Tuning Table Saw

[Christopher Stahl]

Ok, I just ordered a Unisaw and would like to know where I can find info about its alignment/tuning? Even recommendations of alignment tools. I want to do this right the first time.

I never aligned my contractor saw with alignment tools, so it's time to get what I need.

thanks,
chris

[Chris Padilla]

I am sure you'll get all sorts of methods to use but here is what I have purchased to assist in alignments and tuning:

(1) Mastergage Super-Bar: This is a little tool that fits snugly into a miter slot. It comes with a sensitive dial indicator and it will align your saw blade to your miter slot to within 0.001". It will also align your fence to the miter slot as well, and can measure the runout on your arbor. There are all sorts of uses for this baby.

(2) Mastergage Master-Plate: Coupled with the above, it helps to further evaluate your alignment. It is simply a flat piece of aluminum that has holes for 5/8" and 1" arbors and it can also fine tune the tilt of your TS blade (say at 0 and 45 degrees). This plate supposedly has zero runout. It beats a saw blade that might be warped and also give false readings due to its carbide extending beyond its body

Find both of these at Grizzly (for example):

http://www.grizzly.com/catalog/2004/224.cfm? near the bottom of the page. Hit the web and see if you can find them cheaper elsewhere.

These two items will do A LOT for tuning your table saw, miter box, router table, etc. They aren't cheap but they work very, very well. Good alignment on a TS not only ensures true cuts but it also is vital to safety. Further, when you take apart your TS to do a really good cleaning of the motor and trunnions, you'll need to put it back together and retune.

Finally, I highly, highly recommend you invest in a precision straight-edge...get it from Starrett. I have a 36" one and I believe it is straight to within 0.0002" per foot. Not bad, not bad. A nice engineering square is also very useful here.

I think this is a place to NOT skimp on lower quality equipment. Spend some money for superior tools--you won't regret it.

Finally, finally, get a set of feeler gauges. When you place the straight-edge on your TS, you'll want to see how far from flat the TS is. Perhaps you could grind down high spots. This is also good for checking the flatness of anything you build--a torsion box is a good example of something one wants dead flat.

Since I don't own a bandsaw (yet), I am not sure how (1,2) above might help for that piece of equipment.

Good Luck!

[Terry Hatfield]

Chris,

I use this...

<IMG SRC="http://www.terryhatfield.com/tstool3.jpg">

<IMG SRC="http://www.terryhatfield.com/tstool1.jpg">

<IMG SRC="http://www.terryhatfield.com/tstool2.jpg">

I have a article on my site in the "Shop Made Accessories" on it's construction and use. I stole...er...borrowed the idea from someone on another forum. :D

I used a dial indicator to double check and I can tell you that for zero money you can get within .001 with this little gizmo. I never use anything else on the TS.

Terry

[Chris Padilla]

Hey Terry,

Clean the gunk off your General! :p

[Robert Ducharme]

Hey Chris

Does that superbar work for sliding table saw tops or is the slider too far from the blade for the dial guage to work?

[Terry Hatfield]

Hey Terry,

Clean the gunk off your General! :p

Chris,

GUNK????? GENERAL?????

Dude, that's a perfectly clean top on a Grizzly. :D :D

t

[Mark Singer]

Terry,
Do you set it up for 100% parallel or do you leave it a little open at the rear of the blade? That seems to greatly reduce kickback and still cuts great...

[Terry Hatfield]

Terry,
Do you set it up for 100% parallel or do you leave it a little open at the rear of the blade? That seems to greatly reduce kickback and still cuts great...

Mark,

I've never been a fan of anything but parallel. I know that leaving it a few thousands open does no harm, but it just semms more "right" to me to have the fence parallel.

t

[Christopher Stahl]

Thanks for the info. I was going to make something like Terry did, but I was interested to how other people were doing alignments. I tell ya, it's cool just to see how other people reach a common goal.

I'm willing to spend some money for something good. Plus, I'm about to order a WWII and some other things. If I can order from one place, that's a bonus.

