This is my 10" power miter saw also known as a "Chop Saw".  Since my use of these tools has been at different times in my life and only for short periods of time I did not know how ,or ever have to change a blade on one.

While using this saw recently, it started to smoke like crazy while cutting wood and I couldn't imagine why.  Didn't think too much about it really.  Well I was telling someone who has used them a lot and he said it was because the blade was dull and needed to be sharpened and/or changed.  OK, so I went a bought a new blade.  A really good one as I don't want to change them often.  They are costly.  They come with different size and number of "teeth" on the.  Some for general cutting and some for special materials and some for fine finish work so you get nice clean  cuts.  I didn't buy the most expensive but I did buy a really good one for fine cuts.  I was told that there should be a tool to use to take the bolt off and it should be somewhere connected to the saw.  My friend could not find it.  While at the store I asked someone to show me where it would be as they have that same saw there.  He did show me and in fact there is a tool attached in the back side of the saw for this purpose.

Now the problem was that I was not strong enough to hold down the button that locks the blade in place and use the tool to loosen the bolt.  It was nearly impossible because of their location.  But, I posted on Facebook that I was going to have to "rely on a "Man" to help me.  Ugh!!!  I hate to have to even ask.  One of my guy friends told me to put a 2X4 under the blade.  (lodge it) and so I decided to try that and it worked.  It held the blade tight enough so it wouldn't turn for me to loosen the bolt and change the blade.  The same for putting the new one on.  I never would have thought of that on my own so I am writing here to help any other "women" who might be undertaking these projects and come into this problem.

That was the whole point of this post.  To hopefully make someone elses frustration go away.  The new blade cuts like butter and the edges are so fine they feel satiny.  LOVE the new blade. 

Thanks for stopping by.  Hope I have been of some help.

Yesterday I went to a friends house for a little art journal play and to see some of my friends.  What a lovely day.  As my grandmother would say..... "It was grand." 

Anyway, the above pages are what came out of the play time.  I am pleased with it.  We were asked to pick a symbol that meant something to us and I picked the music Treble Clef for a couple of reasons.  First, I love music.  Whenever I am struggling with something or even when I'm not I"m almost always listening to the radio or music of some kind. I find it healing in many different ways. Even when I'm sleeping I have the radio on  because if I turn it off I tend to dream nightmares.   I am trying to get away from it though and dealing with whatever comes up as quickly as possible.  Second, a recent relationship brought a different experience with music into my life and I so very much loved it.  The relationship ended but left me with a desire to pursue more areas so I have been learning the guitar and it seems the more I practice the more I like it but it is really hard at my age.  My fingers are not quite so nimble at 66.  I hope I continue with it though as since I do like it so much I believe I will.

Still working on the house.  Last week was putting down my baseboard molding and found that my saw was smoking very badly.  One of my friends (guy) told me my blade was dull and that is why so I went and bought a new blade and will be putting it on hopefully tomorrow.  I have never done that before but got instructions and I think it will be easy.  The price of the blade was not cheap though but I bought a really good one so I won't have to replace again on this project.  Once the baseboard molding is down I will be cleaning the walls of all the sawdust. (my workroom is the room I"m working in)  It's the only space available.  Then I will be painting the second coat of paint on the walls and have 2 coats of paint to put on the windows.  Then I can shop for the appliances, cabinets, sink and countertops and I will almost be done.  I still also  have to have a drawer made for a built in cabinet in the kitchen.  Seems it will never end but I'm shooting for the end of the year.  Pictures will be coming shortly.

Starting an art journaling class tomorrow with Brene Brown.  I feel I need to do things while working on the house to keep  me balanced emotionally and physically.  This work is taking a lot out of me mentally so the art is a reprive of sorts.  I will be writing and working with watercolors and am so looking forward to this experience.  Perhaps pictures of that will be coming too.

Thank you for stopping by.    A new quote I love for inspiration..... "What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing."  Aristotle.