Miter Saw Blade Bolt Stuck – How to Fix it Properly (Solved 2021)
One of the most frustrating challenges that beginners and experts both face is a stuck miter saw blade bolt. If you are one of those people who have faced such a situation, you shouldn’t worry at all.
In this article, I have explained the main reasons due to which the miter saw blade bolt stuck inside. I will also teach you different techniques on how to remove a stuck arbor nut from a miter saw.
I am sure you must be excited therefore, let’s not waste any more time and jump straight to the causes and then the solution part.
Causes due to which Miter Saw Blade Bolt Stuck
As I have already mentioned, several reasons can lead to the miter saw blade bolt getting stuck inside. Here is the list.
1. Jamming of the Miter Saw
This is the first obvious reason why you may encounter a situation where you will need to remove a stuck arbor nut from your miter saw.
If your miter saw is jammed inside, it’s not like that you can just pull out or push in an object using its handle.
That won’t be possible and hence, you need to use a screwdriver or some other tool to pry it open.
2. Over tightening the arbor nut
Most of you are unaware of the fact that you should not put in a lot of torque to tighten your miter saw blade bolt.
And this over-tightening helps in making it difficult to remove the arbor nut later.
Over tightening can also be one of the reasons why you need to remove a stuck arbor nut from your miter saw.
3. Improper lubrication during operation/lubrication not done at all
If you don’t lubricate the blade regularly, it will accumulate dust and may be prone to rust.
Furthermore, undertaking a miter saw without lubricant will cause the arbor nut to become stuck.
Also Read: What to do With Old Chainsaw Chains
4. High temperature causing bolt damage or melting
Keep in mind that, metal expands when it is heated and coarse bolt threads will be more likely to become stuck.
If you are working on your miter saw in a hot room or if your blade has been operated for a long time then the possibility of later nut removal increases manifold.
5. Directional imbalances while rotating the blade
Another issue due to which the miter saw blade bolt can stick is the directional imbalance when you are rotating the blade. Due to directional imbalances, the bolt might become stuck in some specific position, making it difficult to remove.
6. Corrosion build-up
If your saw is not used for a long time, there is a possibility of corrosion around the blade bolt head. This can also cause the miter saw blade bolt to get stuck or damage it, thus making its removal very difficult.
7. Aftermarket blade
When you purchase a saw and use the stock blade, the miter saw bolt does not have a chance of getting stuck.
However, if you install an aftermarket blade that is not compatible with your saw, there is also the possibility of this happening.
If you use such blades make sure that they are compatible before using them.
8. Inaccurate assembly
If you installed your miter saw with inaccurate bolts and screws, they might get damaged due to the friction created while cutting wood at high speeds, thus making it difficult to remove the bolt head during blade changes.
9. Damaged bolt head
Even if your blade is perfectly compatible with your saw, you might end up damaging the bolt head if you don’t use it properly. For example, if you attempt to loosen a bolt with a screwdriver instead of using the socket wrench provided in the tool kit then that could damage both the blade and the bolt head.
10. Loose bolt causes saw lags or loose mounting
In case of over-tightening of bolts, while mounting a miter saw, it may cause the bolt to become stuck. In such cases, there is a huge chance that you will damage the rail and other parts during your efforts to loosen the bolt.
Even if you are lucky enough to loosen up the stuck bolt, there is a possibility of loose mounting and thus the blade will contact with other parts causing it to get damaged.
11. Maintenance not done after every few uses
It is important to service a saw after every few uses. In case you do not give proper care and attention, the internal parts of your miter saw will start to wear out leading to increased chances of accidents and damages.
So make it a habit to inspect the equipment after every use or at least once in two weeks for effective maintenance.
Tools Required for Removing a Stuck Miter Saw Blade Bolt
Now you have a rough idea about the reasons due to which miter saw blade bolt stuck. Let’s see how you can remove those stuck arbor nuts from miter saw of any brand. However, before we move further, you will need some tools for this project.
I have listed all of the necessary tools and equipment that will help you remove a miter saw blade bolt that is stuck inside.
- A penetrating spray such as WD40
- Socket wrench
- Impact driver
- A piece of Cloth
- Safety Gloves
- Safety Glasses
- Allen Keys (Optional)
- Screwdriver (Optional)
- Screw wrench (Optional)
How to deal with Miter Saw Blade Bolt that is Stuck
Once you have all the required tools for the job, here is a complete and step-by-step process that’ll teach you how to get rid of the miter saw blade bolt that is stuck.
Understanding the Threading Direction of the Bolt
The first thing to do is to figure out the direction of threading for the bolt. Take your broken blade and look for the rotary knob.
