Tablesaw alignment

[lucky788scroller]

I posted on another forum as well... I have a craftsman TS where the blade is not running paralell to the miter slots. I dont have the manual for the saw, but am looking for either a copy of the page in a sears manual describing how this is aligned, or anyone elses past experiences doing this. Dale

[JohnB]

G'day Dale,
Give this news group a shot. Very friendly and helpful folk.
rec.woodworking

regards
John

[Daryl185]

Originally Posted by JohnB

G'day Dale,
Give this news group a shot. Very friendly and helpful folk.
rec.woodworking

regards
John

Hey I frequent that news group from time to time, its a great place to gather info exchange ideas ect.......

[wwalker47]

Originally Posted by lucky788scroller

I posted on another forum as well... I have a craftsman TS where the blade is not running paralell to the miter slots. I dont have the manual for the saw, but am looking for either a copy of the page in a sears manual describing how this is aligned, or anyone Else's past experiences doing this. Dale

Dale-
I, also, have a craftsman TS and I have what you need.

I can scan in the page(s) and Email them to you in a PDF.

-Bill

[GrayBeard Phil]

Dale:

The table saw sub-assembly that contains the arbor, and the arbor bearing (and sometimes the direct drive motor), cradle, etc is called the 'trunnion' assembly.

The Trunnion assembly has all saw's blade mechanical spin, tilting, and up/down gearing for the blade.

On most sears craftsman TS, this trunnion assembly is attached to the table top by 6 bolts underneath the saw. The bolt holes on the trunnion are slots about 1/4 inch long. With the sears design, these bolts are usually 3/8-16 X 1 inch long. IIRC, takes a 9/16 inch socket with long extension. They have a split lock-washer.

The 1/2 moon metal object front and back of the assembly that the whole assembly tilts on are where to find the bolts, 3 bolts on the front and 3 on the back. The actual 'trunnions' are these tilting 1/2 moon metal objects.

Be sure to use eye protection (due to saw dust,) and crawl under the TS and loosen all six bolts slightly. Leave lots of holding pressure. Since the trunnion bolts are only 1 inch long it is easy to loosen too much and the bolts come loose. You don't want the weight of trunnion falling on your face.

{insert any of 15 different TS alignment procedures to match front and back of blade to miter gage slot. Your choice here. Tighten the center bolts front and back first then the outside 4 bolts. Many suggest to only adjust back of blade left or right. }

It is important that when you measure, you use the same tooth on the blade for measurement by rotating the blade front to back.

Now, with the blade (and the trunnion assembly) aligned to the miter gage slot, you attempt to tighten the 6 bolts, and will find this next to impossible because as you tighten the bolts, the trunnion shifts. This takes some time to get correct. Expect it, and don't drink 8 cups of coffee before hand. De-cafe is best here.

Very important: most Sears have good Strong steel bolts going into cast iron threaded holes. The iron is soft, and you can strip out the treaded bolt holes if you tighten with too much torque. (aside: on expensive saws, the trunnion bolt holes use steel treaded inserts to prevent over-torque threading breakage.)

Normally you need to check the blade guard's spreader to be in the middle of the kerf after adjusting the trunnions.

Most likely way more info than you need.

Phil

[workin for wood]

Yea, what Phil said !

Someone sells an add-on to help assist, kinda like trouts third hand idea. It's basically a couple small c-clamp type thingys that mount to your saw directly beside the bolts. You only need a couple, like 2 is good enough, on for each of the two outside bolts at the back of the saw. In the side of these clamps is a bolt. you slighly loosen your trunion bolts like phil says, and then you uses the add on bolt thingy's to push the trunion in the direction you need. Then when you re-tighten the trunion bolts, the saw can't re-shift on you and the add-on bolts do not get removed. you keep them there and they help reduce the amount of time it takes for the saw to get out of adjustment again. Gotta be a rockler or woodcraft thing...if I can find them I'll let you know. I use trigger clamps...I reverse the end so it becomes a spreader instead of a puller and that helps hold the position while re-tightening the saw.

Be sure and re-check your rip fence once you get your blade parrallel with the slots. then check and re-set your miter fence too. Then check your tape and adjust that too.

[workin for wood]

http://www.ptreeusa.com/tablesaw_products.htm

found em...could be the best 20 bucks you ever spent.

[wwalker47]

Dale-

I sent you a PM about the TS adjustment.

-Bill

[lucky788scroller]

Thanks all. I didnt get a chance to tinker with the saw tonight. And Phil...that wasnt to much info! Its all valuable stuff, just what I was looking for.Jeff.. Thanks, I was looking at that PALS thing last night, and if I can save $20, i'll be happy, otherwise, I will order that thing.Bill... I emailed you.
This is another one of those cases where I've picked up an older used tool, and have been building onto it, where if I would have just saved up a little longer, I could have bought a new saw. Ive got a blade on the saw that cost more then the saw itself, and I installed a fence on the saw that cost over 2 times what the saw cost, plus more things, like a link belt, and things I dont even know about yet! Dale

[GrayBeard Phil]

Dale:

...Ive got a blade on the saw that cost more then the saw itself, and I installed a fence on the saw that cost over 2 times what the saw cost, plus more things, like a link belt, and things I don't even know about yet! ...

That is great!!!!

You will like the link belt.

Now, since we are talking about a Sears table saw, let me tell you about blade stabilizers. Woodcraft sells the 3-1/2 inch Systi Matic stabilizers (http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=3090.) Amazon sells Freud, CMT, and DeWalt stabilizers; the CMT and DeWalt are 5 inch diameters. Forrest, a blade maker, sells their line of stabilizers which they call "Stiffener and Dampener" which come sizes from 3 inch to 6 inch. I use the Forrest 4 inch diameter.

These metal disks that add weight to the spinning saw blade. Kind of like a flywheel effect. Downside: takes more energy to spin up the saw blade, and reduces the max width of boards you can cut since the blade height is effectively reduced. But these metal disks do what their makers claim on Sears table saws; reduce vibration on the blade's cutting teeth making for a smoother rip cut.

Cost is about $20.00. Discounts are around for these products. Shop around.

(Xmass is comming, you just may have to wait for Santa. You have enough toys as it is to keep you busy until then. Enjoy the new toys.)

Phil