Help-Sawstop router lift

[Andy Block]

Has anyone got any pointers on leveling a Sawstop router lift in a Sawstop router table? I’ve been at it for a couple of hours and I always end up with a high corner. There are 10 leveling screws and at this point I’ve backed off the side screws and am focusing on the 4 corners.... still no luck.

The phenolic portion of the lift: is uniformly .24” thick and the surface is flat.

The cast iron top of the table is off by .005” with a slight crown in the middle, but the area where the lift inserts and the surrounding cast top is level.

Any constructive suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Andy

[Frank Pratt]

I have and Excalibur lift, of which the SawStop is a clone, in a shop built table that I took great pains with to ensure flatness. Here's the process that worked well for me. Firstly, install the 2 screws that hold the lift down, but don't tighten them. Using the levelling screws on each side of the hold down screw, bring the insert up so it's perfectly flush with the table. I used a small precision steel square edge to run across the gap to confirm that is was flush. Those levelling screws that are on each side of the hold down screws must be adjusted perfectly so the side of the insert is perfectly flush right from corner to corner when the hold down screw is just snugged down, but no tighter.

Then raise the corner screws while using the straight edge to confirm that you get just to the point where the corner is flush but doesn't lift. Lastly, level the center of the long edges of the insert. Again, I stress that those hold down screws must not be turned down tight, just snug enough to keep the insert from moving.

[Andy Block]

Thanks for the detailed instructions, they are a better way of getting to level than all the methods I tried. unfortunately, the same “high corner” results happened on multiple attempts using your system as well. Doubting the accuracy of the 36” straight edge I was using, I borrowed one from a friend and found that the crown in the cast iron table is actually .016” out of flatness. It seems that that is the problem.

Luckily my credit card statement hasn’t arrived yet so I’ve got some leverage with Acme Tool. I’ll be calling them tomorrow to see how they want to handle swapping out this top with another that’s hopefully flatter.

Many thanks Frank

Andy

[Frank Pratt]

You might try calling SawStop directly about this. They have good customer service.

[Andy Block]

I bought the setup from Acme and so far, they’ve been the best tool seller I’ve had to deal with when it came to problems. I called yesterday morning and a new cast iron top was sent out 5-6 hours later... very impressive! They also emailed me a Fedex airbill to attach to the warped top so I have no expense in the return and FedEx will pick it up at my shop.

As for Sawstop, I called them on an unrelated missing part from my table saw and have not heard back yet. Incidentally, I bought the table saw from Woodcraft and they first told me that the outfeed wing didn’t come with support legs ( which were missing from the box). Then once they agreed that the legs should have been included, they had me call Sawstop, instead of dealing with it themselves. Hopefully Sawstop will respond today.

I know I may sound like a complainer, but over the past few months I’ve been upgrading my big shop tools and have been very disappointed with the customer service from a few of the big companies. Jet was miserable to deal with when my planer showed up with jagged, chipped out machining on 2 of the 4 posts that the planer head rides up and down on, as well as areas of chipped paint on the infeed wing. I’m still chasing down the touch up paint and I have to do the replacement on the posts myself since the service company won’t drive beyond the county they are located in “Because of how little Jet pays for service calls”.

As for great customer service, I’m very happy with Grizzly which immediately sent out parts that were missing from the wood racks I bought. And again worth mentioning, Acme has been terrific.

Once again, thanks for your suggestions and help.

Andy

[Roger Feeley]

That’s sad to hear about Sawstop. I haven’t had any issues for years so I haven’t called them since they were bought by Festool. I thought at the time that that would be a good marriage.

[Andy Block]

I just got off the phone with Sawstop and they are sending me the missing table saw parts right away. I don’t want to speak poorly of them especially since they are fixing the problem immediately.

As for the router table top, I mentioned it to the Sawstop representative and he said in the future, if there is any problem with a Sawstop product that they prefer the customer to call them directly to make sure that they can deal with it and look into whether it is a “run” problem that should be taken out of circulation before it’s sold to anyone else. Good philosophy, good company.

[Frank Pratt]

Glad to hear that they haven't lost their edge.

[Patrick Pearce]

Thanks for the detailed instructions, they are a better way of getting to level than all the methods I tried. unfortunately, the same “high corner” results happened on multiple attempts using your system as well. Doubting the accuracy of the 36” straight edge I was using, I borrowed one from a friend and found that the crown in the cast iron table is actually .016” out of flatness. It seems that that is the problem.

Luckily my credit card statement hasn’t arrived yet so I’ve got some leverage with Acme Tool. I’ll be calling them tomorrow to see how they want to handle swapping out this top with another that’s hopefully flatter.

Many thanks Frank

Andy

I apologize for resurrecting an old thread but I am having the same issue as Andy with my new Sawstop in-line router table. I just spent the last four hours painstakingly trying to get the insert level to the table and just couldn’t. It dawned on my to check flatness, and sure enough it is out 0.016” corner-to-corner. I called my supplier (Lee Valley here in Canada) to see what can be done. But Andy, did the new insert solve your issue?