Table alignment on G0513x2

[Wayne Sparkman]

Hello, everyone.

I just bought a Grizzly G0513x2. Woot! and thanks to all here--I must have read all the relevant threads as I researched the purchase. Start to think that saw should have its own section on the site--a subfolder under Power Tools.

But here's my question about setup.

There is a bit of play on the table prior to locking down the bolts.

Does it matter how the table is aligned in relation to the body of the saw?

I'm thinking that this might figure into the drift aspect of resawing.

[Cary Falk]

The manual says to use a square and square it to the blade. I found that kinda hard since the blade is only 1/2 wide. You can clamp a stick on to the blade and try to square to that. If your blade is not centered on the wheel then that might be off. I got mine as close as I thought I could and I use the wheel tracking to remove any drift. Since you have to probably adjust every blade you put on it, I don't think the table is that critical. I'm sure someone will come along and tell me differently.

[Wayne Sparkman]

Thanks, but I'm talking about the play or slop that is evident in the horizontal plane of the table, prior to tightening the four bolts that hold the table down to the body of the saw.

Squareness to the blade is another operation later in the setup.

The manual doesn't say anything about this horizontal alignment, but then it also doesn't say anything about getting that square tube back rail parallel with the table. I just knew from experience setting up table saws that the rail should be parallel.

As I finally think about it a bit, the best thing I can do is to place a carpenter's square against the inside face of the spine of the saw and square the table to that reference point.

Anybody have any other setup tips? I'd also like to see some "down-the-road" comments. Lessons learned months or a year later?

[Jason Beam]

I don't think it makes any difference at all as long as the blade isn't hitting something it shouldn't. Get it on there, find it's "seat" and tighten away - the "seat" may be a range of positions, but I doubt it'd cause you any trouble.

Adjust your blade so you have no drift and you won't have to worry about it. I don't buy into accepting drift when it's an easy thing to eliminate by adjusting the tracking.

[glenn bradley]

I believe Cary is talking about the same plane of motion you are. The play you describe is rotational like a lazy susan, yes? If so, you want this as square to the blade as you can get it. I attached the fence and slid a piece of stock back and forth between the fence and the blade to help me with this.

Once properly aligned, I have never adjusted for "drift". Once the saw cuts straight, I just cut straight. There are exceptions to this of course, as woods vary and grain patterns can be awfully insistent. I find that a slower feed rate will go ahead and give me the cut I am after without having to re-adjust my fence but, I rarely cut taller than 10" or longer than 4 feet or so and these are thick boards not logs so my experience is limited to that.

BTW, don't be too judgmental till you get a decent blade on your saw. The one that came on mine made a few test cuts and has never been back on the saw.

[Wayne Sparkman]

Thanks! I'm on to the final adjustments and trial cuts. Anxious to get to something productive.