Aligning my G1023 table?

[Wade Lippman]

My G1023SL came yesterday. I had to get it around the house over uneven ground and icy snow. I wimped out and took the table off to make it lighter. Carrying it was much easier than I expected and I wish I had left it on, but now I have to align it again.

Seems to me that if I put a magnetic dial indicator on the flat steel part of an Incra miter gauge and measure the same at a front and rear saw tooth when I slide the miter gauge back and forth, I ought to be right on. Does that make sense?

I guess that ignores arbor runout, but that can be accomodated by moving the blade around and averaging. Hopefully it is small.:o

Any other ideas that don't require buying anything?

[Chuck Wintle]

My G1023SL came yesterday. I had to get it around the house over uneven ground and icy snow. I wimped out and took the table off to make it lighter. Carrying it was much easier than I expected and I wish I had left it on, but now I have to align it again.

Seems to me that if I put a magnetic dial indicator on the flat steel part of an Incra miter gauge and measure the same at a front and rear saw tooth when I slide the miter gauge back and forth, I ought to be right on. Does that make sense?

I guess that ignores arbor runout, but that can be accomodated by moving the blade around and averaging. Hopefully it is small.:o

Any other ideas that don't require buying anything?

When you removed the top did you remember where each shim came from? I have read this is important for the flatness of the table. Your method for aligning the table seems to be correct. As for arbor runout take a set readings from several teeth on the blade and split the difference.

[glenn bradley]

Charles is on target. Folks often get bit by this assuming the shims are washers and can go back in any order. Good luck with your efforts.

[Wade Lippman]

I checked for shims, but there weren't any. Either my table is perfect, or they didn't bother to shim it. I guess I will find out soon enough.

[Chuck Wintle]

I checked for shims, but there weren't any. Either my table is perfect, or they didn't bother to shim it. I guess I will find out soon enough.

I think the washers are the shims.

[James Suzda]

The manual for the 1023 explains each step in aligning your saw top. Follow the steps and you should be okay.
BTW, when I needed some shims to level the top on my saw when I got to the step of checking the saw when the blade was at 45 degrees, I used some shims made from an aluminum can to level table.

[Bob Wingard]

I checked for shims, but there weren't any. Either my table is perfect, or they didn't bother to shim it. I guess I will find out soon enough.

I got mine back in about '94 .. .. it didn't have any shims either, and it DEFINITELY needed them. Once shimmed, it is near perfection and has been for 13+ years. You definitely want to check alignment at 90 deg. and at 45 deg. to determine if you need shims.

[Rob Blaustein]

Wade,
The procedure you describe (I'm assuming you have the blade set at 90 deg) will get you half way there in terms of the table adjustment. I would follow James's advice regarding the manual--there is a good description there about when you might need to shim the table. The measurement you describe will not tell you if the table is level in a front to back axis. You need to angle the blade for that. If after putting the blade to 45 deg you get the same distance from the miter gauge front to back then you are fine. But if you don't, then that is where shimming comes in. This is generally something they check at the factory, so you may be fine.
--Rob
Edit--oops, just realized Bob said the same thing about 45 deg above.

[Wade Lippman]

Wade,
This is generally something they check at the factory, so you may be fine.


Not in my case. There were no shims when I took the top off, but I had to use a 0.040" shim to get it right.
Probably for the best; I might not have even checked it if I hadn't taken the table off.