How To Sharpen A Table Saw Blade
The table saw is a significant investment and the most important tool in woodworking. The blade is an integral part of the table saw, and when it is damaged, it can cost more money. This is if you want to do the replacement.
Even if at some point you need to replace the blade, the best option is to sharpen it. The dull saw blade will not only spoil your work; it will also be dangerous when cutting the wood. It can produce splinters quickly that can fly in the direction you are and cause accidents.
So, if you have a dull saw and wonder how to sharpen it, there is the solution. The article has easy stepson how to sharpen a table saw blade.
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Safety first
Even before you begin to sharpen a saw blade, the priority is safety. The blade is very dangerous if you don’t handle it carefully. To avoid injury, it is imperative to invest in sturdy gloves and good goggles to protect the eyes from spackles. Also, wear good earphones to protect the ears from machine noise. Make sure the table saw is not plugged before sharpening. Some people take another step to invest in the respirators when sharpening the saw blades. For safety reasons, you can sharpen the saw blade successfully without damaging any part of the body.
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Detach the table saw blade from a motor
Don’t attempt to sharpen the saw blade while it is still connected to the motor. The reason being, it is not possible to restrict the movement of the saw blade safely or to fix the saw blade while it is on the saw. Irrespective of the blade’s dullness, it is still sharp enough to harm or cause serious injury to you. Therefore, it is imperative to remove it. This requires you to locate the blade release switch and detach it. If the saw doesn’t have the blade release switch, you will need to loosen the axle nut with the wrench.
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Install and fix the diamond blade
Once the saw blade has been removed from a motor, you will require to replace the blade with the diamond blade. A diamond blade is a tool you need to sharpen a dull saw blade. If the saw has the blade switch, you can use it to position and secure a diamond blade. If the button is not present, a nut can be used to tighten a diamond blade. However, if you are using a nut, make sure it is not too tight or too loose because the tight nut will bend the edge, and when loose, it will not hold the blade in place.
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Align the teeth of the blade
Next, the teeth of the blade need to be aligned. However, before continuing, you must mark every tooth of a blade with a marker or tape. This way, you will not miss any tooth when sharpening your blade.
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Sharpen the saw blade
At this point, you can turn on the saw and rotate the first tooth against the diamond blade. Ensure you briefly touch the teeth with a diamond blade and then pull it back to place the next tooth to be sharpened. Do this with all the teeth and make sure they are correctly aligned. The process may be difficult, so that it will take some time. It’s a good job, but once you have mastered the skills, sharpening is quick and easy down the road. The objective is to properly sharpen the blade regardless of how much effort and time it will take.
If you don’t want to use the diamond blade when sharpening, you can select the file to sharpen. This method requires the parts to be sharpened. Use the file to sharpen by moving back and forth along the section of the blade. They rotate the blade and keep sharpening until the sharpness is enough.
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Lubrication and attachment
Getting a perfectly sharp blade doesn’t mean it won’t be dull anymore. Remember that it is imperative to be careful after sharpening if you plan to use it on multiple projects. It is necessary to lubricate the blade after sharpening because lubricating keeps it sharp for a long and protects the surface against any rust.
First, remove the dust from the blade using a clean cloth. Sharpening can produce debris and chips that must be cleaned before lubrication. Besides, the carbide dust can cause tarnish and rust on the blade if left on a surface.
You need a small amount of lubricating oil for the blade and make sure the oil is touching the sharp edges. Take a newspaper, wrap and use it to rub the entire oil into a blade. This will make sure the lubricating oil reached all teeth. Apply as much oil as possible to the whole blade. Then, follow the instructions to reinstall the blade.
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Remove a diamond blade
Once the entire teeth of the blade have been sharpened and you are contented with their sharpness, you will be required to remove a diamond blade from a table saw. After removing it out of a table saw, clean it properly before putting it aside. This removes small metal particles from the blade and carbide dust to make sure it doesn’t rust.
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Install and test the blade
Now it is time to rearrange the blade and make sure it is well sharpened. When the work is complete, plug the table saw into the electric socket and turn it on. To test if it is well sharpened, you need to cut through some material smoothly and effortlessly, but with little resistance. Then check the cutting edges of the fabric and make sure they’re regular and have a smooth surface. In this case, it means that the blade is sharpened correctly. Otherwise, you will have to restart the process.
Conclusion
Keeping the table saw in perfect condition will give you the best service and save money on repairs. In particular, the blade must be regularly sharpened as part of its maintenance. The sharp saw blade ensures clean cuts in your project and extends the life of the saw. The above steps are a simple guide for sharpening a table saw blade, and I hope it will benefit you.
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