Greg Book
10-06-2010, 4:11 PM
How does one know the optimal belt tension on the table saw? I have a Craftsman 21833, and to get it into the basement I had drop it down the stairs... one step at a time. By the time it got to the bottom, the motor mount had shifted from the factory location to a point where the belt was loose and nearly falling off. So I moved the mount back to where I thought it seemed tight but not too tight.
I've noticed that there is a high pitched squeal for about 1/4 second during startup, then everything sounds fine when the saw is running and fine when I turn it off. It sounds fine when cutting, but the sound of cutting may be masking the belt noise if there is one. I also noticed a smell after ripping a dozen 2x4s recently. It didn't smell like burnt wood, nor burnt electronics, or cut luan plywood, or anything else I've smelled in the shop before. I'm wondering if the belt may be the culprit.
So, how does one know they have the optimal tension on a table saw belt?
I've noticed that there is a high pitched squeal for about 1/4 second during startup, then everything sounds fine when the saw is running and fine when I turn it off. It sounds fine when cutting, but the sound of cutting may be masking the belt noise if there is one. I also noticed a smell after ripping a dozen 2x4s recently. It didn't smell like burnt wood, nor burnt electronics, or cut luan plywood, or anything else I've smelled in the shop before. I'm wondering if the belt may be the culprit.
So, how does one know they have the optimal tension on a table saw belt?