Replies

1. 
   SgianDubh | May 22, 2002 04:34pm | #1

   PJ, It sounds suspiciously like the fence is canted away from the blade at the back. The first thing I'd do is check the paralellism of the fence in relationship to the blade. Use the cross cut fence grooves in the table top as the datum point to which the blade and fence should be parallel. This might involve slackening the bolts under the table that hold the trunnion assembly and jiggling this about until the blade is set in line with the grooves-- then adjust the fence to be similarly parallel. Slainte, RJ

   Link to RJFurniture site.
2. 
   sschefer | May 22, 2002 05:48pm | #2

   PJ, Sgian's advice is correct but you need to check two other things. You're splitter must be perfectly aligned with the blade also or it will pull the wood to one side or the other. And the fence needs to be aligned to what the blade manufacturers recommend. Some will argue the later but Forrest specifies a 1/64" kick out at the back end of the fence. I've tried it both dead on and 1/64" out and I prefer it dead on but you should check to be sure. The final factor is the human factor. How do you push your wood ? With the push stick near the blade, dead center of the piece or near the fence. Pushing near the fence or near the blade will canter the wood as its passing through the blade. If everything is in alignment you should push dead center on the wood. Finally, you should be using feather boards so if your not, get some. I try to use both a vertical and a horizontal when ever I can.

   Steve - in Northern California

   
   

   ---

   Edited 5/22/2002 12:39:19 PM ET by Steve Schefer

1. 
   PhilipOrr | May 24, 2002 12:38pm | #4

   Hi All,

   I read the advice given in the your posts and measured the  accuracy of the fence and blade alignment. Both where within 3 thou of the mitre slots. I am now looking at the blade itself and feel that it may be time to invest in a Freud Pro blade as the old blade is the original supplied with the the saw and not of great quality. Also I do tend to push the work through in the middle of the blade and finish off by pushing between the fence and the blade guard which as pointed out does not help but does this make a big difference to the cut quality?

   Once again thanks for all the help

   Philip

1. 
   tom_gattiker | May 24, 2002 04:16pm | #5

   If you checked all the stuff mentioned in the earlier posts, it's likely that your splitter is not in the same plane as the blade (i.i. it bends slightly back toward the left or right going back from the blade).  If you are using the splitter that came with the saw, this would not be a huge surprise.  Don't stop using one, though.

   Also could your splitter be slightly thicker than the thickness of the blade?  This happened to me  when I bought a thin kerf blade a long time ago.

3. 
   HowardAcheson | May 22, 2002 06:09pm | #3

   Here is the low tech, low cost way to align a tablesaw that I learned maybe forty years ago and teach to my students now.

   Make 3/4 x 3/4 x 12" hardwood stick. Drill a hole somewhat centered in one end and insert a brass #8 x 1" round head wood screw about half way. Raise the blade completely up. Clamp this board in your miter gauge (if you determine that there is some slop in your slot to miter gauge, use a playing card to take up the slop) so the screw head just about touches the blade at the front. Now rotate the blade by hand (BTW, unplug the saw) and determine which tooth is the closest. Adjust the screw in or out until it just touches this tooth. Mark this tooth. Rotate the blade so the tooth is now at the back of the table and move the miter gauge/stick assembly to the back and see if it touches the marked tooth to the same extent. If it doesn't, adjust the trunnion until it does. The blade does not move directly around the center so you will need to repeatedly go back to the front of the blade, readjust the screw, and then again measure the back. Be sure to check after tightening the trunnion as the trunnion frequently moves when being tightened.

   The same adjustment gauge can be used to set the fence parallel to the miter slot. Slide the miter gauge to the front of the table and move the fence over to the screw head and insert a playing card between the screw head and the fence just so you can move the card as it touches both the fence and the screw head. Now move the miter gauge to the back of the table and see if you have the same feel when you insert the card. I like my fence absolutely parallel--if you want to have a slight opening to the fence, you can easily estimate the opening by adding a thickness of paper to the card.

   I always show my students with a dial gauge that their adjustments are within .001 - .002.

   You can also use the same gauge to measure blade runout by using a $5.00 feeler gauge.

   Finally, after you are satisfied with the above adjustments, check the position of the splitter to make sure it is exactly in line with the blade.

   Bottom line, there is no need to spend more than the $0.05 for the brass screw.

4. 
   DaveinPa | May 24, 2002 04:52pm | #6

   I have a good habit of performing basic maintenance in the spring. This includes re-setting the stops, fence and blade accuracy. I use a machinest square to check the blade and fence for parralellism. But basic maintenance is the key, if you perform it at least twice a year.