Gary
I just got a new tablesaw and had to build new sleds. The Tool & Shops issue with your article on sleds came the same day I realized that I would need new sleds, amazing timing!
I built a new sled and it has a problem that I did not have with previous sleds. Cross cutting a piece of wood in half produces to cut surfaces; the surface to the right of the blade is perfectly square and smooth, the cut surface to the left the blade has an additional saw blade arc cut into the surface. What’s wrong?
Additional information:
– I make my sleds with the kerf off center to allow greater length on the side where I usually position my stock, to allow more support area and more room for stops for repetitive cuts. My sleds are longer to the left of the blade than the right. I noticed in pictures in the magazine your sled is made off center the other direction. Is this just preference or is there a reason to have the cut line over on the left side?
– When I hold down the stock on the right side of the sled both surfaces of the cut are smooth and perfect. I only see the problem when I hold down the stock on the left side.
– I cannot feel any side to side slop in the sled. The fence is 1 3/4″ thick Alder machined dead flat and square.
– I tried cuts with two different Forest blades. One which is a few months old and one that just came back from Forest re-sharpening.
– The stock I tested with is 2″x6″ fir
– The saw is a Powermatic 2000
John
PS – Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions. There could be some chocolate chip cookies coming to you soon.
Replies
In the interests of full disclosure, it must be said that I have a student named John whose wife makes the best chocolate chip cookies ever. If this is the same student then I will be happy to proceed with hope aglimmer. If this is not, then let it be known that chocolate chip cookie bribes are considered legal in my state.
Okay, it sounds like you have heel on your blade. Imagine the blade not being parallel to your miter gauge slots, in fact imagine it being way out with its back edge way off to the left. So the front edge of the blade is making its cut nice and smoothly on the right side of the cut but the left side gets mucked up by the back of the blade coming through and cutting the cut, again!
So, check your saw to see that the miter gauge slots are parallel with the blade. Shut off the saw and mark one tooth at the front of the blade with some chalk. Use a combination square held into the gauge slot to check the distance from the slot to the tooth. Rotate that same tooth to the rear of the blade now and check it again. It should be the same. Most saws have 3 or 4 bolts used to attach the table to the cabinet. Adjust those to get the slots parallel to the blade. [The
fence, well the fence is another story. I keep mine about 1/64" out of parallel and off away from the blade.]
As for the arrangement of my sled, I have more to the right of the blade because I have more auxiliary table to the right of my blade. I always run my long pieces out to the right where I can support them if needed. I use my planer insert, also 3/4" thick, on top of the aux. table to support them.
This additional information which I just read on the saw cut leads me to believe you may have a different problem with your saw:
it could be that it’s possessed. No really. Some saws are so dang finicky you think they might be. Try this heel thing first. If it's not the problem and checks out fine, then get back to me. You might also consider adding blade stabilizers to help keep the blade flatter in its cut. Good luck. Gary
Yep, it's John and this is the maker of the cookies. I'll make you some right away. I am glad you like them. John will be thrilled that you replied. I hope there isn't something wrong with the saw of his dreams that I just bought him...
The saw should be just fine. If only they were as good as the cookies. Gary
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