circular-saw
My 12 year old Black & Decker 7308 Type 7, 230 Volt A.C corded circular saw is struggling to rip 12 mm plywood; I have changed the blade and it still struggles to rip. Can you help me diagnose the problem?
Thanks
If you're sure it's the shaft that's loose, and not a misalignment in the blade attachment, then it's most likely one of the bearings supporting the shaft that's bad. Check for play in the bearing flange (Component 36). If that's solid, then check the bearing sleeve (component 13). Unfortunately if it's the armature that's damaged (component 3), then you're better off buying a new saw.
Despite what you might believe, those adjustment levers on most tools are not calibrated very well. Even on my table saw I regularly use a simple plastic 90-degree triangle to ensure my blade is aligned to the table. This is part of owning any tool and it's worth a few moments to verify everything is set up properly. A more expensive tool will simply buy you more time between calibrations but all tools should be checked with regular use.
Best Answer
Honestly, a 12 year old black and decker probably needs to go to the scrap yard. Low end saws are not built to be rebuildable, at least since the late 20th century (some 50 year old "low end" saws were a lot less "low end" in construction) - a 21st century low-end saw was usually built with "planned obsolescence" from the design phase forward.
Provide the exact model of your saw to check some details.
The one thing (if that's been left serviceable on this model) it might be worth trying is to replace the brushes if they are excessively worn. Beyond that, replacing the saw is far more likely to be cost-effective.