Table Saw arbor nut issues? Your help requested...

[Jerry Olexa]

A few weeks ago, I inherited a 6-7 yr old Craftsman TS..My thought was to clean it up and then pass it on to my WWing SIL. After a general clean up, thought I would install a shiny new 10" blade...Taking old blade off was easy...Installing new blade same until I went to tighten down the nut holding blade in place...Couldn't get the thread to accept/catch..Appears the old nut was forced on (probably right hand thread) and there is stripping/damage on the nut ...as well as on the bolt (the arbor shaft)...Essentially, I cannot get the nut back on to tighten/secure the saw blade...Last night, I ordered from SEARS the appropriate nut.. (over $20 w postage)..Today, I found in a local store, a 5/8" nut 11 count thread, left handed for a couple $..Came home and it too would not grab or accept each other.. After a phone calls to Sears, etc I found from them that the ordered nut is 5/8", left handed and 18ct thread.,,.It will be here in 4-5 days..
Hopefully they will accept each other.My concern is I see stripping/damage both on the old nut (I will discard) as well as some on the arbor shaft which will act as the bolt... I'm anticipating another conflict when I try to screw on the new 18ct nut..Do I have any other way to attack this or improve my chances? (Tool & Dye comes to mind)...Would love your thoughts and insight..Thanks, an anxious and frustrated WWer. Any advice will help..:)

[johnny means]

I would've ordered the nut and the arbor new. That is if there's was enough value to warrant the cost and effort involved.

[Charles Lent]

Are you certain that you are turning the nut the correct direction? On a right tilt saw the nut and arbor are threaded for left hand threads to keep the nut from loosening on start-up. Your saw quite likely has this. Try putting the nut on by turning it counter clockwise.

Charley

[Jerry Olexa]

This afternoon,I found in local Hardware an 18ct left hand 5/8 nut.. Eagerly racing home to try, I was disappointed again...The damage or stripping now on the arbor shaft itself prevents the new nut from screwing on easily (or at all)..Yes, I am going counterclockwise..Good idea though....I checked the cost of new arbor and it is necessary to buy the whole motor (interesting!) and that is cost prohibitive relative to the original investment and value of the saw...So my options are getting limited on a cost/value basis..My original investment on this older saw is minimal but as I was taught as a boy: "Don't put good money after bad". One basic option remains and that is to gently, carefully file the threads to "open" them up to accept the new nut.Maybe a nail file....(Perhaps I am the NUT to be doing this)...Any further thoughts guys? A challenge but frustrating...Thanks in advance.

[Lee Schierer]

My craftsman saw has an acme threaded arbor and nut a conventional machine thread will not work.

[Chris Padilla]

Can you find the appropriate die to clean up the threads? It is frustrating trying to figure this stuff out and now Lee has tossed in that it might not be a "conventional" type of thread!!

[Duane Meadows]

... I checked the cost of new arbor and it is necessary to buy the whole motor (interesting!) and that is cost prohibitive relative to the original investment and value of the saw...So my options are getting limited on a cost/value basis..My original investment on this older saw is minimal but as I was taught as a boy: "Don't put good money after bad". .

Ahh, direct drive! If you can file the thread and get it to work safely, go for it. Otherwise, as you were taught.. "Don't put good money after bad". I would not waste money on a die for that. If you can borrow one, maybe.

Uh, oh! Think I am sounding a bit like a tool snob and I hate that.:(

[Jerry Olexa]

Lee, maybe you are providing the reason for the incompatibility...I read about that somewhere but assumed not the issue...I did order last night the proper "official" nut from Sears ($20 w postage) so maybe in a few days we'll know the real answer...Thanks for the valuable tip, Lee!!!
PS I'm originally a Pa. boy myself..Great state!!

[Chris Padilla]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screw_thread

You might find this interesting.

[Jerry Olexa]

Can you find the appropriate die to clean up the threads? It is frustrating trying to figure this stuff out and now Lee has tossed in that it might not be a "conventional" type of thread!!

Thanks Chris, good info....I'm not educated on use of "dies"...Basically,what is that? Assume its new or cleaning of the threads...Where do I go to pursue that? Thanks again, JO

[Rich Enders]

It is very likely that the arbor is hardened. As such chasing the arbor threads with a die, or even trying to file may be fruitless. You may have to use a grinder to clear any interference.

[glenn bradley]

Lee's got it, Acme threads appear to just be flattened off but, I have not found sharp-cut threads to be compatible in similar situations. The nut on the way oughta do it ;-)

[Chris Padilla]

Thanks Chris, good info....I'm not educated on use of "dies"...Basically,what is that? Assume its new or cleaning of the threads...Where do I go to pursue that? Thanks again, JO

Taps and dies, Jerry. A tap cuts threads in a hole or nut so that a screw can thread into it. A die cuts threads onto a rod thus creating a screw. Read that link from Wikipedia.

