Retrieving a Lost Arbor Nut
George VondriskaDescription
George Vondriska teaches you a simple and time-efficient method for retrieving an arbor nut or washer that has fallen into the sawdust pile inside your table saw. Rather than trying to take apart the machine or wasting time rummaging around in the pile of stuff, George recommends using an extendable, magnetic pick-up tool.
Here's something I know I am not alone in. And that is, you do a blade change on your table saw and off comes the arbor nut, off comes the arbor washer and then lo and behold your hand gets a little stuck on the way out and the arbor washer falls. Now I run dust collection on my saw but especially with cabinet saws, it seems like there's always a pile of stuff down in there. So if I open the door on the side of the cabinet, well, it's my opportunity to clean all that stuff out, I guess. But, then I gotta clean all that out. I gotta find the Arbor washer. Here's the answer. This little magic wand has got a magnet on the end of it. So what I'm going to do from above is I'm going to probe. Now, there's kind of no telling how long this is gonna take. Cause we got to just poke around in the sawdust until something sticks. And then we do this. Come with me. And there it is. So, you dropped the arbor washer or the arbor nut down into that sawdust. Grab oooh that sticks. The whole table saw's gonna come up. Oh, there we go. Grab your magic wand to retrieve that. You can find these at places that sell auto repair stuff cause the other use for this, is you're working on an engine, you drop a bolt into a hard to reach spot. You can get down in there, retrieve the bolt. But they work great right here in the woodworking shop. Very inexpensive, real easy way to retrieve arbor washers and arbor nuts from the dust that lives down there under your table saw.
Be sure and get the one like George has here in the video with the bigger magnet end. They sell them with a much smaller tip and, trust me, it doesn't have the strength to pick up the washer or the nut. Yes, I have dropped both more than once... :)
George - your idea is great, but in my experience, the nut or washer is more likely to go down the throat of the dust collection shroud and a ways into the curved dust collection hose that connects the shroud to the opening at the back of the table saw. There, it is out of reach of a magnet with a straight rod. So I keep a small rare earth magnet that has a hole in it attached to the end of a length of twine on my tablesaw cart. Just drop the magnet down the throat of the shroud into the hose, jiggle the twine up and down until you hear it snap to the nut or washer and pull up to retrieve the errant part.
I've used this idea for years but with my own creation. A 1/2 inch rare earth magnet from Lee Valley in a steel cup for that purpose attached to a piece of 1/2 inch dowel http://www.leevalley.com/en/hardware/page.aspx?p=40077&cat=3,42363
George, have admired your broad knowledge and great handyworks. Using a magnet to retrive arbors and nuts are probably pretty common knowledge. A push claw tool should work on areas where other magnetic parts intefer with easy pick up. I found that the magnetic is very handy when re-installing the arbor or nut. Thanks for the all the tips and ideas!!
No commercial here George and great idea for all. I've got a couple of the extended magnetic wands in the shop because of engine work that shares the wood work and the yard work, well you know how it is. Been using your method for years. It also saves the old knees when that nut hits the floor. There are days I would just prefer not to get down on my knees to pick the darn thing up. Keep up all the good articles.
Hi George, not sure you meant to force a commercial on premium viewers, but it did just happen to this member...