Alignment -- what are you using?

[Izzy Camire]

Hi Guys,
I am putting together my Sawstop and soon I will need to check the blade alignment to the miter slot. On my old saw I did it with dial calipers. I was wondering what everyone is using to do their alignment. I have several dial indicators but the problem is getting something to run in the miter slot without any movement.
Izzy

[Bruce Page]

My tool of choice, Universal Base & 1" travel indicator:

[Bill Adamsen]

I simply align with the slot. Now getting the slot aligned with the blade ... for that I use a dial indicator and a sliding base. Hopefully a "one-time" affair.

[Izzy Camire]

My tool of choice, Universal Base & 1" travel indicator:

Bruce is there a rail or something you fit into the miter slot?

[glenn bradley]

I use a shop made that matched the readings from a TS Aligner Jr. that a friend brought by. I like to get my machines as precise as possible and am willing to spend the money where required. This function just didn't require it ;-).

310837 . 310836
310839 . 310838

[Al Launier]

Bruce is there a rail or something you fit into the miter slot?
+1 If you have one (any flat/parallel piece), slide the indicator base along the slide to measure from the side of the slot.

[Mike Henderson]

For a cheap check, take a combination square and slide it towards the blade, until the straight part of the head falls into the slot. Hold it in place and adjust the blade until it just touches a piece of carbide. Lock the blade in place. Slide the combination square until it is opposite the other side of the blade (if you started in the front of the blade, slide it back until you're at the back of the blade). Turn the blade until the same piece of carbide is in line with the blade. See if you're touching. Use feeler gauges to determine the difference on the short side.

This is so much easier to show with some pictures than to describe.

Mike

[Okay, I took a couple of pictures.]

310841310840

[Bruce Page]

Bruce is there a rail or something you fit into the miter slot?
Izzy, this is a common machinist tool. There are 4 hardened pins that are movable with a friction fit, one in each corner of the base. In my example the 2 rear pins are pushed through and are protruding into the T-slot. You simply slide the base while keeping a light pressure on the pins against the wall of the slot.

Grizzly sells a cheap one for $16 that should work fine: http://www.grizzly.com/products/Surface-Gauges-4-7-/H2712

[Al Launier]

Izzy, this is a common machinist tool. There are 4 hardened pins that are movable with a friction fit, one in each corner of the base. In my example the 2 rear pins are pushed through and are protruding into the T-slot. You simply slide the base while keeping a light pressure on the pins against the wall of the slot.

Grizzly sells a cheap one for $16 that should work fine: http://www.grizzly.com/products/Surface-Gauges-4-7-/H2712

I've had one of these since 1960 when I was a Tool & Die Maker apprentice. Works great!

[Lee Schierer]

Hi Guys,
I am putting together my Sawstop and soon I will need to check the blade alignment to the miter slot. On my old saw I did it with dial calipers. I was wondering what everyone is using to do their alignment. I have several dial indicators but the problem is getting something to run in the miter slot without any movement.
Izzy

I attach a block of wood to the miter gauge with screws and use a wood screw to attach my dial indicator to that block of wood. My miter bar fits tight in the slot. I get repeatable measurements.