There should be a number on the knob’s front, which denotes its size as well as its threading direction. Simply follow ‘clockwise’ or ‘counter-clockwise’ noting this particular feature.
Identifying the Threading Direction of the base Plate
Here is a trick for figuring out which threading goes with which side, while you’re dealing with a miter saw blade bolt that is stuck – simply spin them both and check where they’re going to end up.
The bolt would get loose from its fitting easily if you can detect which size goes with which side. If you’re unsure of the direction, simply hold the base plate in a way that it doesn’t move and look for the screw head on the other end, then check its position relative to your body.
Use Penetrating oil such as WD40 to Remove Corrosion and Dirt that Seals the Threads
You can’t remove it if you don’t lubricate or apply an agent to loosen up the corrosion and dirt. A lot of times, these threads have gotten corroded from hard water that’s been in contact with them for a long time.
Use WD40 or any kind of penetrating oil as a lubricant, to make it easier for you to twist. Use an old toothbrush to clean out the dirt and corrosion inside the threads
Once all that has been cleaned off, re-apply more penetrating oil on top of what was applied previously. Don’t overdo it, a small amount is just fine. What this does is that the oil helps to “dissolve” away the corrosion and dirt, and propels it back out through the threads.
Use a socket wrench to Pray open Stuck Arbor Nut on A Miter Saw
Once you have removed the dust and corrosion, it is time to use your tools in order to remove the bolt that is causing the trouble. For this purpose, you will need a socket wrench.
The socket wrench size that you need an 11/16″ standard size. In order to use the socket wrench, place it over the arbor nut and begin to turn it.
As you do this, start to apply pressure in an upward motion so as to remove the bolt. This process involves a lot of work due to the fact that there is not much space. Using pressure and the socket wrench will, however, eventually loosen it from its place.
The object of doing all this is to make sure that the bolt will again be able to spin freely along with being removed as well. After you are finished with this process, check your arbor nut for any more damage so as to ensure the bolt will not be stuck around again.
Use Heat to Expand and Remove the Bolt
One of the methods that woodworkers use to remove stuck or rusted bolts is by using heat. This will help loosen up any rust that has formed over time and allow you to remove it easily.
The other thing about this method is that the process also helps in removing paint or varnish from your arbor without stripping it off the arbor itself like most of the other methods do.
With this method, you will need to cut off a section of masonite or plywood that is about 2 x 6 inches in dimension and bend it at right angles.
After cutting your board and bending it accordingly to create a 90-degree angle, place your bolt inside of the hole and then place your board over it. After that, take a blowtorch and heat up one side of the bolt head at a time until it is red-hot.
This will help to loosen some of the dirt or rust stuck in there so that you are able to get rid of it a lot easier than before.
Drill out the Stuck Bolt
If you do not have the time or resources to go out and purchase a blowtorch, then you can always stick with using some kind of drilling method. Personally, I would recommend getting a good quality drill bit and putting it through the bolt head. Make sure that both sides are lined up correctly (90 degrees) before going at it.
Once both sides are lined up correctly, then you may proceed to drill out the bolt head. Be sure that you use a good quality drilling material and do not keep this drag going on for very long.
If the bit keeps sliding across the metal, then it could end up breaking and there is no telling what would happen after that.
If all else fails, then you can always just use another bolt in its place. This is definitely the last resort and may hurt your device’s security, but it is better than nothing.
Once your old bolt has been replaced with a new one (plus locking washers if possible), then you should be good to go. Just remember that this may not work every time and you may have to replace the bolt with a new one more than once.
Try Shaking the striped miter saw blade bolt
Lastly, you can just try to shake the bolt loose. This is pretty much the same method as #1, but this time you will be using tools that have more weight to them than a wrench and hammer.
If all else fails then you can always take your miter saw blade down to a local hardware store/shop and just ask for another bolt in its place.
Final Words
If you have made it this far you will have learned the right way to deal with a stuck miter saw blade bolt. I hope you will be able to handle the situation better next time when your miter saw blade bolt stuck.
Just Remember the problem could be due to any reason you just need to find out the main cause and then try the solution accordingly. If the bolt was expanded due to heat and friction then you will have to drill it out.
Otherwise, if rust and corrosion were the issues then you can simply use any type of lubricant or penetrating oil such as WD40 (my favorite) and then use a socket wrench or a miter saw blade bolt wrench as mentioned in the last section of this article.
I hope you have enjoyed reading this article. Please share it on Pinterest and Reddit to help other people who are having the same issue.
