Q:

I spent a long time adjusting the 90° stop on my tablesaw. At first it worked fine, but now the blade always stops short of 90°. What’s wrong and how can I correct the problem?

Carl Hurst, Plainview, TX

A:

Most likely there is sawdust built up on the setscrew. Clean it off and it should work fine. However, you’ll just need to clean it off again in the near future. That’s a hassle, so instead I set my stop so that the blade can go past 90°. I then place a square on the table and move the blade back until it’s just right. It takes just a minute and it assures a precise setting.

Then come back. Place a square next to the blade and adjust the blade’s tilt until the angle is correct. (Make sure you’re not hitting a tooth.)