UncleApple Posted July 17, 2017 Report Share Posted July 17, 2017 For those out there who are long time Dewalt DW788 users, have any of you replaced the plastic set screws with metal? I'm really struggling with keeping blades tensioned even after sanding each end of a blade. Seems like the plastic doesn't want to grip hard enough on the blade to keep it tight. Suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmmcrafts Posted July 17, 2017 Report Share Posted July 17, 2017 15 minutes ago, UncleApple said: For those out there who are long time Dewalt DW788 users, have any of you replaced the plastic set screws with metal? I'm really struggling with keeping blades tensioned even after sanding each end of a blade. Seems like the plastic doesn't want to grip hard enough on the blade to keep it tight. Suggestions? Plastic set screw? I bought my saw Type 2 New back in around 2009.. Mine came new with metal set screws.. I've never seen a DeWalt with plastic set screws.. and I've bought lots of replacements over the years and I've never received plastic set screws either.. Are you sure they are plastic? They do come coated with blue lock-tite threat locker to help them stay in place.. that stuff resembles plastic but the screw is metal.. If you really do have plastic I'd be changing them as I bet that is your problem.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleApple Posted July 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2017 4 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said: Plastic set screw? I bought my saw Type 2 New back in around 2009.. Mine came new with metal set screws.. I've never seen a DeWalt with plastic set screws.. and I've bought lots of replacements over the years and I've never received plastic set screws either.. Are you sure they are plastic? They do come coated with blue lock-tite threat locker to help them stay in place.. that stuff resembles plastic but the screw is metal.. If you really do have plastic I'd be changing them as I bet that is your problem.. Bought mine last year. I'm referring to the upper & lower thumb screws used to hold the blade in place...they are hard-plastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC Scroller Posted July 17, 2017 Report Share Posted July 17, 2017 40 minutes ago, UncleApple said: Bought mine last year. I'm referring to the upper & lower thumb screws used to hold the blade in place...they are hard-plastic. The hard plastic on the thumb screws are glued to metal screws. They are really just handles. Trust us the business end is metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ike Posted July 17, 2017 Report Share Posted July 17, 2017 I will have to check mine out . I thought the whole set screw was haardened metel. IKE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgman Posted July 18, 2017 Report Share Posted July 18, 2017 As was mentioned, the thumb screws are metal with plastic ends to tighten. On the working end is a movable tip called the anvil. The anvil often gets rounded over and shiny from tightening the blade against the set screw. The anvil is replaceable as is the whole thumb screw. But it's just as easy to dress the anvil. I have a simple jig to dress the anvil. Go over to Works In Progress And Tutorials here at the Village where I have a great tip with pictures. It is titled Simple Jig For Blade Slippage. I just bumped it the top so it will be easy to find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmmcrafts Posted July 18, 2017 Report Share Posted July 18, 2017 Now that Dan mentioned the anvil... also check to be sure that it will spin freely in the end of the thumb screw..when I first started sawing with the DeWalt.. that was one of my first issues with blades.. that little bugger would barely move, I had to soak it down with some oil to get it to move freely as it should.. Of coarse.. also make sure you clean off all that oil or you'll have a whole other problem, LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrappile Posted July 18, 2017 Report Share Posted July 18, 2017 Also, the fact that you want to turn the screw tighter, makes me concerned that you may have spread the clamp apart by over tightening. Not sure how you check that, but it happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amazingkevin Posted July 18, 2017 Report Share Posted July 18, 2017 I need loctite on the other side of the blade holder it keeps working it's self out ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberta Moreton Posted July 18, 2017 Report Share Posted July 18, 2017 Pull the thing out, flatten it on some sandpaper, you are done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleApple Posted July 27, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2017 Thanks everyone for their replies! I would have bet that they were hard-plastic, but their not... As it turned out, the issue wasn't related to the set screws at all. The bolt that goes through the tension-control lever had become loose so during operation I was loosing my tension. I have since corrected that problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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