Amber R. King-Southern Posted March 18, 2019 Report Share Posted March 18, 2019 Hello scrollers I got a craftsman 16” variable speed scroll saw for Christmas. I’m having a heck of a time tightening my pinless blades in. Please help I don’t know what to do. lawson56 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WayneMahler Posted March 18, 2019 Report Share Posted March 18, 2019 Amber Do you mean tightening the blade in the holder or getting it to tension correctly ? kmmcrafts 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jollyred Posted March 18, 2019 Report Share Posted March 18, 2019 Looking at the picture, it seems there is a gap in the middle of the tightening screw. The ends of the screw should be parallel to get the best grip on the blade. If it is a new saw, take it back to the store for a replacement, or have them get a replacement tightening screw. You might be able to file or sand the end flat, also. Good luck with your saw. kmmcrafts 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTTHECLOCKMAN Posted March 18, 2019 Report Share Posted March 18, 2019 There should be an allen screw on the opposite side of the screw that you use to tighten the blade. You need to screw that in some so that it is just even or a little proud of that edge of the holder. You want the screw you use to tighten the blade and that set screw to hold the blade. It looks like it takes a tool to tighten the blade. If that screw that you use the tool in does not screw in far enough that it touches the other side of the clamp then one of two things need to be done. Screw the allen screw in further from the right side (looking at the clamp) or change out that tightening screw to a longer one or bring it back. That saw has a tendency to be a problem with holding thin blades because of this. That flat head allen screw does not look too long and it maybe bottoming out before it gets to the blade. The thinner the blade the further it needs to travel inwards. Hope this makes sense. kmmcrafts and OCtoolguy 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawson56 Posted March 18, 2019 Report Share Posted March 18, 2019 My 1st saw was a Craftman,had to use the allen wrench,Had no problem with it at all.Hope you get it solved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber R. King-Southern Posted March 18, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2019 The blade keeps popping out when I go to tighten it with the Allen wrench they gave me. It’s very frustrating. Will take me 5-10 minutes just to get the blade tightened in the holder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teachnlearn Posted March 18, 2019 Report Share Posted March 18, 2019 It might be the picture, but Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTTHECLOCKMAN Posted March 19, 2019 Report Share Posted March 19, 2019 9 hours ago, Amber R. King-Southern said: The blade keeps popping out when I go to tighten it with the Allen wrench they gave me. It’s very frustrating. Will take me 5-10 minutes just to get the blade tightened in the holder Did you read what I wrote and is any of that helpful. I do not understand the popping out. lets step back to basics a minute. First thing is to sand the ends of the blades to get all oils off the blades. Always need to do this!!!!!! next make sure the setscrew on the right side is protruding far enough to be even with edge of clamp ( I am going on the assumption that allen screw is long enough to reach the other side without bottoming out) That is a must also!!! Take that allen screw all the way out and examine it. It should be flat or have a round ridge on it all the way around. Make sure it is clean and free from oils and if really shinny hit with some sandpaper. The opposite screw needs to be the exact same. It too could have oil on it. What you maybe experiencing is the blades are slipping out due to oil contamination on the blade screws or both. Or the screws are too shinny and metal on metal will slip easily. Lets start there. But make sure that allen screw is not bottoming out when tightening. That can prevent you from applying enough torque on the blade. Hopefully that screw is not stripped either. Does the screw come to a stop when you tighten with allen wrench. ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber R. King-Southern Posted March 19, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2019 Ok let’s see. It will keep ahold of the blade just fine once I get it to stay. The problem I’m having is when I go to tighten the blade down the pressure will make the blade pop out between the two screws I roughed up the screws ends but not the blade. I will try that today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WayneMahler Posted March 19, 2019 Report Share Posted March 19, 2019 This can also happen if you have an oil build up between the clamping screws. Remove the screws and clean them with alcohol or something similar. Then wiped down the ends of the blades before you insert them into the clamps . If the screws have and polished marks on them, sand them even with some 220 and then clean and re-install. Hope this helps with your issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberta Moreton Posted March 19, 2019 Report Share Posted March 19, 2019 I think I understand the problem. When the knob turns, it twists the blade out instead of tightening it. Take the screw knob thing out and Lightly Sand it flat, I have to do this with my Excalibur sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTTHECLOCKMAN Posted March 20, 2019 Report Share Posted March 20, 2019 (edited) If that is the case then what I would do is switch the 2 screws around. If they are the same thread size which usually are. What this will do is hold the blade in to the back of the clamp as you tighten. Other wise you need to hold the blade and tighten that allen screw. That is why you always see the thumbscrews on the right side of the clamp Clockwise tightens against the clamp. Unless I am see things wrong because your explanations are so short and not much info in them to help you. Trying but you have to help us to help you. Are you tightening from the right side or the left?? I do not have that saw and never seen this saw but trying to help you. What does the bottom clamp look like?? Is the blade only slipping out of the top clamp?? How is the bottom of the blade get locked in?? Looking at that photo it looks like that screw bottoms out and there is a huge gap to the other side so you need to close that up and I explained how to do that. I found this video on utube and the guy is a first time scrollsaw user so not much info from there but he shows that wrench to be used from the left side. If that is the case see if you can reverse it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvhljrQlHYY Edited March 20, 2019 by JTTHECLOCKMAN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tgiro Posted March 20, 2019 Report Share Posted March 20, 2019 I blew up the picture of the clamp to show the problem. That gap between the ends of the set screw and the other one is your problem. The ends of those screws should be flush with one another - no gaps. There can be two reasons for this. 1 - The screw ends are worn and need to be resurfaced or replaced. The easiest way is to take the screws out and take them to Lowes or HD and get new ones. 2 - The clamps has separated and will not let the screws line up flush. It looks like that clamp is a cast aluminum piece and that can happen when people over tighten screws. When one has the problems you are having, you tend to try and over tighten the screws. That causes the front part of the clamp to spread, which causes the screws to come together at an angle and you will never get a good clamp. I would try replacing or cleaning the screws first. To clean them - Take a piece of wood about 2" wide X 3" long and 1/4 - 3/8 " thick. Drill two 7/32" holes about an inch apart on the center line of the board. Screw your screws through the holes you made until the ends are just proud of the other side of the board. Lay a piece of 22 grit sand paper on a flat surface - grit side up. Put the board on the paper and slide it around until the ends of the screws are shiny with no marks or nicks. Take the screws out of the board and put them back in the saw and test to see if the gap is gone. If it is - you're back in business. If not - then you will have to check Sears Parts online to see if they still have that clamp available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTTHECLOCKMAN Posted March 20, 2019 Report Share Posted March 20, 2019 Nice job with the blow up. That helps. I still would flip the screws or tighten with the one on the right as opposed to the left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber R. King-Southern Posted March 21, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2019 Thank you for all your input. Top and bottom clamps are the same I have the same problem with both clamps. The top I tighten on the right the bottom I tighten on the left. The clamps are identical aside from the screws are on the opposite sides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTTHECLOCKMAN Posted March 21, 2019 Report Share Posted March 21, 2019 2 hours ago, Amber R. King-Southern said: Thank you for all your input. Top and bottom clamps are the same I have the same problem with both clamps. The top I tighten on the right the bottom I tighten on the left. The clamps are identical aside from the screws are on the opposite sides. So the guy in the video was wrong by saying the large head screw is the tightening screw. The tightening screws should be on the same side to the right. I do not know which screw is the tightening screw. To me it would make more sense that the large head screw is but if the allen key is not the size for that then it is the other one. As mentioned you need to close the gap between the screws some how and examples of what to do were mentioned good luck I am out of this conversation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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