This is another vote for John White’s “Care and Repair of Shop Machines,” and the wonderfully detailed information on setting up new, and maintaining existing shop equipment.
I love my new Powermatic 2000, but it needed some serious adjustment. In fact, it’s difficult to imagine that much time was spent adjusting it at the factory at all.
There was no area that was perfect, “right out of the box,” which was the antithesis of the average review I read on-line, prior to making my purchase decision. Glowing comments raved about the saw’s flawless adjustments, but I found that: A) The stops were out, significantly (not close to 90 and 45 degrees) B) the miter slots were nowhere near parallel to the blade; C) The fence was neither square to the table’s surface, parallel to the blade, nor bedded properly (sides needed shimming.
I think it’s entirely possible (if not probable) that many of the gushing reviews stem from people being generally ignorant of the means by which set-up and alignment accuracy are best checked: e.g., with machinist-quality tri-square, straight edge (not long level), dial indicator, and calipers — just for starters.
This may seem, to some, like “overkill,” but the joy and safety associated with using a properly tuned tool are more than worth the time expended.
I have no beef with Powermatic, because I feel as though I’ve received a valuable education, and I know this tool’s workings inside and out; after tinkering with every conceivable adjustment, rewiring it (for longer, heavier cable run), adding John White’s suite of diagnostic jigs (making them out of wood, as per his thorough instructions), I now feel qualified to diagnose and repair any sort problem that might crop up with my saw in the future.
Much as I hate the trite expression, “Empowering” (especially as it related to popular causes..), I have to say that this experience has been exactly that…
Thanks, John, for a great shop resource — and appreciation to Powermatic, too, for a great table saw with outstanding performance and safety features.
Replies
I got my PM2000 a few weeks ago and though checked closely with dial indicators, I didn't find much out of alignment at all. I had to tweak the miter slots a few thousandths to get it down to 0.002" of perfect over the full width of my MasterPlate . It would have been fine as it fame though. The fence needed tweaking but they all do anyway. The 90/45-degree stops were right on the money.
Tom Hintz
Because there is always more to learn!
Set mine up about 6 weeks ago. The only adjustment I had to make was the 45 stop and the fence. Put a WWII on that sucker, and went to work. The difference between the 2000 and my old Delta Contractor saw is like a new concept machine.
Enjoy!
I had a rather unique experience a couple of months ago...I received my new PM2000, and set it up and tuned it, then went to install the plug and power it up, only to discover it was a 5HP 3PH, not the 3HP 1PH I had ordered. A call to the vendor (Western Tool Supply) and they delivered a replacement saw the next day. Again I set up and tuned the second saw. So, I got to sample two different set-ups for the same model of saw. Sure, I did a little adjusting to get the slots parallel to the blade, and likewise with the fence. But, in neither case was anything significantly out of alignment, nor was it a hassle to do the fine tuning on either saw.
I wouldn't expect any saw to be perfectly aligned after shipping. The real value to me is not in how little I have to do to set it up, but more in how well the saw is built and performs. So far, I'm delighted.
I automatically check everything on a new tool, including the alignments. I do find many are set up very close at the factory, often within limits many people accept as normal but often have to tweak them to get down to the tollerances I want for my equipment.
My PM2000 was also very close but I did tweak the miter slots and the 45-degree stop a bit to get them dead on with my measuring devices.
Tom Hintz
Because there is always more to learn!
Any body had issues aligning the splitter to the blade ? This is the one area where I spent the most time (and still am not satisifed). I guess my fat finger are not helping.
Is there are particular order of operation/ method you guys use ?
