An arbor hole is the central hole that is found in a saw blade and provides the point at which the blade is connected to the arbor, another part of the saw. The term is also used to refer to the hole that is used to receive an arbor that is connected to a brush on various types of machines. In both cases, the arbor hole is bored to match the specifications of the arbor that will be used to connect the components. Doing so helps to ensure that that the fit is secure and there is no additional room that could cause slippage and interfere with the efficient use of the equipment.
The arbor itself is simply a component that makes it possible to connect the saw blade or the brush to another component in a piece of machine. In this sense, the arbor functions as a male connector that fits into the hole drilled into the body of the blade and completes the assembly process for the machine. When the arbor hole is drilled to exactly the precise specifications required, the saw blade is held sturdily in place, with no opportunity for the blade to sway or waver in any way during use. This is important, since the ability to control the blade depends a great deal on the proper cutting of the arbor hole. Along with making it possible to use the saw with precision, eliminating the wavering of the blade also minimizes the potential for sustaining an injury while using the saw.
Key to the success of properly configuring an arbor hole is the use of the right equipment to plot the location, length, width, and depth of the hole on the saw blade. The drilling of an arbor hole is often managed with a device known as an arbor hole cutter. This device is used to measure the dimensions of the opening needed to accommodate the arbor used in the equipment design. While cutters in years past were devices that relied on measurements taken manually to plan the drilling, most today make use of computer technology to plot the location and the dimensions of the hole, increasing the chances of achieving the perfect cut.
An arbor hole may also be used in the assembly of many different types of machinery. The hole is often essential in assembling components that must move in specific directions in order to complete essential tasks. Along with brushes and saw blades, an arbor hole may be intrinsic to the design of equipment using grinding wheels or drive shafts of some type. Even devices as simple as lawn edgers utilize this type of hole in the design, often as a means of holding the cutting blade in position so that the edging can be more precise and uniform.
By Malcolm Tatum