TS Setup - what's OK for arbor alignment?

[David Weaver]

Hello folks - I'm setting up a Delta Hybrid TS and noticed that the alignment of the blade isn't exactly parallel with the miter slot. I'm waiting for a dial indicator, but for giggles, I checked with a non-dial caliper. I would guess that the difference between front and back is probably about 32nd of an inch or so - less than a 16th for that matter, but not negligible. I'm going to loosen the trunion and adjust it once i have a dial indicator.

My question is this - what do you guys consider a good safe adjustment. Is it a few thousandths farther from the right miter slot in the back to avoid kickback, or do you set it out of alignment a little more than that - like a 64th of an inch or something? I'd like to do all of this stuff before I get the wings on the saw and make the chore harder the next time.

I'll measure runout when I get the caliper, too. Does anyone have any opinion on what's acceptable - .01 inch? less than that? Hopefully it'll be nearly none - I have two good blades (a freud combination and a forrest thin kerf WW II) to try on it if one seems to be off.

Thanks in advance.

[Nancy Laird]

When setting up a table saw I always try to get the blade and the mitre slot in as close an alignment as possible. I try for .001" and can normally get it. The Unisaw usually only requires the loosening of three of the four bolts that hold the table to the cabinet (that way you don't move the table too much). Once the blade is in alignment with the mitre slot then you may also align the fence to the same reference (I usually have the fence go out in the back about .001-.002" to prevent any help it will give to a kickback). I've never had a problem with kickback or trapping of a board.

Dave

[glenn bradley]

Some folks favor a toe-out of 1 - 2 thou at the rear of the fence. I shoot for within .001" blade to miter slot. Then use the same miter slot to set the fence as dead on as possible. Depending on the fence face material you may only be able to get so close. The laminated face on my Biesemeyer is .001" to just over (too small to call it .002") along it's length. When doing your fence, remember to check for 90* (perpendicular) to the table top.

[Ted Miller]

Dave, Sometimes I drive myself nuts trying to get the blade to miter within .001. It all boils down to how much time you want to spend on it. Make sure you have a pretty close to flat blade, no blades are perfectly flat. Invest in a good dial indicator and a decent base so you can check for accuracy. It is ok to have a bit of heel to the blade from the fence for kickback puposes. Also don't forget after you do all your adjusting last thing is check the table for flatness...

[Brian Dormer]

I'll just echo what's been posted: < .002 is OK - but I prefer less than that if I'm not in a hurry. Adjusting to "perfection" (< .001) is possible with enough patience - although it's doubtful you will get that accuracy across the entire length of a rip fence.

I set my rip fence as close as I can possibly get it to perfect - with no intentional "toe out" at the back. But I won't settle for any "pinching" at the back. (Personal Preference) I find that my fence has a slight "bow" inward (towards the blade) in the middle.

I've only had one kickback on this saw (in 2 years) - and I saw it coming - so it was a no-harm-no-foul.

[David Weaver]

Thanks for the replies guys - I will attempt to get it as close as possible, which is what I was hoping would be the answer.

Once the dial indicator gets here, and I get everything parallel, I'll get the extension wings on and checked for flatness.

I checked the main table across its width and depth. There is no visible light under a starrett straight edge across the width of the table, but there is a gap (hollow) that is just barely big enough for me to get a .008" feeler gauge under in the depth. I understand that .012" is delta's tolerance now, so that's within spec. I just don't know why none of the castings are stress relieved, because I know there probably wasn't a .008" hollow in the thing while it was getting ground. Hopefully, the cast extension wings have the same hollow so I don't have any catches.

[glenn bradley]

P.s. Remember that you want to measure from your miter slot to the SAME tooth at the front and the rear of the blade. I mark mine with a felt pen. That way, even if your blade is 'not too flat' you're still measuring to the same (possibly faulty) point in space.

[Mac Cambra]

I have a question with regard to this subject, do the table extensions have to be removed when making these adjustments?

Also when aligning do you keep one corner of the table fixed and move the table relative to that corner to align the other end of the blade. I found that when I tapped the table to align one side it would throw out my reference side then I would end up bouncing back and forth never getting it perfect. Closest I was able to come was roughly ~0.005 mils on my Unisaw. By the way I had the extension still attached.

Thanks

[Howard Acheson]

>> Once the dial indicator gets here, and I get everything parallel,

You don't need a dial indicator to align your tablesaw. Here is the low tech, low cost way to align a tablesaw that I learned maybe forty years ago and teach to my students now.

Make 3/4 x 3/4 x 12" hardwood stick. Drill a hole somewhat centered in one end and insert a brass #8 x 1" round head wood screw about half way. UNPLUG THE SAW. Raise the blade completely up. Clamp this board in your miter gauge (if you determine that there is some slop in your slot to miter gauge, use a playing card to take up the slop) so the screw head just about touches the blade at the front. Now rotate the blade by hand and determine which tooth is the closest. Adjust the screw in or out until it just touches this tooth. Mark this tooth. Rotate the blade so the tooth is now at the back of the table and move the miter gauge/stick assembly to the back and see if it touches the marked tooth to the same extent. If it doesn't, adjust the trunnion (if a contractor saw) or the tabletop (if a cabinet saw) until it does.

For a contractor saw, first use a small c-clamp on the rear trunnion and cradle to keep the assembly from moving. Then loosen the two rear trunnion bolts and one front trunnion bolt. Slightly loosen the other front trunnion bolt and use a stick to tap the trunnion until the blade and screw lightly touch. The blade does not move directly around the center so you will need to repeatedly go back to the front of the blade, readjust the screw, and then again measure the back. Be sure to check after tightening the trunnion as the trunnion frequently moves when being tightened.

For cabinet saws, loosen the bolts that hold the tabletop and tap one corner until things come into alignment.

The same adjustment gauge can be used to set the fence parallel to the miter slot. Slide the miter gauge to the front of the table and move the fence over to the screw head and insert a playing card between the screw head and the fence just so you can move the card as it touches both the fence and the screw head. Now move the miter gauge to the back of the table and see if you have the same feel when you insert the card. I like my fence absolutely parallel--if you want to have a slight opening to the fence, you can easily estimate the opening by adding a thickness of paper to the card.

I always show my students with a dial gauge that their adjustments are within .001 - .002.

You can also use the same gauge to measure blade runout by using a $5.00 feeler gauge.

Finally, after you are satisfied with the above adjustments, check the position of the splitter to make sure it is exactly in line with the blade.

Bottom line, there is no need to spend more than the $0.05 for the brass screw.

[Ted Miller]

I have the Laguna TS and when I do adjust the miter to blade I must remove the tube, table extension and rails. Then I loosen the 4 bolts and maybe the 2 wing bolts if needed to get a full adjustment. I found on this particular model that the rails must be removed or you just fight against them when using a dead blow hammer...