Professional tool reviews for professionals
In our article on what to look for on a table saw, we tell you that a table saw is a cornerstone tool for construction sites and shops. It makes it difficult or almost impossible for other tools to make large cuts. It also provides desktop support and built-in rails to keep the material straight. Nevertheless, if you don't know how to calibrate the table saw, your cut may never be truly straight.
If the components of the table saw are not aligned correctly, your cut will be inaccurate. This applies to cheap saws as well as expensive cabinet saws. The obvious signs of saw misalignment are jagged cuts, burn marks on the side of the material, and even extra wear on the motor (as evidenced by the "dive" sound during the cutting process).
This is bad enough, but it can also be more dangerous to operate. If the cutting path is narrowed, the saw is more likely to rebound (when it is fired by the blade, the material is sent back to you). This may happen because the wood is caught between the blade and the fence. Although it takes a few minutes to ensure that all components are in parallel, it is worth the time.
We have a proverb here: It is wise to cut off the power. If you don't get any other information from this article, please unplug the table saw before calibrating!
The easiest place to start—and to develop good maintenance habits—is the leaf inspection. Make sure that there is no accumulation of pitch under the teeth. Pitch is the general stickiness that the blade collects over time. It can be sap or an adhesive made of layered materials. In another article, we will discuss the use of solvents to clean asphalt on otherwise good blades. Rotate the blade carefully to make sure it is not bent or warped. If it's not true, it's time to get a new blade!
Now gently try to swing the blade from side to side. If the mandrel holding it in its center becomes loose or worn, even an acceptable blade cannot cut. This oscillation is called runout, because the material will jump before the blade actually cuts. This is not the real reason, but it will help you remember! If possible, tighten the bolts that secure the blade to the spindle. If it is already tight and the swing persists, you may need a new bearing (or even a new saw!).
Regularly aligning the blade with the workbench is another good maintenance habit that needs to be developed. Do this at least every time you change the blade. However, since it only takes a while, please consider checking the box more frequently. Use reliable mechanic blocks or combination blocks.
Raise the blade to the highest limit. Place the square vertically at 90° to the blade and the table. Make sure it rests only on the body of the blade and not on the teeth. The cut that extends from the carbide tooth will distort your square. You will be able to immediately determine if the blade is uneven. In fact, using this method, I found that my own table saw was completely off by 1°!
Next, make sure that the bevel gauge records the correct 0° angle. If not, you need to adjust as needed. If you find that the blade cannot be square at all, please adjust the left bevel stop. Refer to the user manual for its location.
Next, move the blade to a 45° bevel. Use combinations or rafters to check the accuracy of the angle. Since you have just leveled the blade with the table and made sure that the bevel gauge is accurate, it is expected to be accurate here. You may want the right bevel stop to terminate the trunnion movement at 45°, so adjust as needed, just like you did for the left side.
If you spend a few minutes studying the subject, you will know that there are many ways to ensure that the blade is at right angles to the miter groove. These methods range from simple to complex, and require simple to complex tools to complete the work.
Not surprisingly, the more complex the tool, the more accurate the measurement. You can use precision rulers, calipers, your own creative methods or our preference: dial indicator. No matter what you choose, when measuring the distance from the bevel guide to the front and back of the blade, make sure that there is no gap in the bevel guide. This reveals that the blade is not proportional to the miter groove. The finer your measurements, the more accurate you can be.
If you find that the blade and the miter gauge are not square, imagine the way the table must be moved to make it square. Use this visualization to determine which bolt (from below) that secures the table is the pivot point of the table movement. Without loosening the pivot point bolts, slightly loosen the other bolts (maybe three of them, but some have more).
Then, using a rubber mallet or dead hammer, lightly tap the side of the table in the correct direction. Carefully tighten one of the loose bolts to avoid moving the table. Measure again, if the blade is at right angles to the miter groove, tighten the remaining bolts.
Aligning the blade with the fence is equally important for cutting accuracy and safety. Since our blade and the miter slot are square, making the fence and the miter slot square will make the fence and the blade square. Therefore, using the same measurement method (in our case a dial indicator), determine whether one end of the fence is closer to the blade than the other end. Consult the user manual to adjust the end of the fence.
Although it is not important, place a machinist block on the fence to determine if it is at 90° to the table. Make adjustments if necessary.
If you make small adjustments to this point, the improvement in the quality of your work completion will be obvious. Even small cutting errors can be seen from a distance. You need to use a saw with parallel components to increase your odds. But this is not all you can do. Here are some extra credits to those who do well (you know who you are).
The needle plate (the detachable rectangular piece surrounding the blade opening) should be flush with the workbench. If it is too high, it will hinder the smooth movement of the material on the table. If it is too low, it may not be able to support the material or it may grab it on the back of the blade.
Normally, the needle plate can be adjusted from the top with fixing screws. If your saw is not equipped with a zero-clearance needle plate, consider replacing it. Zero clearance, small debris will not get stuck between the blade and the board. In addition, it provides greater support around the incision, thereby reducing tearing and incision cleaning.
There are multiple lubrication points on the table saw, including a trunnion that allows the saw blade to move for miter cuts. Please consult your user manual for the location and maintenance schedule to keep moving parts moving!
Finally, keep the table clean and smooth. Don't let any wood glue or sawdust accumulate on it, you will enjoy years of precise cutting! Hope this will give you some reliable tips when you figure out how to calibrate the table saw. If you are a professional and you have table saw tips, please add them to the comments below.
In this article, we introduced the Skilsaw heavy-duty worm-driven table saw. Check out the features and specifications below and the full review here.
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Professional tool reviews for professionals
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