Why does my circular saw keep binding?
Your circular saw keeps binding because of bowing guide, improper support or a dull blade. Other possible reasons why your circular saw keeps binding is due to the workpiece being too thin, a dirty blade or wrong amount of teeth in the blade.
Why does a circular saw guide bow?
Sometimes, putting too much force on cutting your workpiece causes your circular saw guide to bow. This will eventually skew your cut and start binding your circular saw.
Improper support
Support helps in keeping your workpiece steady as you work with your circular saw. However, your circular saw might keep on binding due to improper support. This could be due to the support placed far from each other. If this happens and you’re cutting in the middle of the workpiece, the circular blade would most likely feel more compact; thus, causing your circular blade to keep binding.
What causes dull circular saw blade?
A sharp and good-conditioned blade should be one of the top priorities before using your circular saw. If you notice that the teeth of your circular saw blade are dull, this will cause you not to properly cut the workpiece and instead graze the kerf.
The main reasons why your circular saw blade might have grown dull are due to metal scraping, bad quality of the blade, unsharpened blade, or using a hardwood workpiece.
It is best to check the condition of your blade from time to time by caressing the edges of the teeth properly and carefully.
Thin workpiece
Commonly, the reasons why your circular saw keeps binding are due to the issue of the circular saw itself. However, you should also take time to check the workpiece that you are cutting.
The workpiece might be too thin to get cut and it causes the material to bend when you start cutting. This could also pinch the blade so this needs extra care and work. Proper handling of the workpiece is advisable or much better to change your workpiece.
Tarnished circular sawblade
Regular usage of your circular saw causes friction that will eventually heat up your circular saw blade. When this happens, sawdust is likely to stick to the surface and will melt on the circular saw blade. This melted sawdust that clings to the saw blade will not be removed quite easily.
Moreover, a circular saw that has been idle and unused for a long period will possibly rust. This could lead to the circular saw blade having rough edges and surfaces. Thus, contributing to more friction and sawdust melting. This will likely cause your circular saw blade to bind as you try to use it.
Wrong number of teeth in the blade
A correct number of teeth in your circular saw blade is essential to make it work properly. Once your circular saw blade has one missing tooth, this will most probably cause the binding.
The number of teeth of your circular saw blade is responsible for properly removing the chips during the cutting process. So, if the gullet does not have adequate space to store the chips, it will likely congest inside and will cause your circular saw to keep binding with the workpiece.
How to fix a circular saw that keeps binding?
To fix a circular saw that keeps binding try replacing the dull circular saw blade, placing proper support, or cleaning the dirty circular saw blade.
How to replace your dull circular saw blade?
One way to fix your circular saw that keeps binding is to replace your dull circular saw blade. You can fix your circular saw that keeps binding by following these steps:
- Unplug or remove the battery of your circular saw blade.
- Hold the blade in place using either a vise grip or pliers.
- Remove the bolt attaching the blade to the gear by loosening it.
- Remove the flange.
- Lift out the blade and slowly pull it away from the blade housing.
- Clean the blade housing if it is dirty.
- Follow the arrow directions in placing the blade. The print should be facing outside.
- Set the flange in place.
- Fasten back the clutch bolt and use the vise grip or pliers to lock down the blade.
- Use the screwdriver to tighten the bolt.
How to place a proper support for your work piece?
One of the reasons why your circular saw keeps binding is due to an improper place of your support. Here are the steps to fix your circular saw that keeps binding:
- Get at least 2 wood supports or wedges.
- Place the two supports close to each other but with enough space.
- Position the wedges near the cut.
- Allot at least 1 to 2 feet distance between the two wedges.
- Start cutting.
How to clean your dirty circular saw blade?
Sometimes your circular saw blade gets dirty due to melted sawdust or rust. To fix your circular saw blade that keeps binding, follow these steps:
- Use a vise grip or pliers to hold your blade.
- Unfasten the arbor nut using a screwdriver or screwdriver drill.
- Once the arbor nut is loose, remove the arbor nut.
- Remove as well the flange.
- Lift the blade and gently slide it out of the blade casing.
- Get a neat and sturdy saw blade brush.
- Use the brush to wipe away some dust on the blade.
- Get a concentrated laundry detergent and water.
- Put the blade neatly on a flat pan.
- Combine together the concentrated laundry detergent and water in a 50-50 solution.
- Pour the solution over the blade.
- Let the blade soak in the solution for half an hour.
- When the dirt starts to lift off the teeth of the blade, use a bristle brush to scrub them off.
- Once the blade is all clean and neat, let it dry for a few minutes.
- Use rust inhibited spray as well to avoid rust on your circular saw blade.
Why does my circular saw keep warping?
If your circular saw keeps warping it may be due to a dull saw blade, the wrong type of material being cut or an overheated blade.
How to know when your circular saw blade is dull?
Due to continuous usage, your circular saw blade tends to wear out over time. Some possible signs that your circular saw blade is dull are the following:
- The cut becomes slower
- The saw blade starts binding
- The saw blade has more chips
- The saw blade generates a burn on the workpiece
- The circular saw begins smoking
Thus, noticing these signs on your circular saw blade is essential in determining if it is dull. If your circular saw blade is dull, it needs to be sharpened, cleaned, or replaced depending on the type of blade that your circular saw has.
When to replace a bad workpiece?
