Outcome of my Table-saw repair/or upgrade saga

[Bart Leetch]

I had on my wish list a new Grizzly G1023SL or G1023SLX.

I even had the biggest share of the money saved up & the sale of the Craftsman contractor saw would have put me over the top.

Some of the reasons I didn't get the G1023SL or SLX are.

1. The old table-saw didn't sell.

2. I don't really like the fence with only 26" to the right.

3. The long fence rails would only take up about 14" more inches in my shop & thats not a problem but I would have to face my saw the opposite direction than it faces now to be able to put the router table in the right extension where I could get to it & that moves my out-feed/work bench to the other end of the shop away from all the smaller tools ie CMS, Drill-press, band-saw & combination sander that I use as I do assembly work.

4. My current table-saw has fence guide rail 30" to the right & 24" to the left with 24" of wing area on both sides.

5. I am getting a new arbor made for $100 that will handle a Dado blade
& that is the only thing this saw hasn't been able to do.

6. Now I can order my new Freud super Dado set & Freud Professional router Fence.
Sooo for about $367 I'll still get a saw that will do all the things I want or need it to do.

I think after all the research & seeing how I work & what will fit in the shop & ups & downs of this problem things turned out quite well.

[Jason Roehl]

Hey, guys, don't forget that there is a "Report Post" link right under all posts! This post by "halh" is exactly the type of post that should warrant that. Reporting helps out our Moderators, too, so they don't have to dig through ALL posts, they can focus their attention on posts that actually offend other members or that members catch breaking rules.

BTW, thanks for sharing the update, Bart! I'm sure we all would like to upgrade something or other in our shops, but that's not always possible for a variety of reasons. I think that's where one of the biggest aspects of woodworking creativity comes from--making do with what we have!

[Mike Cutler]

Good for you Bart. I usually find it more satisfying to upgrade/adapt what I currently have. I would rather spend the money saved on wood and materials than a new "Bigger Better" machine. Where are you getting the arbor machined to fit the Craftsman? I'm sure that people with Craftsman table saws would like to know this to possibly upgrade their own saws.

[Frank Guerin]

If it works for you, thats what counts. I know I spend more time reconfiguering what I have than actally wood working but I still take pride in that.

[Ray Johnson]

Pleas observe my comments were directed to "halh" not to Bart.

Ace, glad you clarified that. I thought people were starting to jump on Bart!. He's really a nice guy.

And Thanks Bart. I also have a Crafstman table saw that does everything except handle a stacked dado properly. If you had bought another saw, you would have had to pay $267 more just to get the dado and router fence. So this is really only costing you an extra $100.

Where are you getting the arbor from? In an earlier post someone mentioned using JB Weld to fill in between the threads on the arbor. Your way may be painful to the wallet but probably better in the long run. Good luck.
RayJ

[Bart Leetch]

Thanks for the good replies. I thought some who had Craftsman saws might be interested while others could at least relate in some way.

I am having the arbor made by a local machinist. I had ordered one through Sears that was supposed to take care of this problem, but it was smaller in diameter than the one on my saw.

I need to return that arbor for a refund so when I get the new arbor arbor I will stop by the Sears repair depot with all 3 arbors & let them measure the original & their replacement & the arbor that is properly machined as well as see how they all fit in a stacked Dado set & file a written complaint for all the good it will do.

Don't get me wrong though I would have loved to get a new G1023.

I am going to build a cabinet system under this saw & enclose the back & around the motor for good dust collection.

For now the saw sets with the trunnion assembly on top of the saw.


I do have PALS alignment system to re-align the trunnion when I re-assemble the saw.

[Jim DeLaney]

...I will stop by the Sears repair depot with all 3 arbors & let them measure the original & their replacement & the arbor that is properly machined as well as see how they all fit in a stacked Dado set & file a written complaint for all the good it will do.

I do have PALS alignment system to re-align the trunnion when I re-assemble the saw.

Bart,
It's a bit late for Sears to do (or need to do) an arbor compariaon, or for you to file a complaint, since Sears no longer offers those saws. The arbor in question was made by(for) Emerson Electric, who used to make Sears saws. They no longer do. New Craftsman tablesaws now come from somewhere offshore. Emerson switched from Sears Craftsman to making Home Depot 'Ridgid' brand saws a couple years ago, and (I think) just recently quit making those, too.

Regarding the PALS system - it works very well. Another improvement would be to replace those trunnion bolts with better ones - Grade 8, if you can find them. The original Sears bolts are pretty soft, and can stretct, which is what causes part of the infamous alignment problems. Also, while it's all apart, check the mating surfaces between the trunnions and the underside of the table. Make sure they're all four nice and smooth, with no casting flash, etc.

I had a Craftsman saw for about twenty years, and then got a Powermatic 63 - not really an upgrade, as I discovered. Just last Summer, I finally bit the bullet and bought the Shop Fox cabinet saw. What a difference! If you do decide, eventually, to go for the Griz 1023, you'll really like it.

BTW, the 26" fence can easily be shifted (one set of bolt holes) to the right to get you a 36" capability. All you'll need is a new measuring tape. I bought a Lufkin adhesive tape from Rocklers for about $6...

Putting the router table on the left side of a left tilt saw isn't practical, due to the motor cover interfering...

[Wes Bischel]

Bart,

I don't envy you - these are tough decisions to make. Looks like you have it all worked out though. A hundred for the new arbor sounds really good considering all of the set-up to do the different threading etc.
Good luck with the upgrades.

Wes

[CPeter James]

I am in this same situation. I have an old (60+ years) Darrah James 12" saw in my shop and look with envy at the new ones in the machinery places and magazines and wish I had one and then I look at my saw with the new 50" fence, overarm blade guard, sliding table and think that maybe what I will really do is get the thrust washer on the abor fixed and be ahead of the game for a $100 or so. It just won't ever be as shiny as a new one would be.

CPeter