# Please Help! Blade Height Won't Lock...



## SawTamer (Jun 5, 2010)

Hi All,

I'm hoping somebody with a Grizzly 1022 contractor saw can help me understand how the blade height locking mechanism is supposed to work. I've gone through the mechanism and made sure all the collars are tight and everything seems to be in order. However, when I set the blade height and tighten the height adjusting wheel's locking knob, each successive dado cut comes in at a different depth. This is frustrating as all get out as you can imagine. I haven't been able to figure out why this is happening, and I suspect it may be that I don't fully understand how the mechanism is supposed to work.

Any insights you can offer would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers!
Lance


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## littlevern (Sep 18, 2008)

Lance, is there a knob on the inside of the wheel which adjusts the blade height? This knob needs to be kept tight or the blade will work itself lower.


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## BobG (Apr 17, 2010)

I know it maybe an obvious thought but, are you raising the dado blade UP to the proper height, or lowering. IF you are lowering it, they usually have a tendency to drift down some more. No matter how tight you make the locking knob. Probably redundant but, I have done this myself in the early years of using a table saw.


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## SawTamer (Jun 5, 2010)

Thanks for input on this. I checked the handle and there is not a seperate knob inside the handle. It's one molded piece. I am also making sure that I raise the dato to height. In fact, it's so loose now that just turning on the saw is raising the blade height significantly (about .125"). Very frustrating…

Lance


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

IIRC, the G1022 lacked a locking knob….a fairly significant drawback. You may need to resort to rigging some sort of clamp to the wheel.


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## Gregn (Mar 26, 2010)

Have you tried cleaning and checking your blade height trunnion and worm gears. Also be sure to check the set screws for the worm gears to be sure they aren't slipping. Then lubricate them with grease.


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## swdst (May 31, 2015)

I have the g1022pro, and have the sane problem, mine has a wheel for adjusting, and a star knob in the middle, but the star knob only seems to hold the wheel to the shaft, and does nothing to lock the wheel


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

i have made a dedicated wedge
to go behind the adjustment wheel
raise the blade where you want it
and tap the wedge in between the saw body
and the adjustment wheel


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

From a quick glance at the parts diagram for that saw, it looks like that lock knob provides a friction lock against the pointer assembly… so, after time, that friction surface has probably worn and is slipping, or it's been worn down enough that the lock knob is running out of threads and can't be tightened any further. I'd be willing to bet that a fiber washer or something similar would fix the problem.. 
Cheers,
Brad


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## Ghidrah (Jan 20, 2015)

My Delta cab saw, (36-953) has a similar problem, while the blade doesn't rise or lower, (while in operation) the locking knob doesn't lock the blade in place no matter how hard you tighten it, the wheel can be rotated with little effort. I also tried the miter locking knob, (same knob) locks the miter down solid without excess torque, doesn't do a thing for the for the elevator.

Whatever the problem is it is deep within the shaft, there's no obvious rounding or flattening of the knobs tapered tip. Because the locking knob is tapered, I'm not willing to slide something into it to see if it is a length problem.

I gotta stop typing this, I'm getting excited.


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

> My Delta cab saw, (36-953) has a similar problem [...] the locking knob doesn't lock the blade in place no matter how hard you tighten it, the wheel can be rotated with little effort.
> 
> - Ghidrah


Common problem on Unisaws… the pot metal pointer bracket will wear a groove from the lock pins if you try adjusting the height with the wheel locked. Won't do it overnight, but over time and continued abuse, it will become deep enough that the lock pins no longer engage. Pretty simple fix - just replace the pointer bracket. Only have to take off the hand wheel and remove two screws to replace it. And you might as well replace the lock pins while you have it off (~$1 a piece).










Cheers,
Brad


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## CMS2 (Sep 15, 2015)

Brad,
Would you happen to know the part number for the pot metal pointer bracket?
Thanks
Chuck


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

> Would you happen to know the part number for the pot metal pointer bracket?


422-04-014-5008 according to the parts diagram for a 1985 model.. I believe the 'old' part number was LTA-459, but it's the same part, just using the old numbering scheme. Check the parts diagram for your Unisaw to verify.

Cheers,
Brad


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