Table saw alignment seems ok but issues with cut quality

[Michael Donahue]

I'm having a few issues with my SawStop 3HP PCS and would appreciate any help you can offer. The blade seems parallel to the right miter slot within a few thousandths (maybe .003 +/-) and the fence is aligned to toe out about .003 at the back. I get pretty significant saw marks when ripping with a Forrest Woodworker 2 and Ridge Carbide TS2000. I also get saw marks when using my miter sled. I'm not sure what to check next. I used to get better results on my old Ridgid TS3650 with a Woodworker 2....so you can imagine my frustration! Thanks everyone.

[johnny means]

What's the tooth count on the FWW II? I seem to remember it being pretty high. Ripping blades should have more gullet than teeth.

[Tom Trees]

Is the table insert flush with your table?

[Jim Morgan]

Runout at the arbor can cause poor cut quality. I'd start by making sure that the arbor is clean and free of any burrs.

[Dan Hahr]

Straighten up your fence. The blade should be parallel to the slots+ - 0. Dan

[Warren Lake]

What do the saw marks look like when you cut a weiner?


According to Altendorf they want a tow out cause they say there is whip in the heal of a saw blade. They say the material keeps it compressed at the front of the blade but not the back. They call for .002 I think it was metric and I converted accurately and thats over a meter. They say not to measure but to go by sound and I think they also back feed into the heal of the blade just slightly to see if it leaves any very slight marks. Not sure i understood the print out completely, thats not an ideal thing to do or extreme care,. riving knife in place etc.

Is your fence straight that is have you put a straight edge on it, on my cabinet saw the Besmeiyer is not straight, ive hand filed it in the past.

I was using a 12" blade for set up then switching to a 14" blade and there was a signifigant difference using a dial to check things, 14" blade was much more true, both were Royce Uitima blades.

Everyone gave you good info there, arbor clean then check it etc. Photo would make sense so people see what they are and how pronounced.

[Michelle Rich]

I have my fence set like yours. In 32 yrs it has never caused your issue...I'd look elsewhere..

[Lee Schierer]

I'm having a few issues with my SawStop 3HP PCS and would appreciate any help you can offer. The blade seems parallel to the right miter slot within a few thousandths (maybe .003 +/-) and the fence is aligned to toe out about .003 at the back. I get pretty significant saw marks when ripping with a Forrest Woodworker 2 and Ridge Carbide TS2000. I also get saw marks when using my miter sled. I'm not sure what to check next. I used to get better results on my old Ridgid TS3650 with a Woodworker 2....so you can imagine my frustration! Thanks everyone.

How are you measuring the run out and alignment. Are you using a dial indicator? You can get one at any Harbor Freight store for about $20 and mount it to your miter gauge with a block of wood and a couple of wood screws.

[Al Weber]

If you can't sort it out, call or email the SawStop customer support group. They are extremely helpful and knowledgable. I had to contact them on an assembly issue (mine not theirs) and they were totally helpful.

[Steve Demuth]

One other thing to check is the blade itself. If it is out of balance or has a slightly dislocated tooth, you can get the effect you're seeing.

[Simon MacGowen]

Is your saw new or old?

In addition to the suggestions given above (esp. about the zero clearance throat plate which is the simplest to check), is the blade square to the table? If the blade tilts over towards the fence, the friction increases (and also presents a kickback concern).

Did you set the riving knife properly or is it straight and flat? Also check the fence. If yours is an old saw (1st gen. ICS), the fence could be made of poor plysheet.

I agree if it does not perform much better (at least 5 times better!) than a Ridgid, SawStop (assuming yours is a brand new saw) should take it back.

Simon

[Michael Donahue]

It's the 40 tooth version. Never had issues ripping with the thin kerf version on my old Ridgid saw.

[john bateman]

When I had a problem like that on my TS3650, I found that cutting a piece of mdf, which is very flat and grainless, allowed me to see more clearly what was happening.
In my case it was the Ridge 2000 blade, which would randomly flex or shimmy, causing kerf marks on the cut edge. Switched to a Freud blade.

[Michael Donahue]

I picked up a Woodpeckers Saw Gauge to measure the run out and alignment.

[glenn bradley]

The blade seems parallel to the right miter slot within a few thousandths (maybe .003 +/-) and the fence is aligned to toe out about .003 at the back.

"Seems" is not good enough. You want to know. Also, align the blade to the slot that you use for your miter gauge; usually the left one.

You have tried multiple blades so that pretty well eliminates them. Did you use thin kerf blades on your Ridgid? If so, are these new blades?

You had good rresults on the Ridgid so that pretty well eliminates a technique problem.


I also get saw marks when using my miter sled.

This takes the fence out of the equation.

Are the marks happening on the front left, right rear, or what? If you are getting full arc saw marks, I would look to material control (feed rate, clamps, push blocks and how they are used). You can eliminate this as a possibility by clamping a 6" or so wide piece of stock to your sled fence and making a through cut. Do NOT back up. Cut through and shut down the saw. Now snap us a picture of the cut edge of the keeper and the off-cut explaining orientation please.

[Michael Donahue]

It was new last fall....but I haven't had much of a chance to really use it until the last few weeks. I'll take a look at the arbor and the alignment and see if that helps.

Thanks everyone for the tips!

[Kevin McCluney]

Try a different blade. I had the same issue after I had my WWII 'fixed' by Forrest - one of the teeth had been adjusted well out of alignment. A put a different blade on and presto! no more teeth marks.

[Derek Cohen]

Make a checklist:

1. Is the arbor free of any dust or build up? Even a few grains can create a blade spinning out-of-balance.

2. Is the riving knife behind or co-planer with the blade? If the riving knife projects away from the blade, it can force the work piece to angle into the blade, which will result in saw marks. This can occur as a result of debris in the clamping section.

3. Is the rip fence parallel or toed out a smidgeon? If toed in a smidgeon, it will force the workpiece into the blade.

4. Is the blade flat? Are there chipped or high teeth? Check and also try a different blade.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[andy bessette]

Sounds like the blade is not lined up with the table top. Also no need for a thin kerf blade.

[Simon MacGowen]

This takes the fence out of the equation.



Good point.

Simon

[Corey Pelton]

Had the exact same issue. Ended up being a bad arbor. Saw Stop sent me a completely new arbor assembly. That fixed a lot of my pinching and burning issues.

[glenn bradley]

Had the exact same issue. Ended up being a bad arbor. Saw Stop sent me a completely new arbor assembly. That fixed a lot of my pinching and burning issues.

This is really encouraging. My Saw Stop was well aligned out of the box so they seem to have that part of the assembly process down. I still tweaked it a bit but, that's just me; not really necessary. If yours if sub-optimal with multiple blades, with fence and sled, something is wonky and maybe a bad arbor is it. Obviously not desirable but, it would explain things.