Replies

1. 
   RickL | Oct 28, 2004 08:33pm | #1

   You are kidding right?  You spent 1.95 days nore than necessary on the project. Within a few thousandths is more than adequate. Most woodworking within 1/64" would be considered fussier than necesssary for the most part.

1. 
   JohnSD | Oct 28, 2004 08:51pm | #2

   I am not kidding.  I have had trouble before, with my old saw, and I wanted to start right with this one.  I guess it boils down to the definition of "dead parallel".  Now for the fence which I plan to leave "open" about .005 at the back. Thanks for the comments, JohnD

1. 
   RickL | Oct 28, 2004 09:25pm | #3

   I myself prefer the fence parallel so if you use it on the other side  of the blade the cut doesn't "heel" You can read the cut as well. On a beam type panel saw I used to maintain you couldn't get an indicator in position so you adjusted it by reading the cut in MDF which shows the tooth marks the clearest. When you got the front  and back tooth profiles on both sides of your cut pieces the saw was centered. The same technique works to set up a small saw. You can tell if the miter slots are parallel by cutting a piece of MDF with the miter guide. Then you rip a piece of MDF and can set the fence by reading the cut. So you don't need dial indicators and sometime the dial indicator may say one thing and you get better results from a less scientific method.

   Set your fence with your indicator then try reading the cut.

   Most of the gizmos being sold to the average woodworker to set up machines aren't even used by folks who do it for a living. A lot can be determined by sound, feel and other simple visual clues.

1. 
   JohnSD | Oct 28, 2004 10:42pm | #4

   Thanks for your suggestions, I will try a few practice cuts and see what I come up with.  -JohnD

2. 
   patternmaker | Oct 28, 2004 11:07pm | #5

   When I first set up my unisaw,years ago,I had a lot of trouble with the table alignment.

   I found that holes for the four studs holding the table to the base cabinet were too small to allow enough movement to align the arbor to the slide grooges in the table.

   I removed the table, and using a taper reamer in a hand brace,I opened all four holes in the base.

   I have a shop made cutoff guage made from a heavy piece of aluminum channel.It has drill bushings at all the usual settings,90,45,30,22.5,and 15 degrees. these bushings line up with a bushing in the end of the 3/8"X3/4"slide bar.A pin with a Tee handle makes it easy to set the guage accurately to these angles.

   With the guage at 90 degrees,and a piece of ground plate 10" in diameter in place of the saw blade,I used a precision tool makers square to set the table slots exactly 90" to the center line of the saw spindle.

   I set the rip fence 90 degrees to the saw spindle using the same method.I found that tightening the four studs from the base to the table caused the table to move slightly out of alignment.A split spring washer under the head of each bolt solved this problem.

   Please forgive the ramblings of an auld man.I hope this will be of some assistance.Thank you,Mr.Croney,where ever you may be.

   Work safely ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬PAT¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬

   
   

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   Edited 10/28/2004 4:14 pm ET by Pat

1. 
   JohnSD | Oct 29, 2004 01:48am | #6

   Thanks, Pat for your comments.  I too found that tightening the bolts moved the table top.  I managed to compensate for that, and I think the accuracy I have acheived is good.  I need to make some test cuts and read them as RICK3DDD suggested, but I wont be able to do so for a few days.  -JohnD

1. 
   nikkiwood | Oct 29, 2004 06:34am | #7

   You said you're using a brand new Forrest blade; when you bought that blade, there was included a great set of instructions which will help you diagnose any cutting problems you might be having with the blade.

   These are probably the best set of concise guidelines I have found for how to move your table top around (relative to the blade) to remedy any problems you are having with your cut.

3. 
   mudman | Oct 29, 2004 06:44am | #8

   I think that within 1/1000 is good enough, and I can get pretty anal about that stuff.

   enjoy the new saw,

   Mike

   please excuse my spelling.