Need help aligning table saw top on big Delta Rockwell 12/14.

[Bobby Robbinett]

I recently picked up a Delta/Rockwell 12/14 or what ever the model is. It is the big brother to the UniSaw I would imagine. Not the Invicta RT40 but the same size as the RT40. Anyway the saw has never been used and when I picked it up it was in pieces. Now I am ready to install the top and wings but I have no way to use my miter slot dial indicator because the miter slot is huge. I believe that it is 3/4” at the top and the bottom widest part is 1”. Will have to check, it might be 1” at the narrowest part and 1.25” at the widest part. Will look when I get back to the shop.

With that being the case, are there any miter slot dial indicators available in this size? What other options do I have for aligning the top? I definitely want it more precise than a tape measure. Any suggestions?

[Derek Arita]

So I'm assuming you're using the miter slot as a track for your dial indicator. Can't you make a jig out of a wood strip to attach your indicator to? Or, can't you just press the thin miter bar against one side or the other when you take your readings? Maybe I'm not understanding the issue you're having.

[glenn bradley]

Agree, make a carrier out of hardwood.

TS Alignment Tool (1).jpgTS Alignment Tool (5).jpgTS Alignment Tool (6).jpgTS Alignment Tool (2).jpg22124 Alingment 013.jpg

If you do not have brass shim stock for adjusting the top, washers and/or aluminum can "stock" can work.

[Bill Dufour]

The top of the slot is one inch wide. A 1 2 3 block sits perfectly in the slot to help align the fence to the slot. Do you have the correct mitre gauge? The way I did it was to clamp a 2x4 to the mitre guage. I drilled a hole at the blade end and mounted a dial indicator so it touched the blade. Make sure to apply a little sideways force towards the blade while measuring to take up any slop. I marked a spot with a magic marker on the blade as a target and rotated the blade, by hand, so the same spot was being measured each time.
To align the fence to the slot I put a 123 block inthe slot front and back and slid the fence over to touch. I then adjusted the fence so it hit both blocks as a rough check. Then I used the dial indicator 2x4 on the mitre guage to sweep the fence. The notch was just to get the DI low enough to reach the blade. I should have used a 2x2 so no notching needed.
Bill D

My 2x4 was shaped like this. Long enough to almost touch the blade and have the other end beyond the mitre guage fence. So more then a one foot long. I remembered I just used a drywall screw to attach the DI at the notch.

[Bill Dufour]

On my 12/14 I threw away the plinth and mounted it up on a mobile base with big wheels. I put a piece of plywood under it to seal the base for dust collection.
I moved the dust chute, at the front, back about one inch so it was closer to the blade. I have no idea why it is so far forward. I just used a wood spacer block with two holes. Note those holes are not symmetrical and one screw has no room to use a socket. You have to use longer bolts with either a screwhead or a SHCS.
Bill D.

PS: what is the OP's location?

[Bobby Robbinett]

The top of the slot is one inch wide. A 1 2 3 block sits perfectly in the slot to help align the fence to the slot. Do you have the correct mitre gauge? The way I did it was to clamp a 2x4 to the mitre guage. I drilled a hole at the blade end and mounted a dial indicator so it touched the blade. Make sure to apply a little sideways force towards the blade while measuring to take up any slop. I marked a spot with a magic marker on the blade as a target and rotated the blade, by hand, so the same spot was being measured each time.
To align the fence to the slot I put a 123 block inthe slot front and back and slid the fence over to touch. I then adjusted the fence so it hit both blocks as a rough check. Then I used the dial indicator 2x4 on the mitre guage to sweep the fence. The notch was just to get the DI low enough to reach the blade. I should have used a 2x2 so no notching needed.
Bill D

My 2x4 was shaped like this. Long enough to almost touch the blade and have the other end beyond the mitre guage fence. So more then a one foot long. I remembered I just used a drywall screw to attach the DI at the notch.

I just now discovered 123 blocks. Thank you for bringing those to my attention. I think that I will order some (1”) 123 blocks and mount my dial indicator to one of those either by booting through one of the holes in the block somehow or using my dial indicator with its magnetic base attached magnetically. I don’t have the stock miter gauge for this saw and would prefer to stay away from using wood to accomplish this task unless it is absolutely necessary. This saw will run a dedicated 12” Forrest rip blade and be used solely for ripping hardwood in our cabinet shop that I work in. Not sure what the largest blade capacity is, but will run a dedicated Forrest rip blade either way. If it will run a 14” blade that would be better for ripping than a 12” blade.

[Bill Dufour]

It will run a 14" blade but it will never go below 2" above the table. I made mine out of wood since all measurements are done in under 30 minutes and the measurements do not actually matter. All you are looking for is to indicate relative measurements and reduce that down to as close to zero as you can. The units of measurement do not matter either. If you do recheck the measurements a hour latter just make sure to rezero the indicator first.
In fact wood is probably more stable then metal for this short amount of time given how much it is being handled. I did not wear gloves since the precision did not require it.
If. you will almost never tilt the saw I like the way I did dust collection. I drilled a six inch hole in the back of the cabinet and shoved in a six inch pipe front to back. I plugged the forward end and cut a 2" slot in the top almost all the way. It stops 1-2 inches short of the front cabinet wall . I notched a 4x6 vertical to support the front end.
After I had installed it I had to move it 1/2" to the left so the motor pulley did not touch. The centerline is 1-2 inches left of the blade. If I ever need to do a tilted cut I can just pull the pipe out. A 14" blade just goes below the slot.
Bill D

[Bill Dufour]

Any thoughts on making a zero clearance insert on the right of the blade. All I can come up with is glue some wood on that side. Look for the riving knife retrofit article for this saw.
Bill D

[Bill Dufour]

http://wiki.vintagemachinery.org/1214ArborBearings.ashx

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....knife-retrofit

[Bill Dufour]

The hex recess in the arbor is 7/16. most sets max out at 3/8. The blade nut is 1+5/8 for the 1+1/8 arbor at least.
Bill D