Hey Mike (one of them anyway)

[scrollpup]

Mike, could you tell me what I'm doing wrong on tightening the lower clamp on my 788? I waisted three blades (one after another) trying to show my son how to top feed tonight. It's hard to convince a 12 year old that top feeding is easier when your cussing under your breath! I would tighten the screw down and the blade (spiral from Sears---gotta order some FD's) would bend out,but not stay.I would try to straighten them and SNAP.

This said, It is the ONLY problem I've had with the saw.My son can even put blades in it and the little devil can bottom feed and get to cutting faster than me (I blame my bigger hands and poorer eye sight ). I hope the Texas shin-ding in a couple of weeks has an Excaliber we can test,otherwise I'm hooked on the Dewalts (even if they do shut there doors)

One last thing while I'm picking your knowledgable mind...the pdf instruction manuel did not say anything about oiling parts,just how to check the brushes on the motor.Is that all it needs besides cleaning off the dust?

Thanks for the help, Jerry C

Oops, I should have posted this in tools....Sorry!
Oops AGAIN--I just went to tools and guess what--someone else having the same problem with the blades.well, any advice on the maintenence issue?

[wood-n-things]

I use a table dressing for the deck (called top cote), and blow out the switch on a regular basis with my air compressor (even though I upgraded to a foot switch). I don't blow out any motors in my shop I use the shop vac for that process, I was told once that blowing out the motor could actually cause more harm than good.

As for the blade ..First take out the thumb screw and sand it flat. It is pot metal or something and sands well so just put a piece of sand paper on a sanding block and rub the metal across it several times..I use an emery board and do the other side as well. If you are going to remove the other side of the hold down get some blue loctite first as it will vibrate loose if your don't. Not the thumbscrew side though. I would also call dewalt service and tell them that the upper hold down and lower blade holders have broken. They will send you up two sets each for free...Always have these on hand...especially before it goes out of warranty.

It's not being dishonest, depending upon amount of use you will need a new set eventually.

Try cleaning off the ends of the blades, and don't over tighten out of frustration. I can tighten mine and set the tension at 5 and nothing slips.

Hope that helps Jerry...Glad to see the offspring are enjoying it. I still can't top feed...gets too frustrating.

[lucky788scroller]

Im not a Mike, but...I do things very similar to "like one of them anyway"... I wax my tabletop on occasion , but I use Johnsons Paste Wax. I do blow out the switch using lung power once in a while, and for motors on my other tools, it almost sounds as if we are twins, as I have heard the same thing about blowing out a motor from the guy at the shop that had to rebuild my tablesaw motor after I blew it out and just lodged the crap into it farther. I cant get the hang of top feeding, but I admit I havent given it a fair trial either. My problem is feeding the blade down through the teeny hole.If I drilled big holes, I can do it, but I prefer drilling as small of a hole as I can most of the time, and the saw teeth grab in the hole. When youve got your thumbscrew out to lightly drag a piece of sandpaper across it, check to see that the little piece on the end of the screw turns freely. Sometimes that will get packed with sawdust and wont spin freely. That piece turning when you tighten the blade will cause the blade to bend.

[wood-n-things]

Dale,
didn't know we were twins...Nice to get to know you Brother....LOL

[scrollpup]

Thanks Mike and Dale.The blade problem was the screw tip.I would have never thought about the "cap" on the end of it,makes sense though after I saw it was on there.My oldest son is cutting his first piece right now and Casey is waiting his turn on the Dewalt (he doesn't like the other ones anymore).
I'll try to post some pics of their cuts this week after I teach them how to burn the fuzzies off.

Jerry C

[wood-n-things]

Glad you got it figured out! Happy sawdust making!