Jet Table Saw Questions

[Chris Schumann]

Hey folks, I finally finished assembling a new Jet 10" table saw (JWTS-10) and have some questions for you. (I have some problems with the manual, but that's not for here.)

1. The fence seems odd. Each side has a notch, so it contacts tall wood in two spots. The right side of the fence has those two spots very nearly square to the table, but I'm a rightie, so I expect to use the left side of the fence more often. The left side of the fence is not nearly as square, and the bottom section is concave. Short wood is fine, but tall square wood goes over the notch and doesn't contact the upper part of the fence. How can I make the fence more useful, or how can I make an auxiliary fence that's square to the table?

2. There's a "support rod" that connects the front and rear rails that the fence rides on. What's it for? I suspect it's to help keep the rear rail from bending when you accidentally run into it, ensuring I need a hip replaced before the rail.

3. Since my shop is in my garage in Minnesota (insulated but not heated), where the temperature will remain below zero for a week sometime during the next few months, how should I winterize it to minimize damage? I am considering a wood burner to extend my shop use, but I've heard moving through the freezing point is worse than just leaving it very cold.

4. Not a question: The manual has several errors, doesn't mention dust collection,... etc.

And a gloat: I got this saw that Amazon sells for $675 for $300 new in the box at a school fundraiser.

[scott spencer]

Chris - Pics of your fence would be helpful if possible.

Since you have the luxury of an insulated garage, I'd definitely get some sort of heater to help make it "inhabitable" during the winter.

I treat all my cast iron with a light coat of Boeshield T9, buffed and dried, followed by a couple of coats of paste wax. Applied fall and spring, strip it with mineral spirits before reapplying in the spring. You might also consider covering the saw with a blanket, sheet, or cloth tablecloth.

[Bob Genovesi]

Chris,

A lot of what you've mentioned is a bit unclear to me.

Most table saws are adjustable in all respects. The T-slot that the miter gage slides in is the fixed point on the cast iron top that everything else is adjusted to.

There are 4 bolts that mount the trunnion to the cast iron top. I use a Table Saw Aligner below to ensure that the blade is parallel to the T-slot within a couple of thousands over 10 inches.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s225/BobbyG53/newtsajunior.jpg

The fence itself is adjusted in a similar manor using the same device.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s225/BobbyG53/Jet-01.jpg

The only addition I've made is adding another cast iron wing to the right side giving me a very heavy and flat surface to work with.

[Chris Schumann]

http://s7d2.scene7.com/is/image/WMHToolGroup/708100_main?hei=800&wid=800

This is a large image of the assembled saw. You can (just) see that the side of the fence has a length-wise notch in it. The lower portion is convex vertically, and the upper portion doesn't align with the lower portion, at least on the left side of my fence. (The image makes it look like the fence has a base plate covering the table, but that's a reflection of the fence.)

Basically, the left side of the fence isn't square to the table vertically. I know it's cheap (but not as cheap as the cheap Craftsman I had), but I was hoping for a little better.

And thanks for the knowledge so far.

EDIT: http://content.jettools.com/manuals/man_708100.pdf

The cover of the manual has a better image of the fence.