvie]

Check the arbor the same way you checked the blade. Put the indicator on the arbor washer and spin the arbor slowly. If its out it will move the indicator. Mark the high points and file them so the arbor washer is flat all around. Then do the outside washer.

You said you were using am old blade. Put a new one on and see if that is the problem first. The blade may be warped. It doesn't need to be a 12 inch blade just a good one. If its the blade get a new one.

[cody michael]

I put a new blade on, that is when I examined the cut, and noticed the issue. I put the old blade back on to make sure it wasn't the new blade, same issue with old one.

The arbor washer is very loose if I touch it it can spin freely, so I'm not sure how to measure it unless I made some sort of spacer to hold it In place, not sure how to do that accurately though..

[Ronald Blue]

It looks like you would only need a couple flat washers so you could run the nut down and hold the arbor washer secure for checking run out. While there put your indicator on the hex that the arbor washer rests against. The indicator should barely wiggle or it will multiply the further you get from the center line of the shaft. What does the other washer look like? I question if that is the original or correct washer. Usually the washer or blade support is hollowed out on the blade side so contact is made only at the surface at the arbor and again at the outside of the washer. The other side usually is beveled off on the outer diameter. That just looks like a flat washer. A stamped flat washer isn't going to be flat and even a couple thousandths distortion will cause blade unacceptable run out. Good luck.

[HANK METZ]

If the inner faces look clean, examine the outer, working edges. They may be galled or have metal upsets that prevent them from seating properly. I'd simply stone inside and out surfaces ever so slightly, reassemble, check again for deviation, it may be all it takes.

[cody michael]

I do not know if they are the original ones but they are not flat, the inner portion is recessed and the only part that touches the blade is about 1/4 in from the outer edge.

I cleaned up before arbor washer before I reassembled last night and it didn't make any difference.

I am not sure how to put the indicator on the where to washer hits, it is pretty small, the lip i could use is smaller then the tip of my indicator.

[cody michael]

I have a grinding stone I picked up today, any ideas on how to keep the arbor washer held in place accurately while i grind it?

[Myk Rian]

I have a grinding stone I picked up today, any ideas on how to keep the arbor washer held in place accurately while i grind it?

Read Ronalds post a few up.^^^^^