On Thu, 10 Apr 2014 23:24:03 -0400, "Mike Marlow"
wrote:

wrote:
On Thu, 10 Apr 2014 16:40:03 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Friday, December 14, 2007 8:41:28 AM UTC-8, John wrote:
I've had a 10 inch Craftsman Table Saw for about 25 years which I
bought used and without an owner's manual. The saw has been used
mostly for rough cuttings, nothing really exact. What I know, I've
learned from my many mistakes. The rip fence is not great, so I
have to sort of coax it parallel with the blade. I raise the blade
to max height, take measurements, the distances, at the front and
back of the blade to the fence. I try to get these measurement
exact by moving the front or back of the fence. I have never made
any adjustments to see if the blade is truly parallel with the
guides in the cast iron table top. I don't know if there is an
adjustment. The label on the motor is 1 hp/ 14 amps. The saw model
# is 113299040 Manufacture # 1 77 .

Instead of measuring to the blade, measure to the slot. The blade has
be parallel with the slot, in any case. If you can't get it parallel,
or if it won't stay parallel, it's a loss, IMO.

Well, yes and no. You are correct that to get the most out of your table
saw, this is the way to set it up. He's doing rough cutting and for that as
well as any cut using the fence, alignment to the miter slot is really
irrelevant. That of course limits his use of the saw for precise cutting,
but I gather he's not interested in setting up a saw the way we do. Again -
as long as the fence and the blade are parallel, he's set up for any cut
using the fence.

But if he can't get the slot parallel to the fence, he has a pretty
short "line" to measure the "front and back" distance to the fence. If
he can get the slot parallel to the blade, then he can measure the
distance to the fence at the front and back of the table. That'll
make the measurements significantly more accurate.

OTOH, if he can't get this right, the arbor may have so much run-out
that it's a total loss. That was really my point.

Questions:

1. Can this saw be used in hobby work working, or will I just get
frustrated with the results? Assume I try to build some book cases
and cabinets and then move on to other projects.

Probably, once set up correctly.

Agreed in that it only takes one set up to have a good saw that is not
limited in its use.


2. Would it make sense to spend $300+ on a good fence for this saw ?
Example a Biesemeyer Type if it would fit.

Perhaps. But as evidenced by krw's response below - beauty is in the eye of
the beholder. I spent half that much on a good solid fence system for my
craftsman 10". I've never regretted that purchase. Not everyone needs a
Biesemeyer and probably half the people that buy them don't need them.

Agreed. If he can get by spending $100 or so, it's probably worth it.
$300 crosses my threshold but that's just MHO.

I wouldn't spend that much on it but others are free to disagree. If
you can't get it working without a lot less work and expense than
that, I think a new saw is in order. That's half of the price of a
reasonable saw, so it crosses my fix/new threshold.

4. I was looking recently at a new 10" General 2 hp , 115 volt
Table Saw as a possible replacement. Thoughts?

Not familiar with that saw. I'd want 240V for anything over 1.5HP, or
so. It can probably be wired either way. Grizzly is also well worth
consideration.

And - so opens Pandora's box. Ask a question like that and every answer in
the world is applicable to your question. I didn't go the route of a new
saw. I set my saw up. That took a couple of hours. I cleaned my saw up -
that took a couple of hours. I put a decent fence system on it - that cost
about $150. I spent almost that much on a good blade - you're going to do
that no matter what saw you buy. My saw is not the equivilent of some of
the very expense saws that some of the guys here have. But - my saw will
cut properly, repeatedly. It is rock steady. I did not pay $1,000 or
$2,000 or $3,000 for all that I have tied up in my saw. But then again - I
don't use my saw for a living.

I don't either but that's why I have nice stuff. It's a hobby, so by
definition there is no ROI calculation needed. "Because I want it" is
a good enough answer. ;-)