Replies

1. 
   JohnWW | Nov 26, 2008 11:23pm | #1

   For simple lubrication you don't have to remove the top, but doing it from underneath, while much faster, is an annoying job especially if you aren't experienced.

   Start out by thoroughly vacuuming out the cabinet then lightly blowing out the dust from the upper part of the cabinet and vacuuming again, repeating this a few times until you've got out as much dust as you can from the mechanism. There are a few good technical reasons for doing this, but it is primarily to keep sawdust out of your eyes as you poke around and figure out what and where the moving parts are and what needs lubrication.

   Now start raising and lowering and tilting the blade as you watch from inside the cabinet, and through the throat opening, with a good light to see what is rotating, sliding or meshing. The rule is that anything that rotates, slides or meshes should be greased or oiled. Apply a bit of grease on any exposed sliding or meshing parts, after removing any old caked up grease, and apply oil to the rotating shafts of the crank mechanisms where they go through the castings.

   Look especially for the trunnions at the front and back of the saw, the gear sectors that are driven by the cranks, and the pivot for the blade raising mechanism.

   The motor shaft and arbor bearings are sealed ball bearings and won't need lubrication, and, other than keeping oil off the belts, don't be afraid to apply grease or oil to anything else that moves. If you can't reach something try tilting and raising or lowering the blade, often that will give you access. Also check for access to hard to reach spots through the throat opening in the table and through the curved slot for the hand wheel assembly in the front of the machine. When all else fails, a shot of spray oil will do the job from a distance, although the thin oils in the sprays don't work for long.

   Hope this helps, John White