Larry,

Also read your other post below. To make the point clear, since it is not
irrelevant, the miter gauge needs to be 90° to the miter slot before any
alignment if it is the point of reference. As adjustments are being made,
(this being the key thought) the angle will change (angle of attack) and so
will the distance between the blade and reference point. He must reset
his reference point to the front of the blade and then push it forward to
check for any differences.

This is exactly what you do with a TS Aligner. You pre-load the dial gauge
at the front tooth, zero the gauge and then rotate the blade and check the
same tooth at the rear. Meanwhile, the dial gauge is being held perfectly
aligned to the miter slot. And the reference point is a small point on the
dial indicator - not a flat edge.

I agree with the statement that the miter gauge can be set at any angle and
the measurement can be taken - for that one adjustment. But... make an
adjustment to the blade in relation to the reference point and the distance
(more/less) will change. He must reset the reference point before making
the next check. Now as he stated, he was using a pencil so it has a pointy
end and the angle is not measurable between the point and the blade. If it
was a cut piece of wood as suggested, there will be an angle cut on the
reference edge of something other than 90°. As the adjustment approaches
parallel (blade to ref point) the angle and the distance between the
reference point and the blade approaches zero - front and rear - as long as
the reference edge was 90°. That's what I tried to show in the ASCII art
diagram above.

So to sum this up:

1. Use a pointy object as the reference and reset the reference after each
adjustment
2. If you use an edge (such as a cut piece of wood), it needs to be 90° to
the miter slot so as the adjustments approach being parallel, the 90° edge
of the reference point will (ideally) now be flat against the blade with no
discernable gap along the edge.
3. Buy a TS Aligner and be done with it....

As for addressing his "real" problem as you noted, I have written several
past posts that dealt with that little problem for Contractor type saws.
The information was based on a Delta, using their procedures, added some
notes and tips on info they didn't tell you in the manual plus dealing with
parts that were not milled correctly and how to compensate for some of that
"jumping" when locking it down. Most of what you read from others is about
whacking the trunnions with a hammer, using some 3rd party adjusters
add-on's etc. He didn't state whether it was a cabinet saw or a CS. But
the fix - if its a CS - is to turn the saw over, replace two of the bolts,
check and flatten the bosses on the trunnions and base, add a shim or two if
needed, clean, lube and done. Next alignment (if ever needed) is loosen the
4 bolts (now much easier) adjust by hand (no hammer needed - it slides
easily), lock it down and you're done in 15 min.

Guy's there's probably as many ways to verify alignment and perform the
alignments as there are woodworkers. I should have provided an example to
illustrate my point, like take a 12" ruler and place the end (edge) against
the edge of your bench/table/desk and its at 90° to the edge. That whole end
edge of the ruler is your reference. Cock it a bit and you have a gap and
now your reference is only the point of the ruler edge that touches the
table. As you make adjustments, that angle will change as will the
distance.

Bob S.

"Lawrence R Horgan" wrote in message
...
Bob S,

I see what you're saying, but it doesn't address the problem. Bernard has
it
right.

Look at it this way... Your goal is to align the blade to the miter slot.
The angle that the miter guage is set at is irrelevant... as long as the
indicator (in Silvan's case - a pencil) doesn't change position on the
miter
guage as the guage is slid from front to back.

If you clamp a pencil in a miter guage set at 90 degrees, then slide the
guage from front to back, the tip of the pencil, however far out it
extends,
will always be parrallel with the miter guage slot. Now, if you clamp a
pencil in a miter guage set at 13 degrees, the tip of the pencil will
still
always be parrallel with the slot. I'm sorry I can;t explain it any
better,
but as long as Silvan gets his blade as nearly perfect in parrallel with
his
miter guage slot, then all is well.

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