Replies

1. 
   hammer1 | Jun 30, 2010 07:36am | #1

   Assuming you are using the correct type of blade for the work you are doing and that it's sharp, it usually fence alignment. You don't say what you have for a saw. They all need to be tuned and properly adjusted. First, make sure the blade is parallel with the miter ways in the top. Making the adjustment varies with the type of saw. Once the blade is perfectly in line with the miter ways, you can measure from those to check the fence. Many of us set the far end of the fence a touch out of parallel with the blade. I use about 1/128" more at the outfeed end than the infeed, measured at the miter way. This prevents the teeth of the blade from dragging on the work, leaving marks. If the fence is tighter at the outfeed end, it will put pressure against the blade as you cut, often causing burning between the fence and blade. Too much the other way and you may get burning on the opposite side of the cut.

2. 
   JohnWW | Jul 01, 2010 08:03pm | #2

   Check the Fence

   Nate,

   Being that the burning is on the fence side of the cut, the first thing to check is whether the fence and the blade are parallel to each other.  If the fence is toed in, which is to say that the far end of the fence is closer to the blade then the infeed side, the blade will rub on the fence side of the kerf and that will cause burning. 

   To check the alignment quickly you need a small square block of wood about 2" by 2" and 3/4" thick.  The test and the adjustment are done with the motor off and the saw unplugged.

   Position the block flat on the table and against the fence so that the teeth on the infeed side of the blade will touch a midpoint of one side of the block when the fence is slid over toward the blade.  Now actually slide the fence toward the blade and lock it down when the teeth of the blade just lightly rub against the block as you rock the blade back and forth a bit by hand.  Now slide the block forward along the fence.  If the fence is aligned properly the block will still lightly rub against the saw's teeth at the back of the blade, but I suspect that you will find that the block is being pinched against the blade as it is slid back.  If you find that is the case, you will have to adjust the fence so the block touches the teeth of the blade lightly at both the back and the front.

   In addition to having the fence properly aligned, the blade must be clean and sharp to minimize burning.  In difficult woods having a true rip blade when doing rip cuts will also help considerably.