What did I do? Table Saw Problems

[Kurt Cady]

Hey guys - been lurking for about 6 months but never had anything worth while to post until today. All of your vast knowledge is amazing.

Today when I was using my table saw (R4511) cutting some 2x4's to 3 inches in width a piece got stuck and stopped the blade. I've never had that happen before. After shutting down and starting back up cutting some more, the blade stopped a few more times (it had never done this before today.)

Now when I first start up the saw there is a very loud screaming sound for about 5 seconds until the saw really gets going.

I guess my question is 3 parts. 1) Has anyone had this happen to them and what did I do to cause it. 2) How do I remedy the problem? 3) Did I damage the saw, or can I damage the saw if I continue to use it?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

[David Christopher]

Kurt, sounds like the belt is slipping.....tighten the belt for now...replace belt soon

[Tony Shea]

I think that I might have to agree with David, although it's tough to say not really seeing it in action. Check the belt. Did a peice get jammed and stop the blade rotation or did the blade just stop spinning for no real reason? For any kind of accurate diagnosis you need to give some more details. Screaming is not normal and should be solved immediatly for your safety and well being of the tool.

[Kurt Cady]

A piece got stuck a few times and stopped the blade from rotating.

I also noticed that there is a lot more vibration when I go to turn it off now too

[glenn bradley]

I'd check that belt but that may end up being a result as opposed to the actual cause. Two-by lumber is often less than square and often wet even when sold as kiln-dried. I would suspect the wood bound between the blade and the fence stopping the blade. If so, this could transfer trouble to the "true" of your blade, a boo-boo on your belt, etc.

The blade is easy enough to check by eye when watching it spin. Get where you can see the belt's inner surface and move it slowly along and inspect it for damage. Check your pulleys as well. If all is in good order, tighten your belt and go back at it. Be aware that material that is out of square should not try to reference the fence or table top as it will deviate during the path. Wood like this should be prepared on a jointer or placed in a carrier or sled for transport through the cutting path.

Have fun and be careful.

[Kurt Cady]

I think I've got it figured out. Somewhat.

I decided to take the belt off and inspect it. After doing so, and tilting the blade to close to 45 so I could see the top pulley I heard a BANG! Both pulleys fell off!

After consulting my parts list, I discovered that I am now missing the 'key' that keeps the top pulley moving at the same rate as the arbor shaft.

My best guess is that when the blade stopped a few times it loosened the nut that was keeping the top pulley snug. And because of the missing key, not being snug caused the screaming.

I don't know if any of this makes any sense to anyone, but thanks for your help.

[James Carmichael]

I'd check that belt but that may end up being a result as opposed to the actual cause. Two-by lumber is often less than square and often wet even when sold as kiln-dried. I would suspect the wood bound between the blade and the fence stopping the blade. If so, this could transfer trouble to the "true" of your blade, a boo-boo on your belt, etc.l.

+1. Check your blade alignment, too.

When I rip construction-grade SYP nowadays, I do it on the bandsaw.

[Van Huskey]

Hey guys - been lurking for about 6 months but never had anything worth while to post until today. All of your vast knowledge is amazing.

Today when I was using my table saw (R4511) cutting some 2x4's to 3 inches in width a piece got stuck and stopped the blade. I've never had that happen before. After shutting down and starting back up cutting some more, the blade stopped a few more times (it had never done this before today.)

Now when I first start up the saw there is a very loud screaming sound for about 5 seconds until the saw really gets going.

I guess my question is 3 parts. 1) Has anyone had this happen to them and what did I do to cause it. 2) How do I remedy the problem? 3) Did I damage the saw, or can I damage the saw if I continue to use it?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

Although you seem to have a handle on the issue I want to make sure of something were you RIPPING the piece (cutting long ways to make a long narrow piece) or were you crosscutting to produce little 3" long "blocks" if it was the latter the fence should NOT have been on the saw. Just checking because you just said cutting and not ripping or cross-cutting.

If you were rpping then you were feeding too fast but your feedrate problems may have been caused by a dirty or dull blade or just the wrong blade for the job, you really do want a cheap rpping blade for ripping constructon lumber.

If you were crosscutting the fence should have been off and you should have been using the miter gauge.

Without instruments to check the blade "wobble" clamp a piece of wood in your miter gauge go that it just touches a tooth, mark that tooth wth chalk and rotate the blade until the chalked tooth comes back around, you will be able to see any significant wobble. There is more to doing this correctly if you have a dial indicator but this wll gve you a really rough idea.