[Jerry Olexa]

Thank you all....I think together we found the "handle" on this...I learned more here than all my Google searches produced...Now we wait for my delivery from Sears ( projected next Monday-$7.99 total postage for one little nut)...Appreciate your input and effort..I'll let you know results...Again, thanks JO

PS Changing a blade shouldn't be this difficult!!!:)

[Ronald Blue]

Did you have any problems removing the old nut? As in it wouldn't spin off by hand? While it's possible someone managed to damage the arbor threads if you didn't have any issues removing the old nut I can't imagine that there is a serious problem. Can you see anything that appears to be a problem with the arbor threads. I believe Lee is correct on the Acme threads and it is also doubtful they are 11 threads per inch. Acme thread doesn't usually follow normal 60 degree thread pitch standards. The other thing is Acme is very rugged and it's unusual to have problems with it. I don't know if the arbor is hardened or not but it could be possible to dress the end with a small mill bastard file if necessary. I don't think it would be hardened beyond the range of being fileable with a quality file. It would then be at the point of breaking before it would bend. Just my thoughts which are free and you do get what you pay for....:).

[Justin Jump]

http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-dies/=sczide

5/8"-18 Die for $15.74. Small price to fix a big issue.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

My first thought was that if it was totally hosed, you could rethread it with a tap / die, but, since this is likely an acme thread, well, I have never noticed a tap / die for acme thread (but my exposure is limited in this area).

[Charles Lent]

Have you tried screwing the original nut on backwards?

If the threads in the nut have been damaged, they may be OK at the other end. If it screws on part way ( several revolutions), then your problem is likely just the nut. If it won't screw on at all, then the problem is more likely the arbor. Remember, it's quite likely to be a left hand thread. Looking carefully at the threads on each with a magnifying glass might show the damage and you can work on it with a file or small stone to clean it up until it works. The magnifying glass should also let you see if the threads are Standard or Acme. Standard threads come almost to a point and Acme threads are almost square.

Charley

[Jerry Olexa]

WOW!! more good info and guidance....Should the new nut not work, I'll go the Die or file route...Thanks much for your valuable advice,,You guys are better than Google!!!

[ray hampton]

WOW!! more good info and guidance....Should the new nut not work, I'll go the Die or file route...Thanks much for your valuable advice,,You guys are better than Google!!!

MAYBE the guys are Google

[Lee Schierer]

Here's a photo of the threads on a Craftsman TS Arbor. 291093 Notice the flats on top of each thread. The nut also has flats on its threads.

[Jerry Olexa]

Thank you Lee...I see the flats...Hopefully the new nut enroute will solve the issue....Thank you...

[Dick Brown]

Guys, either I or others are a bit confused about this whole issue. The picture that was posted has right hand thread. Some of the posts mention left hand thread. I am not familiar with Craftsman direct drive saws but all the other Craftsman saws that I have been around are left tilt which means right hand thread on the arbor. Right or left tilt, turn the nut to the front to loosen, turn to the rear to tighten.

[Lee Schierer]

Guys, either I or others are a bit confused about this whole issue. The picture that was posted has right hand thread. Some of the posts mention left hand thread. I am not familiar with Craftsman direct drive saws but all the other Craftsman saws that I have been around are left tilt which means right hand thread on the arbor. Right or left tilt, turn the nut to the front to loosen, turn to the rear to tighten.

No confusion where I sit. My arbor is right hand threaded. It is a belt drive saw and the arbor turns the same direction as the motor. The motor, if you could see it would be toward the open end of the thread hanging off the back of the saw. As teh saw starts the torque will tend to tighten the nut if it were ever left loose.

[scott spencer]

If the pic of the arbor above was taken from the front of the saw, it's a left tilt saw, which means it has a thread with a normal orientation (clockwise tightens). Right tilt saws use a reverse thread (counter clockwise tightens).

[Jerry Olexa]

Each of your response taught me something about the details of arbors, nuts, etc...Guess I'm spoiled. Over the years I've had new TS's which of course had no arbor issues...This my first exposure to an older "used" saw..
Anyway, there is good news and a happy ending!!!! The cherished arbor NUT from Sears arrived early and is now properly installed in the Tsaw..Turns out , as Scott, Lee and Glen confirmed: this is a LEFT tilt saw therefore it uses a right (conventional) turn nut...The new one attached smoothly and new blade is now installed...My arbor, "stripped threads" fears were dismissed...Knowledge is power...:)
THANK YOU all again sincerely..You educated me on the nuances of TS arbor life..so ALL is well....Again, the men (and ladies) of SMC came forward and bailed out a fellow WWer in need...Another example of the wealth of knowledge/experience available here on SMC!!! I am grateful!! Jerry