Adjusting the splitter is a "PITA," for sure.Using the supplied allen wrench it just takes time to get the lugs backed out enough to align the splitter with the blade's center-line. Because there are four lugs (two top, and two bottom) there is also the issue of the splitter tilting, vertically, which only becomes an issue when you attempt to rip really thick stock.You also -- as I'm sure you've discovered -- need to use a wrench to adjust the tension on the "keeper nut" that controls the play in the clamping jaws.I'm using two different blades: One is a Freud "narrow kerf," blade which excels at cross-cutting, and the other is a Woodworker II, which is much thicker, and requires a completely different splitter setting. In fact, there are some narrow kerf blades that can't be used with the splitter at all (I have one), because the blade produces such limited waste, that the splitter binds in the too-narrow kerf.It's an annoyance, but I'm not sure there's an easier way to handle this issue. The splitter, when adjusted properly, is a very effective anti-kickback option, but it's a less than perfect all-round protection, when considering the full range of table saw operations.I've found, more and more, that I leave the splitter sitting on the shelf, and I use other, more versatile solutions. I have installed, for instance, a couple of "board-buddies," which pull the stock I'm ripping into the fence and also provide a lot of hold-down force.I use my table saw with a lot of jigs (a variety of cross-cut, miter, and dado sleds), and the splitter can't be used in conjunction with these sorts of operations, so I find myself taking it off, and leaving it off, more and more.I think our best defense against kick-back is a meticulously maintained saw (clean blade, fastidious alignment/adjustment, waxed top and fence to reduce friction) in addition to using sound stock-feeding practices. For one thing, I don't try to rip stock that is crooked, bowed, cupped, or has a lot of wane. I use a jig, first, to rip a straight edge along one side of the board, then I place the straightened edge of the board against the fence and tension down the two board-buddies. The board-buddies ("Grizzly Manufacturing") are not the "end-all," but they are terrific safety devices, and they are attached to the fence, instead of behind the blade.When I want to cross-cut, I simply grab one of my sleds and push the fence out of the way.If I were going to be spending an entire work session ripping a lot of stock (as opposed to one or two rips), I'd probably install the splitter and use it in conjunction with the board-buddies, but it's nuisance to re-install it for one or two rips.Ultimately, I'm going to invest in a good, overhead guard and power-feeding system.Money well spent.
Edited 5/17/2007 10:57 am ET by sasquatch55
Thanks a lot, I actually didn't think of tightening the "keeper nut" to adjust the tension. Now that I think about my alignment problem I feel stupid.
As for the usage of the splitter I do not use thin kerf blade so I do not have to reset the splitter every time. I purchased the low profile splitter and I use an overarm guard. Splitter is always on and never in the way except when doing none through cut obviously.
My saw was substantially out of adjustment in all areas: Must have been the exception "to the rule," from the reading I've done. Either that, or I have unreasonably high standards.Also, repeated attempts to use a Freud stacked dado set were met with frustrating failure: There's "an issue" with both belt-tensioning (which the instruction manual doesn't indicate a reliable standard for) and with the overload relay in the saw's switch. In my case, the installation of stacked chippers and outer blades -- sufficient to produce a 3/4" dado -- would routinely cause the saw's motor to shut off within seconds of start-up.Powermatic sent me a replacement swtich, which I, in-turn, dutifully wired up and tested. I also failed, causing me to suspect a problem with the motor, itself. On about my third call to the "help line," one of the operators (not the tech support staff...) asked, "Have you checked the belt tension?," and indicated that there had been recurring calls from customers indicating a similar problem, and they'd all been caused by a too-loose belt. After I had tightened the motor's drive belt (via the wetted finger-in-the-wind scientific approach...), I was able to use the stacked dado with no further failures.About a week later, I received, vis UPS delivery, a brand new "re-engineered" and beefed-up switch from Powermatic with an explanatory note, "We have redesigned the overload capacitor -- thanks to your input -- and have installed a new heavy-duty capacitor in your unit..."This is a new saw, so a certain amount of this sort of "shake-out cruise" stuff is going to surface during the saw's introductory year. I don't have a problem with either the saw or the company's conscientious efforts to make everything right.Now, the Powermatic 2800 (drill press) is an altogether different story.Don't get me started....
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