Lubing A Sawstop

[Ken Krawford]

I noticed that it took a great deal of effort to retract my blade below the table top recently. The Sawstoiop manual details WHAT to grease but doesn't mention a specific product. What do you use on your table saw?

[jeremy romoser]

I bought marine grease yesterday to do my saw this week.
One of the how-to videos on the SawStop website their recommends marine grease.
I also came across some website that seemed to have a lot of good sawstop information and he recommends marine grease (trentdavis.net)

[Jim Becker]

Lubrication is fine, but you also need to insure that you remove any built up gunk...that's often what inhibits up/down movement in a table saw.

[Frank Pratt]

I had a bit of a lengthy discussion with SawStop tech support about his very thing. The preferred lube is wheel bearing grease, either regular or preferably marine. The thing he warned to definitely not use is any kind of dry lube. His explanation for this was that the dry lube makes things move easily, but it provides no high pressure lubrication & that parts will wear out much sooner. 'Course, you'll need to get in there with a brush & nozzle to get all the sawdust/grease gunk out out before lubing.

[Cliff Polubinsky]

Ken,

I had the same problem with my PCS a bit ago. I finally found that the elevation lock had tightened. Worth a look.

Cliff

[ChrisA Edwards]

Informational

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_6SwIawU7U

[Bill Dufour]

Would the normal recommendation of dry graphite lube cause a problem with the sensor? I assume graphite powder would be electrically conductive. Dry teflon power should be ok. I think the carrier is alcohol which should be allowed to flash off before use
BIll D

[Larry Frank]

That is a great video showing how to get at the proper areas.

[Michael Schuch]

Are saw stops significantly different than other cabinet saws in design? I have always used Johnsons paste wax on the elevation and tilt screws in my cabinet saws. Way back when I used grease and it was an instant big wad of sawdust. Paste wax doesn't seem to attract the saw dust as bad as grease. Maybe I was using the wrong kind of grease? And yes, before anyone else says it, I am sure I probably used too much grease initially but had sawdust issues even after scraping off the initial wad of sawdust and grease leaving only a very light coat of grease.

[Ken Krawford]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and feedback. Cliff, I appreciate your heads up regarding the elevation lock. I'll be sure to check that. The Sawstop video is excellent and I'll probably have it handy on my iPad when I tackle this job.

[jack duren]

I'm surprised this saw needs lubricating...

[John Redford]

Very helpful, thank you.

[Frank Pratt]

Are saw stops significantly different than other cabinet saws in design? I have always used Johnsons paste wax on the elevation and tilt screws in my cabinet saws. Way back when I used grease and it was an instant big wad of sawdust. Paste wax doesn't seem to attract the saw dust as bad as grease. Maybe I was using the wrong kind of grease? And yes, before anyone else says it, I am sure I probably used too much grease initially but had sawdust issues even after scraping off the initial wad of sawdust and grease leaving only a very light coat of grease.

Wax is a dry lube & won't give the wear protection that grease will. Too much is a bad thing though & will contribute to dust caking. I blow off the greased parts with compressed air nozzle periodically & it seams to keep the gunk from building up. My SawStop is about 5 years old & though it shows no signs of needing greasing, I'll be doing it anyway this winter.

[Frank Pratt]

Would the normal recommendation of dry graphite lube cause a problem with the sensor? I assume graphite powder would be electrically conductive. Dry teflon power should be ok. I think the carrier is alcohol which should be allowed to flash off before use
BIll D

Those dry lubes only make it feel like it's properly lubricated. They don't provide the lubrication needed for long life.

[Christopher Glanton]

Marine grease is great except for the arbor. It makes threading the nut off/on quite hard relatively. I've been just keeping it clean with no grease. I'm not sure this is correct but much friendlier to use.

[Charles Grauer]

You might also check, the saw stop is bad about saw dust gathering in the rear of the rear posts. Look in the Manuel, it addresses that issue. I found that a vacuum is better to remove it than the blow gun (compressed air)

the first one , saw stop I owned (early model). It had a door on the right plus I think another. This later saw has a Mickey mouse plastic door (cover) on the left. I regret selling the first SS due to moving. I think it was a better saw than this later model. I also had a Powermatic 66, advertised both, not one hit on th PM 66. I could have sold 20 saw stops. I just couldn’t afford to move both. Moved to NY from Colorado, PM66 sold here in NY really fast. The PM 66 in my opinion is a better saw, larger top, heavier trunnions it just doesn’t have a rifling blade and the hotdog electronics. O’well I got older but not smarter I guess.

[Frank Pratt]

Marine grease is great except for the arbor. It makes threading the nut off/on quite hard relatively. I've been just keeping it clean with no grease. I'm not sure this is correct but much friendlier to use.

I've never greased the arbor threads & see no need to do so. Never done it with any table saw.

[Kevin Womer]

Did this like a year ago using recommended marine grease on the video. Removed old grease and works like new again. Video highlights areas and how to get to them. Very good instructions just like you would expect from Sawstop.

[Mike Heidrick]

I am due for this I guess. My sawstop is from 2006. Thanks for the heads up.

[Christopher Glanton]

Really? That's very reassuring Frank, Thanks so much.

[Ken Krawford]

Just to close the loop on this discussion, the teeth in the rear elevation pinion gear had quite a bit of very hard dry sawdust in the teeth. A wire brush wouldn’t get it out and I had to pick it out with a finishing nail. I cleaned and lubed everything else per the video and now it’s smooth as silk.

[Frank Pratt]

Ken, thanks for starting this thread. It's a good reminder to not let things get too gunked up. I will definitely give my saw the treatment this winter.

[Kevin Womer]

The video makes it very easy, good luck!