How to change a 210mm saw blade on a mitre or table saw
Updated: 22 October 2026
The new disc is on the bench, the old one is dull, and the bolt will not tell you which way it turns until you have read the saw. How to change a 210mm saw blade comes down to isolation, the rotation arrow, a ring that both flanges can clamp, and the guard back in place before any timber touches the teeth. This page is that sequence for a UK mitre saw or compact table saw, written from public manuals and the amazon.co.uk files in the [210x30 saw blade comparison](/hub/saw-accessories/210x30-saw-blade). It is not a ranking and not a lab procedure. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
The new disc is on the bench, the old one is dull, and the bolt will not tell you which way it turns until you have read the saw.
The new disc is on the bench, the old one is dull, and the bolt will not tell you which way it turns until you have read the saw. How to change a 210mm saw blade comes down to isolation, the rotation arrow, a ring that both flanges can clamp, and the guard back in place before any timber touches the teeth. This page is that sequence for a UK mitre saw or compact table saw, written from public manuals and the amazon.co.uk files in the 210x30 saw blade comparison. It is not a ranking and not a lab procedure. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Rings | Kerf | Plate | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Saxton Blades Saxton Blades TCT21080T 80-tooth | 16, 20, 25 mm | 2.6 mm | 1.6 mm | 8.5 | about £15.99 | View offer |
| Best value |  Rennie Tool Company Rennie 80-tooth blade | 16, 20, 25 mm | 2.5 mm | 1.6 mm | 8.0 | about £12.99 | View offer |
| Alternative |  Trend Trend CSB/21048 48-tooth | None listed | 2.4 mm | Not stated | 7.4 | about £19.99 | View offer |
On this page
Before you start
Unplug a corded saw, or remove the battery, and wait until the blade has stopped before you touch the bolt. Evolution's R210CMS and Draper's 210 mm mitre instructions both start with the mains disconnected. Bosch's en-GB manual starts by removing the battery. Wear eye protection. Left-hand thread is common on mitre saws: Evolution and Draper both loosen clockwise. A table-saw arbor can be the other way. If diameter, bore and kerf are still unchecked, use the buying guide first. Evolution's R210SMS publishes a 25.4 mm bore.
Remove the old blade
Raise the guard, engage the spindle lock, and keep your fingers off the teeth. Do not jam a screwdriver into the gullets. Note which face of the outer flange was against the blade, because sawdust there makes the next blade wobble. Keep a sound ring with its blade and bin a cracked one. Clean the arbor and both flanges until metal meets metal. HSE's WIS16 treats the riving knife as part of through-cutting. Do not remove it to make the next blade easier. If the knife is bent or missing, or a flange is scored, stop.
Rings and the 30 mm bore
A 30 mm hole on a 30 mm arbor, such as the DWE7485, needs no ring. A smaller arbor needs the matching ring, and only if both flanges cover it. Saxton and Rennie include 16, 20 and 25 mm rings. Trend's 48-tooth file and the DeWalt XR files list no ring. Seat the ring flush, then offer the blade to the arbor. One BAUBECK reviewer found a Ryobi would not clamp once the ring was in. Stop, and do not add a washer the manual does not show. One Saxton 60-tooth reviewer measured 29.85 mm. Ease a burr by hand with the saw isolated. If the blade will not sit flat, leave it out.
Fit the new blade
Match the arrow on the blade to the arrow on the guard. On a mitre saw the teeth at the front usually point down, into the fence. Confirm that on your saw. A backwards blade burns and loads the motor. Refit the outer flange the same way round and tighten on the spindle lock, without a cheater bar. Spin the blade by hand while the saw is still isolated. A scrape means the blade is not seated, the ring is proud, or the kerf is narrower than the knife. More torque does not fix a narrow kerf. The riving knife page has the DWE7485 numbers.
After fitting
Put the guard back and confirm it returns. On a table saw the knife should be thicker than the plate, thinner than the kerf, and within 8 mm of the teeth at table level. The DWE7485 manual states a 2.2 mm knife, a 2.4 mm kerf and a 1.6 mm body. A 1.8 mm kerf, or a blade that only says thin kerf, will bind. Do not grind the knife and do not run without it. Restore power for a no-load spin, then a short cut in scrap.
Common questions
Which way does the bolt turn?
Check the manual for your saw. Left-hand thread is common on UK mitre saws, and Evolution's R210CMS and Draper's 210 mm instructions both loosen clockwise. A table saw can be the opposite. There is no single direction that covers every 210 mm machine in this comparison. If the bolt will not move, confirm isolation and the thread before you add a longer bar.
Which way should the teeth point?
Match the arrow on the blade to the arrow on the saw. On a typical mitre saw the teeth at the front point down, so the cut is into the fence. Confirm that on your guard, because a table saw and a mitre saw do not present the teeth to you in the same view. A backwards blade burns and loads the motor even when the bore is correct.
Do I fit the ring before the blade?
Seat the ring in the blade so it is flush, then put that assembly on the arbor, then the outer flange. On a 30 mm arbor you skip the ring. The flange has to clamp the ring on a smaller arbor. If the flange cannot cover it, as one Ryobi owner found with a BAUBECK ring, the blade does not run.
Can I swap blades without adjusting the riving knife?
Only if the new kerf still clears the knife and the plate is still thinner than the knife. On a DWE7485 the manual's knife is 2.2 mm and the manual's blade kerf is 2.4 mm. A 1.8 mm kerf will not pass. You adjust or change the knife the manual allows, or you change the blade. You do not delete the knife for the afternoon.
What if the bore feels tight at about 29.85 mm?
One Saxton 60-tooth reviewer measured 29.85 mm and had to ease the hole. Paint or a burr in the bore can do that. Ease it by hand with the saw unplugged, and stop if the blade still will not sit flat on the flange. Forcing it onto a damaged arbor ovalises the hole. One DeWalt 60-tooth review describes a centre hole that was not round. That blade goes back.
When should a professional take over?
Stop if the guard spring is broken, the riving knife is bent or missing, the flange is scored, or the arbor thread is damaged. Stop if you need to cut mild steel and the only evidence is a bullet on a wood blade. If the saw is work equipment under PUWER, a competent person should confirm the knife and guard after a blade change, not a guess from a product photo.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources and maker pages from the research digest, last checked on 20 October 2026.
- HSE Woodworking Information Sheet WIS16 (retrieved 20 October 2026)
- HSE: Woodworking machinery standards (retrieved 20 October 2026)
- BSI BS EN 847-1:2017 (retrieved 20 October 2026)
- DeWalt DWE7485 UK instruction manual (retrieved 20 October 2026)
- Evolution R210SMS 210 mm sliding mitre saw (retrieved 20 October 2026)
- Screwfix Erbauer wood TCT saw blade 210 mm x 30 mm 40T (retrieved 20 October 2026)
- Bosch Professional UK PRO Wood circular saw blade (retrieved 20 October 2026)