I'm also considering Biesemeyer splitter and blade guard. Terry, what was the blade guard you had on your table?? What are other blade guards to look at?

I'm very concerned with safety.

thanks,
chris

[Joe Bourbois]

Chris, a properly aligned saw goes along way toward safety, especially fence parallel to blade. Obviously a good splitter that you will actually use (read easy to take off and put back on) is also a great safety device.

For a splitter on your unisaw, you could go with the Biesemeyer, the microjig (see Terry's excellent separate post on that), the Delta disappearing splitter, or the delta splitter assembly from their uniguard. There are other options too. For my new unisaw, I ordered the delta splitter assembly direct from Delta for $31.70. It's on backorder until next week. It's similar to the Biesemeyer and is removed by turning a thumbwheel. It's Delta part number 1349941 SPLITTER ASSY COMPLETE and their number is 1-800-223-PART. You can read about it and see a picture of it here:
http://home.earthlink.net/~mgoodall...g/Uniguard.html (the happywoodworking.com site).

It won't come with directions, but I can email you some I found on the 'net if you want.

As far as alignment goes, I use the TS Aligner Jr. I think it's great. You can check it out here:
http://www.ts-aligner.com/tsalignerjr.htm

Congrats on the forthcoming new saw!

[Terry Hatfield]

Chris,

Ther blade guard I'm using is from Wood Mag's website. Here is the link:

http://woodstore.woodmall.com/tabduscolbon.html

I really like it. Especially that the upper arm is hinged. That is a really nice feature.

There are A/M guards available from several sources. The Excalibur seems to be the favorite, but Exaktor, PSI and several others make them as well.

Terry

[Kent Cori]

I'm with Terry on both the jig he uses and setting the fence parallel to the blade. As long as you're using a splitter, there should be no problem with kickback if the fence is parallel. A cheap feeler gauge added to the jig Terry uses eliminates the need for an expensive alignment tool.

[Chris Padilla]

Chris,

GUNK????? GENERAL?????

Dude, that's a perfectly clean top on a Grizzly. :D :D

t

CMT General...your saw blade! :D

[Chris Padilla]

Hey Chris

Does that superbar work for sliding table saw tops or is the slider too far from the blade for the dial guage to work?

Robert,

The dial gauge won't reach to the blade you could "work your way over" by putting a board snugly in the miter slot. That will get you a bit closer. Then you could add a few more boards or a large board that is cut true or stack a bunch of MDF cutoffs.

[Terry Hatfield]

CMT General...your saw blade! :D

Well...DUH!!!!!!! Ok...I'll get right on it!! :D

t

[Christopher Stahl]

Thanks for all this info. I really don't want to use the saw until I have the guard and splitter. I'm afraid that if I use the saw without either, that will delay my purchase of them. So I made a rule that I won't use it until they are attached.

Terry, I'm going to look into the blade guard you made, looks very great and looks every bit as good A/M models.

So many decisions to make. I certainly appreciate your help. I've only been a member of this forum for about month and I have to say that it is wonderful.

I'll post my gloat when the Unisaw and the other equipment I ordered arrives. Of course pictures are mandatory. :)

Thanks,
chris

[Thomas Norris]

Not able to bring blade to zero degrees. Trunion moves to stop when stop and lock nut all the way in to trunion. 45 degree stop has plenty of adjustment room. All parts thoroughly cleaned and lubricated.:(

[Robert Mahon]

I would recommend you buy a Wixey angle indicator. I recently got 1 and found my TS and Jointer off by a bit. Since setting them using the Wixey, all's GOOD now.

Regarding an overarm blade guard/DC:
I just installed a PSI unit and find it to work well when connected to a good Shop-Vac. It won't get all the dust form the top but will get a great deal of it. They have 4 more units being sold on a "Scratch 'n Dent" sale that are being sold at $138.00. The only thing wrong with them are very slight scratches on the tubes. For the money, a great deal. If you call them, talk to Jeff.

Now I need help:
What is the best easily removed splitter I can install to my JET 10" Cabinet saw?
Is there a "Splitter" that can be installed to the elevating mechanism that will rise and fall with the blade?