Jet JPS10 Proshop Alignment question

[Prashun Patel]

For anyone with the Jet Proshop table saw:

I'm attempting to align my blade with my miter slot. The manual for this saw says in order to square it, you have to flip the saw over! Is there an easier way to do this from above?


Thanks in advance.

[Rich Neighbarger]

Although I do not have experience with your saw, I have not seen a saw that wasn't adjusted by either:

1) Aligning the table to the blade (cabinet mounted trunion)

or

2) Aligning the trunion to the table (table mounted trunion)

Flipping your saw upside down seems potentially hazardous to human and saw alike. That's a lot of weight to drop on ones foot.

[Matthew Hills]

How far off is the alignment? I was looking at doing mine, but it turned out to be pretty close from the mfg.

I'd expect the upside-down approach is because the base is lighter (and therefore easier to adjust) than the cast-iron top). You might consider removing your extension wings if they are cast-iron.

You might be able to get away with tapping the top around, as is done with contractor saws:
Podcast #11: Tuning Up Your Table Saw for Perfect Cuts (http://www.woodworkingonline.com/2007/02/14/podcast11-tuning-up-your-table-saw-for-perfect-cuts/)

Matt

[mike gebhard]

I bought a Jet Proshop about 1 year ago and decided to check the alignment of the blade to the miter slot after several large projects. Although it was still close (< .005) I decided to go ahead and make it better. The directions in the manual call for you to carefully note the amount the blade is out of alignment, turn the saw upside down, loosen the 4 trunion bolts, nudge the trunions into alignment, re tighten the bolts, re-position the saw upright, check alignment, then repeat if needed. I did NOT FOLLOW THESE DIRECTIONS.
Here is why.
1. The saw is heavy and inverting it is not a simple thing to do (at least not for me)
2. We are talking about making adjustments of a few thousands of an inch after noting the position of the blade while the saw was upright. Nobody (in my opinion) could eyeball the adjustment to the required precision. Having the saw upside down does not allow you to use a gauge to see whether the the adjustments succeeded in aligning the blade. so it is a hit and miss operation.
3. The trunion bolts (13mm) are tightened using a 13mm nut on the other side of the base. By this I mean the trunion bolts do not tighten into a threaded hole. This in my opinion, is a design flaw and Jet should ditch the tightening nuts in favor of a threaded hole. It is quite difficult to get a wrench on the 13mm nut. Having the saw upside down does not make it any easier (actually I think it makes it harder). Even with the saw upright be prepared to have the wrench slip off the tightening nut several times (especially the right front).
It really doesn't matter however and here is why.
1. The saw's top is also attached the saw's base. This is accomplished using 3 bolts. Two of these bolts are easily found looking in through windows on either side of the saw near the front. The 3rd bolt is located at the center rear. So the important thing here is that the saw's top and the trunions are each attached separately to the saw's base.
2. Since the top and the trunions are each attached separately to the saw's base, alignment of the blade to the miter slot can be accomplished 3 ways.
a. by moving the top.
b. by moving the trunions.
c. by moving both.
3. The first choice (moving the top after loosening the three bolts) is by far the easiest. As a matter of fact, I would not be surprised if it is the method the designers of the saw had intended all along.
At first I was concerned that moving the top while leaving the trunions alone might cause the blade to come in contact with the insert. This concern, I decided, was nonsense. It the blade, which is attached to the arbor/trunions, and the slot, which is part of the top, are in alignment then the blade can not hit the insert.