I have a Sears table saw that i purchased used from a relative (yeah, I
know...). I will be building cabinets for my kitchen remodel. I
purchased a new saw blade and did a few experimental cuts last night
and found that the wood had burn marks on it. I tried cutting at
different rates and still had the marks. I then measured to make sure
the blade was perpendicular (which it was) then measured front and back
of blade against the fence... it measured about 1/16" off.

Is this enough to cause the problem? And if so, is there an adjustment
to correct this? Or am I doing something else wrong. I'm not a new
remodeler, but I am a beginner with working with a table saw.

Thanks.

Absolutely 1/16th is enough.

There should be bolts underneath of the table to adjust the motor or
trunion so that the blade will be parallel to the miter slot.
Then adjust the fence parallel to the slot.

http://www.woodnet.net/tips/table-sa...ade-alignment/

1/16" is definitely enough to cause that and worse (kickback) particularly
if the fence is closer to the blade at the far end of the table.
You need to either adjust the fence (not sure if you can on that saw but I'd
imagine there's some allowance to) or barring that, adjust the
trunnions to get the blade parallel to the fence.
Cheers,
cc

"sjgarr" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have a Sears table saw that i purchased used from a relative (yeah, I
know...). I will be building cabinets for my kitchen remodel. I
purchased a new saw blade and did a few experimental cuts last night
and found that the wood had burn marks on it. I tried cutting at
different rates and still had the marks. I then measured to make sure
the blade was perpendicular (which it was) then measured front and back
of blade against the fence... it measured about 1/16" off.

Is this enough to cause the problem? And if so, is there an adjustment
to correct this? Or am I doing something else wrong. I'm not a new
remodeler, but I am a beginner with working with a table saw.

Thanks.

"sjgarr" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have a Sears table saw that i purchased used from a relative (yeah, I
know...). I will be building cabinets for my kitchen remodel. I
purchased a new saw blade and did a few experimental cuts last night
and found that the wood had burn marks on it. I tried cutting at
different rates and still had the marks. I then measured to make sure
the blade was perpendicular (which it was) then measured front and back
of blade against the fence... it measured about 1/16" off.

Is this enough to cause the problem? And if so, is there an adjustment
to correct this? Or am I doing something else wrong. I'm not a new
remodeler, but I am a beginner with working with a table saw.

1/16 is way off. You really want dead parallel to the blade give or take
..001".
First however you want to make the miter gauge "slot" parallel to the blade
and then the fence parallel to that slot.

Let me echo that sentiment by saying that 1/16 is not only enough, but that
is huge. You are off by roughly and order of magnitude. A well aligned saw
should have an out of parallel number more like .01" (roughly the
thickness of a playing card).

-Steve


"RayV" wrote in message
oups.com...
Absolutely 1/16th is enough.

There should be bolts underneath of the table to adjust the motor or
trunion so that the blade will be parallel to the miter slot.
Then adjust the fence parallel to the slot.

http://www.woodnet.net/tips/table-sa...ade-alignment/

"Stephen M" wrote in message
...
Let me echo that sentiment by saying that 1/16 is not only enough, but
that
is huge. You are off by roughly and order of magnitude. A well aligned saw
should have an out of parallel number more like .01" (roughly the
thickness of a playing card).


Add another 0 to make it .001. A playing card is still way to wide.

Leon wrote:
"Stephen M" wrote in message
...
Let me echo that sentiment by saying that 1/16 is not only enough, but
that
is huge. You are off by roughly and order of magnitude. A well aligned saw
should have an out of parallel number more like .01" (roughly the
thickness of a playing card).


Add another 0 to make it .001. A playing card is still way to wide.

The other guys have said it all. Blade parrallel to mitre slot in table
top and fence parrallel to mitre slot.

That said the adjustment method on my saw is a loosen the bolt and bash
with a hammer method. This does not make it easy to adjust.

