New Unisaw stop adjustment

[Jonathan Picard]

Haven't posted before but I'm looking for advice. I'm setting up a brand new Unisaw. The blade stops need to be adjusted. I'm not getting a 90 reading on a Wixey; very close but I want it set up the right way. I unlocked the stop on the front of the saw and the manual says to use a 6mm hex to adjust the stop. I cannot get the wrench to fit in the socket. It is so deep that I can't see what I'm up against. Thanks for any help.

[Cary Falk]

I would never use a Wixey to measure the 90 degree. I believe they are accurate to a .1 degree. It could be that your saw is correct and yout Wixey box is off. I would use a good square or drafting triangle.

[Chris Rosenberger]

As Cary said, the Wixey will not work. Use a square to set the blade 90 degrees to the table.
Once the blade is set 90 degrees to the table with a square, then you can zero the Wixey on the blade & use it to set angles.

[Jonathan Picard]

I appreciate the comments and will follow your advice. However, I still have the problem about not being able to adjust the stops. Does anybody have experience with these? Thank you.

[Jim Stewart]

Jonathan, I have not made adjustments to my Unisaw because I found it to be perfectly set at the factory. I did have to install and set up the rip fence. I am under the weather today but I will take a look tomorrow, I hope. I did want to comment how much I love this saw. The guard system and splitter are amazing and I think they make this saw very safe. Good luck, hopefully we will get you an answer.

[Jim Stewart]

I went out and found my manual and I looked at the adjuster on the saw. The large wheel on the left is for the tilt adjustment, and just above that wheel on the left-hand side of the saw front is the adjuster hex and bevel locknut. First the locknut must be loosened to adjust the tilt. That nut is loosened by using the arbor wench. Once that lock is loosened take a flash light and you can see down inside that bevel-lock nut is a 6mm hex nut. You will need a a long 6mm because the adjuster is 6mm is located down in the center of the bevel lock nut. That 6mm can be turned either direction to adjust the arbor. Once that you have the tilt at a perfect 90 degrees you would lock the bevel locknut.

I mistakenly called the riving knife a splitter before. Hope this helps you. Jim

[Chris Rosenberger]

I appreciate the comments and will follow your advice. However, I still have the problem about not being able to adjust the stops. Does anybody have experience with these? Thank you.

Are you saying the stops cannot be adjusted at all, or that you do not know how to adjust them?

I have not had to adjust the stops on my Unisaw in the 4 years that I have had it, but how to adjust the stops is covered on page 19 of my manual.

There are 2 adjustment screws on the front of the saw. One above each hand wheel. The left screw is for the 90 degree stop & the right is the bevel stop.
You use the arbor wrench to slightly loosen the lock nut & a provided hex wrench to adjust the stop.

[Jonathan Picard]

Chris and Jim,

Thanks for the replies. I know the method that you both described. Jim or Chris, without unlocking the lock nut, if you put a 6mm hex into the opening can you feel it positively engage the hex opening? I can't. Thanks.

[Chris Rosenberger]

I just tried a hex wrench in stop screws of my Unisaw for the first time since buying it. My manual has the wrong size hex wrench listed. My manual says to use a 6mm hex wrench. My saw takes a 4mm hex wrench. You need to check that you are using the correct wrench.

I tried the 6mm hex wrench first as the manual stated & could not get it to engage the screw. I got a flashlight & saw that the screw took a smaller wrench. The 4mm hex wrench needs to be at least 4" long. It is difficult to get the wrench into the screw although I was able to do it.

To make it easier, I put a small taper on the end of the wrench. The hex socket in the screws are deep on my saw, the taper does not affect how it engages the screw. The taper made inserting the wrench in the screw much easier.

I would suggest inserting the hex wrench into the screw before loosening the lock nut.

[Jonathan Picard]

Chris, Thanks. Darn it anyway. I tried 5.5 and 5 thinking there might be a coating on it making a smaller size necessary but I didn't try 4. I'll try a 4 after dinner. Picked up an engineer square after work. It may not need adjusting but it was driving me crazy trying to figure it out. I'll report back later. Thanks again. Jonathan

[Jim Stewart]

Good information. I will try that tomorrow and if mine is a 4mm as well I will note it in my manual.

