DIYbanter - View Single Post - Hmmmm.... table saw cabinet twisted after moving between shops... options?

Mike Marlow[_2_]

wrote:

The movers were cutrate local guys but they said they would bring
three people and asked that nothing weigh over 300 lbs. Sure, I can
do that, just take the top off my saw and everything else is good.
My buddy (a big guy with a strong back) actually carried the saw
himself with the motor out but the main granite top on and I assume
the top and the motor are similar in weight. In any case, three
movers should have been able to easily handle my saw.

Ok - see something here?

I had 96 hours to report any issues with the move... I see a coupla
things that are minor damage that I should report, but nothing that
amounts to more than a coupla bucks as far as I can tell.

Which leaves a lot of room for questions based on what you say below...

Famous last words... reassembling my 3 hp Steel City hybrid saw, I
notice an abrasion on the back side of the saw.

So - exactly what does this mean? Sheet metal "abrasions" need not point to
any other deeper problems. In fact - likely would not.

Ruh roh raggy.
Aligning the slot with the blade, I can only get it within about
.050" with all the bolts in. Huh... runout, perhaps?

The first question that comes to my mind is whether you had even done this
prior to the move. What was the alignment of the saw prior to the move?
Runout? Really? How do you figure that?

I take the two
bolts out on the non-tilt wheel side of the table and attempt to
realign it. Now I can easily get .004". Crap. So they twisted the
frame of my saw.

What in the world makes you say that? Your "crap" statement could easily be
that the saw was never any more accurate than that in the first place, and
it could equally be as likely that your strong friend contributed to any
misalignment. I really find it very difficult to envision that either the
movers or your friend "twisted the fame of your saw". If they did - I'd be
buying a new saw because yours is clearly junk.

I should have bought a steel plate and bolted it to
the top of my cabinet. But I didn't.

Why?

I can get all four bolts in the top through the holes in the saw
frame but then the alignment is crap at best.

So - what is "crap"? Again - what was the alignment prior to the move?

I am outside the reporting period and will let the mover know but
have little expectation that they will do anything about it - and if
they did, it would probably involve a great deal of hassle for me,
including swapping my motor

Why swap your motor?

and trunnions onto a new frame

Again - why? This thing didn't fall from two stories up in the air.

, or some
other equally painful experience.

You are starting to sound like you are looking for an "equally painful
experience".

And, as I note in #1 below, my
best solution involves messing with trunnions anyway so trying to get
a new cabinet out of the mover, while appropriate, really doesn't do
me much good. And is more painful than all of my options I list
below.

While appropriate? Why is that?

Was thinking there were a number of options:

1. Move the trunnions. Since I can get all four bolts in the top,
and the misalignment is not runout, but rather that the frame of the
saw is twisted, this should be an option. Seems the best solution,
but likely the most painful.

Why do you keep talking about runout? Do you know what runout is? How does
that relate to trunions? So - just how in the hell do you think they
managed to "twist" the frame of your saw?

2. Redrill some of the holes in the cabinet to accommodate the new
geometry. Highly unlikely.

I think this is your best bet since you clearly think you see something that
isn't there, and only re-drilling can fix that kind of problem.

3. Try to whack or twist the saw back into place. This is almost as
good as number one, but also, I am not sure really if this can be
done without a great deal of sweat and hassle.

It does take some hassle to align trunions. That's what happens when you
take saws apart. Geeze - get over it and just do the work and put the saw
back into service. I think you're looking to place blame where no blame may
exist.

4. This one I really kinda like because I am back in the shop today
(!), but concerns me some: only use two bolts to attach the granite
top to the saw. There is good contact between the top and the
cabinet, and with the weight of the top, I really don't foresee
issues with vibration.

You should go with this since it appears to make you happy.

I really do like #1 and may actually give it a whirl, but not before
contacting steel city. Prolly do #4 initially and see how things go
in terms of the cutting and the stability of the alignment.

Anyone else have alternate suggestions, please let me know.

Sure - take a deep breath, and step back a bit Peter. You moved a saw.
It's likely under the circumstances that things shifted. That is not a
reflection of bad moving or anything else - it's just how things go. Your
mistake is in thinking you could simply unbolt and rebolt and everything
would be as it should be. So - just take the time... hell, it's only a
short exercise, and do a complete alignment on your saw. It's to be
expected. Then - go use the thing and make yourself happy again.

--

-Mike-