Something wrong with my Unisaw rebuild?

[Michael Weber]

Restoring an 80's Unisaw. After getting it reassembled and the top back on I notice that the blade does not drop completely below the top of the insert when cranked all the way down. It remains maybe an eight or 1/16th above the table. I don't see any way to adjust that. Is that typical for that saw or did I do something wrong on assembly? I'm pretty confident I got the worm gear on the shaft in the correct orientation (don't think it would reassemble with the worm gear backwards) and in the same position it came off since there are holes for the split pins that lock it on. I did refer to the exploded diagrams available during assembly. Thanks for any info.

[ray hampton]

could the blade be TOO big ?

[Jim Tabor]

Michael, I assume that all or any washers or shims between the cabinet and top were replaced. If it were me, I'd remove the top to observe the operation of the elevation worm and arbor bracket. Also check the 3/4 " nut on the end of the worm shaft, best I remember it needs to be tighten several threads. Check that the motor is not preventing the full travel of the blade and arbor. Good luck Jim

[Michael Weber]

Thanks Ray and Jim. The blade is fine. There were no spacers or shims between the cabinet and top when dissembled. I'll add some. Don't know why such a simple solution didn't occur to me, DOH! I'm sure age had nothing to do with it guess I was so worried I just assumed I did something wrong.

[Charles Lent]

My 1984 Unisaw has the same problem with some 10" blades and it has never been apart. With other blades the teeth are about level with the insert. It seems that all 10" blades are not exactly 10" diameter. I don't think there is anything wrong with your Unisaw. Check different blades. If it bothers you a lot, then adding spacers under the table mounting points will solve it, but may require a lot of work to get the saw re-aligned.

Charley

[glenn bradley]

There were no spacers or shims between the cabinet and top when dissembled. I'll add some.

I'm no all-encompassing book of knowledge on tablesaws but, every cabinet saw I have ever aligned had shims (washers) at the mounting posts. This is how the top is aligned for angled cuts. That is; a top may be aligned so that the miter slots run true to the blade at 90* but, will be off when the blade is tilted. The shims are a standard way of accounting for this . . . at least in all the saws and saw documentation I have encountered.

This may not be the reason for the blade protruding a bit. I think many of us have read or been involved in discussions wondering why the blade couldn't go just a bit lower even when it does go just past the level of the top. As Charles says, his has always been that way. Use extra washers if it bothers you but, the primary use is alignment AFAIK.

[Michael Weber]

I'm no all-encompassing book of knowledge on tablesaws but, every cabinet saw I have ever aligned had shims (washers) at the mounting posts. This is how the top is aligned for angled cuts. That is; a top may be aligned so that the miter slots run true to the blade at 90* but, will be off when the blade is tilted. The shims are a standard way of accounting for this . . . at least in all the saws and saw documentation I have encountered.

This may not be the reason for the blade protruding a bit. I think many of us have read or been involved in discussions wondering why the blade couldn't go just a bit lower even when it does go just past the level of the top. As Charles says, his has always been that way. Use extra washers if it bothers you but, the primary use is alignment AFAIK.

Having a hard time visualizing why the blade would not align to the miter slot at an angle if it does at 90 degrees. Thanks for pointing that possibility out. More complex that I imagined. It’s obvious to me that I need to do more research on aligning my top.
Edited to say I'm not having any luck searching for how this works. Anyone have a link at hand.

[thomas d evans]

Having a hard time visualizing why the blade would not align to the miter slot at an angle if it does at 90 degrees. Thanks for pointing that possibility out. More complex that I imagined. It’s obvious to me that I need to do more research on aligning my top.
Edited to say I'm not having any luck searching for how this works. Anyone have a link at hand.

Here's one..... http://woodgears.ca/delta_saw/alignment.html

There is also a site that shows it in detail with drawings, but I can't find that. Might be a Ridgid forum site?
and also.. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...ghlight=unisaw

peace, T

[Michael Weber]

Thanks Thomas, I read both but still confused partially by the table/trunion difference. Putting the shims under the table sure sounds easier. I need to actually measure mine before i go off the deep end here
Edited to add link https://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/t25836/

[Rick Alexander]

If you've got one of those little digital angle boxes should be very simple to check. I'm still confused myself how if you put the same thickness shims under the table to raise it a 1/16 th how does that change throw the angle off? I can't really read my angles that accurately on my Grizzly 1023 anyway so I use one of those boxes anytime I tilt the blade which is extremely rare for me. Just easier in the first place I think.

[Matt Meiser]

The Unisaw I rebuilt didn't have any shims and there was no evidence it had ever been apart before. The one I had before that DID need shims though. They wouldn't be at all 4 corners--basically you are tilting the table ever so slightly with them.

[Joseph Tarantino]

Thanks Thomas, I read both but still confused partially by the table/trunion difference. Putting the shims under the table sure sounds easier. I need to actually measure mine before i go off the deep end here
Edited to add link https://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/t25836/

that's a great write up. it even works on saws with table mounted trunions. just be sure you read the correct version. post #14 notes that the numbers that were originally published did not add up and the author added a corrected version later on in the thread. i'm not sure if the link in the first posting is to the correct or the incorrect write up. in the interest of full disclosure, my user name on that forum is finer9998.

[Michael Weber]

If you've got one of those little digital angle boxes should be very simple to check. I'm still confused myself how if you put the same thickness shims under the table to raise it a 1/16 th how does that change throw the angle off? I can't really read my angles that accurately on my Grizzly 1023 anyway so I use one of those boxes anytime I tilt the blade which is extremely rare for me. Just easier in the first place I think.

It doesn't change the angle of the blade to perpendicular but changes the relationship of the blade to the miter slot front to back, essentially giving you blade toe in or toe out depending on whether the front or back of the table is low or high. Now, I've given myself a headache thinking about why that would be but it changes the relationship of the the miter slot to the "AXIS" of the tilt mechanism. In affect dropping one end of the blade more or less so that you're actually cutting at different vertical heights on the blade between front and back of the blade. It will take someone who understands geometry better than I do to really explain it though I can kind of picture it. It's just a matter of leveling the table front to back in relation to the axis of the raising mechanism as well as leveling it left to right. I think

[Chris Rosenberger]

I have had the tops off of dozens cabinet saws over the years & I have only found shims under the table of a couple of those saws.

To get the blade to lower below the table, you need to loosen the nut that is on the end of the blade height adjusting shaft inside the cabinet. After the nut is loosened enough to lower the blade below the table, move the locking collar that is behind the nut & casting up tight against the casting.

[Michael Weber]

We have a winner. Thanks Chris. Simple solution and an easy fix. I counted the turns of the nut when I took it off and put it back the same number so evidently it had been like that for a while. Also shimmed the table to align it with the axis of the raising shaft so the blade is tuned at both 90 and 45 degrees.