TS blade vibrations

[Mike Becker]

Even though it's only a contractor's tablesaw it has been giving my good service, until now. Lately my TS has been doing something out of the ordinary. When making a cut, the blade will start vibrating (goes out of resonance, as it were) causing the cut to be ruined. If I take just a skim-cut, everything is fine but a full cut, vibration always sets in.

I use full-kerf blades, mostly Freuds but recently I started using a Forrest WWII (excellent blade!) and even this blade vibrates. But it had just started doing this towards the end of last year. Since the WWII was put into service last August, cutting some very hard woods, I just figured it was time for a resharpening and replaced it with one of my resharpened (by Forrest) Freuds. It too vibrated...

The next thing that came to mind was a bad arbor bearing, or some other looseness under the table but when I checked everything checked out to be in good shape, nice and tight. I then added a 3" stabilizer to the nut-side of the blade but it still vibrates, albiet not quite as bad.

Guys, what's my next step here. This was never a problem until maybe last November and it happens with every blade I have tried, from the WWII to the very first Freud I bought. I'm at a loss as to my next move. That little voice of mine is saying "bad arbor bearings!" even thought I cannot detect any play in the arbor...

Any suggestions???

Thanks!

[tod evans]

mike, just for grins run to the local auto parts store and get a "cogged" v-belt of the correct length. it may or may not fix your problem but for a couple of bucks you`ll have eliminated one potential source...02 tod

[Kristian Wild]

I think the cogged belt option is a good suggestion, or even a link-belt to really rule out belt flutter. However I think it's more likely that your problem is actually in the arbour bearings. There doesn't have to be enough runout for you to feel play in it to cause vibration when running at full speed.

I'm sure you've already checked this but I once was having a similar crappy-cut problem and after checking everything I could think of I finally found a little lump of black gunk stuck to the inner, permanent blade stiffener (part of the arbor). I had glanced at it before and thought it was just a stain, but it was a tiny bit raised. I think it was a little chip of the magnetic dado spacers that got perma-pressed against the disc when tightened down.

Might be worth a look

[scott spencer]

You could also check your pulley alignment. While you're there, check the pulleys themselves for any damage or wear.

[Steve Clardy]

I'd go with the belt. Standard belts get dry, hard, and get a set to them.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

sounds like a bearing to me. No vibration will they are loaded? Yah. Then increasing vibration? Yah. Bearings.

Pull 'em and replace 'em. It's cheap. If it's the bearings as I suspect they may vibrate enough to damage the seats. That would be serious.

[Kyle Kraft]

I'll second that on the bearings. Cheaper to replace now then after the arbor or trunnion is trashed.

Kyle in K'zoo

[Mike Becker]

Well, my saw doesn't use a V-styled belt but a micro-V or micro-groove or micro-ribbed belt but damn if I can remember the proper term for it. I do have a spare and on my next trip out to the shop I will replace it as well as check the pulley alignment. But I have to admit, the bearings going bad has that certain "ring" to it. The arbor will be the next thing to be pulled if the new belt has no effect.

Thanks guys...

[scott kinninger]

Does anyone have suggestions or a link to a site that gives some good instructions about replacing bearings? I had a site saved once but the computer took a dump so that was lost.
I have a 25 year old Craftsman.