Mark Rios
04-20-2006, 11:45 AM
Some of you may recall my frustrations with my Makita LS1214F 12" SCMS. The fence wouldn't stay square on the horizontal plane. I would painstakingly get it square and make some cuts. Then, sometimes in a couple of hours or sometimes the next day, the fence (It seems like the fence) would move and the saw wouldn't be square anymore. Someone else has this problem also, IIRC. With a 10" saw I believe.
Also, I spent the big bucks and bought a precision steel straightedge as well as some different sizes of WoodPecker precision squares. When I placed the straightedge along the length of the fence there was a bow in the fence TOWARD me. Actually I think it was the left inside part of the fence (at the blade) that was sticking out. The fence is also not square to the table on the vertical plane. The top of the fence leans away from me. There is a flip up (kinda flip over actually) fence extension on the left side and a removable upper fence section on the right side. Neither of these line up with the fence; When I place my square against the fence, they set back from the face of the fence.
So I took the saw up to the nearest "Factory Service Center", 1 1/2 hours each way if no traffic, and met with the guy that I had talked to on the phone. He brought out his beat-up, 3" ,clear plastic square and checked the fence. ( I had stupidly forgotten to bring my square and straightedge) He said that he didn't see anything wrong with the fence to table squareness. I had to show him where it was out of square. With his junkie little beat-up square I had to show him at the left outside fence section where it was out the most. The part of the main fence that is nearer the blade is only about 1 1/4" high (the flip up and the removable parts of the fence make up the rest of the height) so it is really hard to see the gap at the square since it's clear plastic. It's easy to see with a solid color square, i.e, my solid red or gold aluminum square. He finally agreed that it might be out a little bit. Then I told him about the fence not being straight. He promptly brought out his beat up aluminum framing square. Even with that though there was a about a 3/64" gap on one end when held against the other end. But then he tried to tell me that the amount was so small that it shouldn't make any difference. I'm getting pretty frustrated by now. I tried to keep my voice down and explained to him that there is no way that you could get any joints even close to mating properly with any discrepancies. Square is square and straight is straight; not straight is NOT straight. He didn't seem to be too concerned about the discrepancies.
I'm not too sure what to expect when I go to pick it up. They seem to think that "kinda close" and "not too bad of a gap" is acceptable. This same "Factory Service Center" (but a different guy) told me on the phone that "there shouldn't be any problems with that model saw. It's the most accurate saw out there on the market." The most accurate saw on the market with nothing on the fence being straight or square?
I'll update when I get back from picking it up. I'll be sure to bring my square and straightedge with me then. I think that I'll bring some material with me to make some test cuts as well.
Also, I spent the big bucks and bought a precision steel straightedge as well as some different sizes of WoodPecker precision squares. When I placed the straightedge along the length of the fence there was a bow in the fence TOWARD me. Actually I think it was the left inside part of the fence (at the blade) that was sticking out. The fence is also not square to the table on the vertical plane. The top of the fence leans away from me. There is a flip up (kinda flip over actually) fence extension on the left side and a removable upper fence section on the right side. Neither of these line up with the fence; When I place my square against the fence, they set back from the face of the fence.
So I took the saw up to the nearest "Factory Service Center", 1 1/2 hours each way if no traffic, and met with the guy that I had talked to on the phone. He brought out his beat-up, 3" ,clear plastic square and checked the fence. ( I had stupidly forgotten to bring my square and straightedge) He said that he didn't see anything wrong with the fence to table squareness. I had to show him where it was out of square. With his junkie little beat-up square I had to show him at the left outside fence section where it was out the most. The part of the main fence that is nearer the blade is only about 1 1/4" high (the flip up and the removable parts of the fence make up the rest of the height) so it is really hard to see the gap at the square since it's clear plastic. It's easy to see with a solid color square, i.e, my solid red or gold aluminum square. He finally agreed that it might be out a little bit. Then I told him about the fence not being straight. He promptly brought out his beat up aluminum framing square. Even with that though there was a about a 3/64" gap on one end when held against the other end. But then he tried to tell me that the amount was so small that it shouldn't make any difference. I'm getting pretty frustrated by now. I tried to keep my voice down and explained to him that there is no way that you could get any joints even close to mating properly with any discrepancies. Square is square and straight is straight; not straight is NOT straight. He didn't seem to be too concerned about the discrepancies.
I'm not too sure what to expect when I go to pick it up. They seem to think that "kinda close" and "not too bad of a gap" is acceptable. This same "Factory Service Center" (but a different guy) told me on the phone that "there shouldn't be any problems with that model saw. It's the most accurate saw out there on the market." The most accurate saw on the market with nothing on the fence being straight or square?
I'll update when I get back from picking it up. I'll be sure to bring my square and straightedge with me then. I think that I'll bring some material with me to make some test cuts as well.