[Curt Harms]

I think I've got it figured out. Somewhat.

I decided to take the belt off and inspect it. After doing so, and tilting the blade to close to 45 so I could see the top pulley I heard a BANG! Both pulleys fell off!

After consulting my parts list, I discovered that I am now missing the 'key' that keeps the top pulley moving at the same rate as the arbor shaft.

My best guess is that when the blade stopped a few times it loosened the nut that was keeping the top pulley snug. And because of the missing key, not being snug caused the screaming.

I don't know if any of this makes any sense to anyone, but thanks for your help.

It sounds to me like the set screw was the only thing holding the pulley to the arbor. If so, did the set screw score the arbor shaft? If so, I'd be on the phone with Ridgid. Unless you put the pulleys on which I doubt, it was an assembly error and subject to warranty remedy.

[Kurt Cady]

I was ripping it along the grain. ;)

Wish I had gotten in on the 10pk of blades at amazon, but I was using a 40T blade.

[Van Huskey]

I was ripping it along the grain. ;)

Wish I had gotten in on the 10pk of blades at amazon, but I was using a 40T blade.


Something in the 18-24 tooth range is what you need for ripping 2X4s! Even with a Freud or Forrest 40T blade it is gong to be slow going with 1 1/2 hp, plus if you are usuing the 40T blade that came with the saw you were already in a hole.

[kenneth kayser]

I think I've got it figured out. Somewhat.

I decided to take the belt off and inspect it. After doing so, and tilting the blade to close to 45 so I could see the top pulley I heard a BANG! Both pulleys fell off!

After consulting my parts list, I discovered that I am now missing the 'key' that keeps the top pulley moving at the same rate as the arbor shaft.

My best guess is that when the blade stopped a few times it loosened the nut that was keeping the top pulley snug. And because of the missing key, not being snug caused the screaming.

I don't know if any of this makes any sense to anyone, but thanks for your help.

Sounds to me like the set screws loosened, and the keys fell out. The set screws hold the pulleys on the shaft and the keys in the keyways. My old Craftsman did this regularly. One solution is Locktite. The other is to use a very short set screw then screw another one on top of it, but you need a husky pulley to get two screws in one hole.

[Kurt Cady]

Lesson learned?

I guess we'll see how great ridgid customer service is. I can't get the arbor pulley back on to save my life!

[Rick Davidson]

Lesson learned?

I guess we'll see how great ridgid customer service is. I can't get the arbor pulley back on to save my life!


Most likely you scored the shaft just hit it with some emery cloth to take the high spots off and you should be able to get the pulley back on with no issues. If you can't find the key you can pick up new ones. Try mcmaster.com and search for key stock. And just use locktite on the set screw threads.

[Myk Rian]

You can get keys at ACO, ACE, or TSC.

[Kurt Cady]

I found the key. Went through the DC and found it. Problem is I can't get it back into the slot in either the arbor shaft or the pulley! Something tells me it is slightly deformed.

The other problem is that Ridgid wants me to bring the saw to a service center. It's 450lbs! That isn't happening either.

Does anyone here know how hard it is to just remove the arbor and take that to a service center? Are there issues I could run into?

Any other suggestions are a bonus.

Thanks in advance!

[Bill Huber]

Take the old key and pulley with you and go to a good hardware store and get a new key or two. I would also get some new set screws, the ones with the nylon inserts or get a bottle of Loctite.

While you are there get some fine emery cloth and if you don't have a small file get one of those.

Check that the key will fit in the pulley and then with a good light check the shaft and the slot. With a small file clean the slot in the shaft and with some fine emery cloth clean the outside of the shaft. You may want to check the inside of the pulley also.

It takes a very small dent or bur to keep a pulley from sliding on the shaft.

Now so that this will never happen again make a zero clearance insert for the saw.

You can search the Creek on ZCI and find how to make them, they are easy to make and will save you a lot of headaches in the future.

[Kurt Cady]

Bill -

What exactly does a ZCI have to do with the pulleys and such? (sorry, maybe it's a stupid question)

[Bill Huber]

Bill -

What exactly does a ZCI have to do with the pulleys and such? (sorry, maybe it's a stupid question)

The ZCI has noting to do with the pulley but with a ZCI you will not get any little strip of wood down in the saw to jam the blade again.

With my first saw I didn't even know what a ZCI was and was always getting bits of wood between the insert and the blade. It would stall the blade like yours or pitch it out across the shop.

The ZCI fixes that problem.