[Alan Schaffter]

As Cary said, the Wixey will not work. Use a square to set the blade 90 degrees to the table.
Once the blade is set 90 degrees to the table with a square, then you can zero the Wixey on the blade & use it to set angles.

I'm not sure I follow. Why is the Wixey good enough to set the blade angle but not good enough to check if the blade is square to the table?

[Cary Falk]

I'm not sure I follow. Why is the Wixey good enough to set the blade angle but not good enough to check if the blade is square to the table?

I only use my Wixey to get me in the ball park. I always make test cuts to verify the angles. In my opinion, +/- .1 degree is not close enough. Small errors add up to large errors when making angle cuts.

[Chris Rosenberger]

The purpose of the Wixey is to compensate for the poor bevel scales on table saws.

When you use the Wixey to set the angle of the blade, you set the blade to the 90 degree stop, stick the Wixey on the blade, zero the Wixey out & then tilt the blade to the desired angle.

What is the Wixey zeroed to set the blade to the table? I guess you could set the Wixey on the table, zero it & then move it to the blade, but you loose accuracy when you do that.
I trust a square a lot more than trying to do this.

[Alan Schaffter]

I only use my Wixey to get me in the ball park. I always make test cuts to verify the angles. In my opinion, +/- .1 degree is not close enough. Small errors add up to large errors when making angle cuts.


The purpose of the Wixey is to compensate for the poor bevel scales on table saws.

When you use the Wixey to set the angle of the blade, you set the blade to the 90 degree stop, stick the Wixey on the blade, zero the Wixey out & then tilt the blade to the desired angle.

What is the Wixey zeroed to set the blade to the table? I guess you could set the Wixey on the table, zero it & then move it to the blade, but you loose accuracy when you do that.
I trust a square a lot more than trying to do this.

Why would you "lose accuracy" when you zero the Wixey to the table and move it to the blade? That is the correct way to do it anyway; forget the 90° (0°) or 45° stops!

I have just the opposite experience using a square or any of the analog/digital angle finders with arms. Unless you get an expensive square from Lee Valley, INCRA, Woodpeckers, etc. your square could easily be off .1°. .1° is closer than I can get see or measure with a square for a number of reasons- my aging eyes, you can't measure to the blade tips, and you are likely resting on side of your square on the TS insert, right?- that can easily be off .1° or more! If your stops and blade are indeed perfect, how do you get a good intermediate angle setting- trial and error, and what do you use for that- it isn't the easiest thing to measure the bevel angle on the edge of 3/4" thick stock, especially if it isn't 45°. What do you do if you want to set a dado to cut at angle- a bit harder to place the square?

Unless you are doing a coopered barrel with 8-sides or more , .1° is plenty close enough for woodworking. How many miter gauges can claim accuracy w/in .1°?

Once you zero the Wixey to the table, then use it to set the blade to 90°, you can do this-see pics. Again, forget the stops- they may off a little or have a bit of dust between the surfaces which can easily create a .1° error. Once the blade has been set to 90° and the Wixey placed on the shelf and zeroed, it will track perfectly unless the floor is not level and you change the orientation of the machine, or the battery dies (in a year or two with the new model WR365), or until you use it on another machine- then a quick reset is all that is necessary.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/2161/medium/IMG_3526.JPG

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/2161/medium/IMG_3599.JPG

[Cary Falk]

Alan,
Jonathan said that his saw is close but not close enough. If his Wixey is saying 89.9 and the Wixey is accurate to .1 degree, his saw could be at 90 degrees. He is chasing .1 degree for no reason. That is what I am saying. In another post I said that .1 degrees add up if you are doing multiple sided ojects. You agreed with that so I'm sure where your issue is. .1 degree on a 3/4" board edge is insignificant. .1 degree across a 3 1/2" edge is a bad joint. different strokes for different folks. I will stick with and engineer square for setup.

[Alan Schaffter]

Alan,
Jonathan said that his saw is close but not close enough. If his Wixey is saying 89.9 and the Wixey is accurate to .1 degree, his saw could be at 90 degrees. He is chasing .1 degree for no reason. That is what I am saying. In another post I said that .1 degrees add up if you are doing multiple sided objects. You agreed with that so I'm sure where your issue is. .1 degree on a 3/4" board edge is insignificant. .1 degree across a 3 1/2" edge is a bad joint. different strokes for different folks. I will stick with and engineer square for setup.