One of the common reasons why your circular saw keeps warping is due to a bad workpiece. Sometimes, a bad ply causes blade issues such as tearing up the blade’s teeth. The components on the surface of the workpiece play a major role in this. Aside from that, the resin might also be the culprit in causing your circular saw blade problems.
Therefore, it is best to check the workpiece that you will be using or cutting. Make sure that it won’t damage your circular saw blade.
What causes an overheated circular saw blade?
An overheated circular saw blade might be the reason why your circular saw keeps warping. The primary cause of an overheated circular saw is mainly because the saw is overworking itself compared to its size and capability. Other reasons include maximum cut depth, a saw blade pushed too hard to cut, a rough workpiece and a blunt circular saw blade.
It is advisable to identify the underlying reasons for overheating. If it’s a blunt saw blade, consider replacing it.
How to fix a circular saw that keeps warping?
To fix your circular saw that keeps warping try sharpening your circular saw blade, use a good workpiece with a stamp, not pushing too hard in the cutting process, or switching your circular saw blade.
How to sharpen your circular Saw blade?
A possible reason why your circular saw keeps warping is due to a dull blade. To fix your circular saw that keeps warping, follow these steps:
- Get a piece of scrap wood with 5 inches in length and 3 inches in width and sandpaper.
- Put glue on the wood and wrap the wood with 220-grit sandpaper.
- Clean the circular saw blade.
- Once all cleaned, fix the saw blade into a bench vise.
- Mark the first tooth of the saw blade.
- Apply any oil or lubricant onto the sandpaper.
- Start filing the tooth using the sanding block.
- File each tooth about five times.
- Repeat the same process for each saw blade tooth.
How to switch circular saw blade?
Another reason why your circular saw blade keeps warping is due to a blade issue. Here are the steps to fix your circular saw blade that keeps warping:
- Find the arbor lock button on the back of the blade.
- Press the button and get a wrench to unfasten the arbor nut that is attached to the saw blade.
- Twist the wrench until you hear a clicking sound. This means your blade has been unfastened from the gear.
- Remove the arbor nut and the washer.
- Retract the blade guard.
- Slide the saw blade out carefully.
- Get the new circular saw blade and slide it inside the casing.
- Re-attach the washer and the arbor nut.
- Use a wrench to secure the arbor nut until it is locked.
Why does my circular saw not cut straight?
The reason why your circular saw is not cutting straight is due to loosened arbor nut, low-quality saw blade or an unstable workpiece.
Loose arbor nut
Due to heavy usage of the circular saw, it is most likely that the arbor nut starts to loosen. This will prompt the bolt not to secure the blade in its right place. Thus, it will cause the circular saw not to cut straight.
An evident hint of a loose arbor nut is a wobbling saw blade. It will be hard for you to navigate and cut straight due to the wobble.
When to know if your circular saw blade is a Low quality?
A circular saw blade should be made in tough materials like carbide and tungsten to work properly. If you have a blade that has a bad quality, you will notice that the saw blade is not that sharp and can be easily damaged. Trying to cut hardwood with a metal part using your circular saw might easily cause your blade to be blunt and bend.
Aside from that, the melted sawdust would likely stick on the surface and cling to your saw blade. This would likely cause the warping, binding, or the circular saw blade not cutting straight.
Unstable Workpiece
It is essential to have a stable workpiece in the cutting process. Another reason why your circular saw is not cutting straight is due to an unstable workpiece. When cutting, the workpiece should be fixed and unmoving. If the workpiece is unsteady, it is most likely that you can’t cut it properly.
How to fix a circular saw that doesn’t cut straight?
To fix your circular saw that doesn’t cut straight, try stabilizing your workpiece, tightening the arbor nut, or replacing a poor-quality circular saw blade.
How to stabilize your workpiece?
To use your circular saw properly, you need a steady workpiece while you are cutting. To avoid the workpiece from moving during the cutting process, you need to get a clamp and use it to hold the workpiece in place.
If you don’t have any clamp near you, you can ask someone to hold the workpiece in place for a bit during the cutting process. You can also consider fastening some areas of the workpiece using screws to steady it but it is not the best recommendation.
How to secure the arbor nut?
Another reason why your circular saw doesn’t cut straight is due to a loosened arbor nut attached to the saw blade. Here are the steps to fix a circular saw that doesn’t cut straight:
- Unplug or remove the battery of the circular saw.
- Check the circular saw arbor nut and inspect if it has loosened.
- Once you have confirmed that your circular saw has a loosened arbor nut, tighten the nut using a blade wrench.
- Turn the wrench clockwise if you have a right-handed circular saw; turn it clockwise if you have a left-handed circular saw.
- Make sure that the nut is secured and refrain from overtightening it.
How to replace a poor-quality circular saw blade?
These are the steps to replace a poor-quality circular saw blade that causes your circular saw not to cut straight:
- Hold in place the blade using a vise grip or pliers.
- Use a blade wrench to unfasten the arbor nut.
- Remove the arbor nut along with the washer.
- Move aside the blade guard.
- Heave the blade a little and carefully pull it out of the blade casing.
- Clean any dirt on the casing.
- Get the new saw blade and check the label on the blade.
- Follow the arrow indicated on the blade and gently slide it inside the casing.
- Make sure that the print is facing outside.
- Put back the washer and the arbor nut.
- Secure the nut with the blade wrench.
- Try to move the guard once again.