My issue is with statements that aren't accurate or are based on not understanding how to use a device properly e.g setting a bevel angle by zeroing the Wixey to a blade that has been set with a stop, rather than zeroing the Wixey to the table top.

Also, just because a device is "accurate to .1°" doesn't mean it isn't really accurate to .05°. Frankly that level of precision is tough to measure with a square, and nearly impossible if you are setting a bevel to anything but 90° or 45°. I've done it both ways for years, but I find the Wixey to be quicker, easier and just as accurate for all my bevel sawing.

There are two issues in this thread- setting the stops and setting the bevel angle. The Wixey is appropriate and accurate enough for both- certainly more accurate than using a Mk 1 Mod 0 eyeball and the saw's angle scale.

You never explained how you set the bevel angle for a multi-sided or coopered project. You can't use the stops nor a square, so unless you attempt to use the angle scales on the saw which are notoriously inaccurate and where the width of the cursor/pointer can result in .2° or more error, your choices are an analog or digital protractor or a Wixey angle gauge- my choice: a Wixey angle gauge.

As far as precisely adjusting the stops without a Wixey, a better way (to check both the 90° and 45° stops) is to rip two thick pieces, flip one over, then hold both on a flat surface with beveled edges together to see if they are parallel and will mate with zero gap. Any error will be doubled and be easier so see than if using a square. e.g. if the 90° stop is .2° off, when one board is flipped the bevel angles will be 89.8° and 90.2°, a .4° difference, which will be easy to see.

Just because people have their own way of doing things, that in itself doesn't necessarily make one right or wrong or better.

[Cary Falk]

Alan,
I'm not going to argue with somebody that just wants to argue. I already said I get my angle in the ballpark and then do test cuts to dial it in. You even quoted me so I don't know why you say I did't state how I set up my angels. I also said to each his own, so if you like the Wixey then so be it. If I recall you get Wixey stuff for free or are paid to push them. That fine. I have one in my drawer. I haven't used it in years. I prefer a square. If Wixey is accurate to better then .1 then why don't they state it? They would be the leader in accuracy and could charge more. I'm done with this thread. HAND.

Jonathan,
I hope you got your problem solved.

Cary

[Alan Schaffter]

Alan,
I'm not going to argue with somebody that just wants to argue. I already said I get my angle in the ballpark and then do test cuts to dial it in. You even quoted me so I don't know why you say I did't state how I set up my angels. I also said to each his own, so if you like the Wixey then so be it. If I recall you get Wixey stuff for free or are paid to push them. WRONG! I have absolutely no connection to Wixey That fine. I have one in my drawer. I haven't used it in years. I prefer a square. If Wixey is accurate to better then .1 then why don't they state it? They would be the leader in accuracy and could charge more. I'm done with this thread. HAND.

Jonathan,
I hope you got your problem solved.

Cary

I'm trying to learn something, not trying to argue. Say you want to make a multi-sided or coopered box, I just want to know how you use a square to "dial in" a bevel angle of 22.5° (for an 8-sided box) or 36° (for a 5-sided box)? I suppose you could use the TS scale to bevel two boards at 22.5° and see if they create a 45° angle when joined, and play around dialing it in, if they don't. But what do you do with 36°? I would think a precision protractor might be a better tool in this case.

[Jonathan Picard]

My thread took on a life of its own. I tried a 4mm and that did the trick. I can't believe something like that can be wrong in a manual. Delta unfortunately has lost some of their edge; it's been quite an experience buying and setting up the saw. I plan to use both a wixey and a square. Both can be wrong and misused. Thanks to everyone.
Jonathan

[Chris Rosenberger]

My thread took on a life of its own. I tried a 4mm and that did the trick. I can't believe something like that can be wrong in a manual. Delta unfortunately has lost some of their edge; it's been quite an experience buying and setting up the saw. I plan to use both a wixey and a square. Both can be wrong and misused. Thanks to everyone.
Jonathan

My Unisaw was one of the first new style Unisaws sold. I am surprised the manual has not been corrected by now.
Glad you got it figured out.

Do you see any quality issues on you saw? I would like to add a second new style Unisaw to my shop.
I was just wondering if the new saws are built to the same quality standards my saw was.