You can get a kit that makes adjusting the blade alignment much easier
or you can pay sears to send someone out to set the saw up. There is a
fee but it may be worth it to get the saw set up correctly to start.

Add another 0 to make it .001. A playing card is still way to wide.

Ideally yes, but .001 is more of a realistic expectation for a high-end saw
being set up by an experienced user.

To the OP:

If you did not know it befo table saws need to be tuned periodically...
like after they are moved between addresses. This is *normal* and
*expected*. There is probably nothing wrong with your saw than an out of
tune guitar is broken.

Expect to spend a couple of hours going through the alignment process. This
is even required for brand new high-end machines.

So, spend an afternoon and get intimately acquainted with your new toy.

-Steve

sjgarr wrote:
I have a Sears table saw that i purchased used from a relative (yeah, I
know...). I will be building cabinets for my kitchen remodel. I
purchased a new saw blade and did a few experimental cuts last night
and found that the wood had burn marks on it. I tried cutting at
different rates and still had the marks. I then measured to make sure
the blade was perpendicular (which it was) then measured front and back
of blade against the fence... it measured about 1/16" off.

Is this enough to cause the problem? And if so, is there an adjustment
to correct this? Or am I doing something else wrong. I'm not a new
remodeler, but I am a beginner with working with a table saw.

Thanks.

Whoa! you said front to back of blade? You mean
1/16 inch off over less than 8 inches ? Yes,
1/16" off is bad, very bad. To see how bad that
is: 1/16" is about 63/1000" and most people want
less than 15/1000" (1/64") and some are shooting
for 5/1000. So your saw is a least four times the
limit off. Others will tell you how to align the
blade, but first align the blade with the miter
slot and then make the rip guide parallel with the
miter slot.

wrote:
Leon wrote:

"Stephen M" wrote in message
...

Let me echo that sentiment by saying that 1/16 is not only enough, but
that
is huge. You are off by roughly and order of magnitude. A well aligned saw
should have an out of parallel number more like .01" (roughly the
thickness of a playing card).


Add another 0 to make it .001. A playing card is still way to wide.


The other guys have said it all. Blade parrallel to mitre slot in table
top and fence parrallel to mitre slot.

That said the adjustment method on my saw is a loosen the bolt and bash
with a hammer method. This does not make it easy to adjust.

You can get a kit that makes adjusting the blade alignment much easier
or you can pay sears to send someone out to set the saw up. There is a
fee but it may be worth it to get the saw set up correctly to start.

I would not suggest the last to anyone. The
chance of getting a Sears technician that really
knows what he was doing and would set the saw up
perfectly is pretty low. Besides, if the OP has
any skill at all, he can read info on several
internet sites or in books, learn the procedure,
and adjust the saw; and that would be an
invaluable learning experience. It may take some
time but, if he can't set it up correctly then he
should not be using a table saw and he probably
will never get anything square.

In addition, he may find that the saw can't be set
with great accurately whereas a sears technician
would just say, "All done."

Great to see I'm not the only one haveing Craftsman saw alignment
problems. I crawled under mine tonight and see three bolts into the cast
top on each end but am not seeing this adjustment screw yet. I agree it
needs to be close I did not know mine was off that bad until I replaced
my fence with a new Xacta and got it true with the miter slots.



"George E. Cawthon" wrote in
:

sjgarr wrote:
I have a Sears table saw that i purchased used from a relative (yeah,
I
know...). I will be building cabinets for my kitchen remodel. I
purchased a new saw blade and did a few experimental cuts last night
and found that the wood had burn marks on it. I tried cutting at
different rates and still had the marks. I then measured to make sure
the blade was perpendicular (which it was) then measured front and
back
of blade against the fence... it measured about 1/16" off.

Is this enough to cause the problem? And if so, is there an adjustment
to correct this? Or am I doing something else wrong. I'm not a new
remodeler, but I am a beginner with working with a table saw.

Thanks.

Whoa! you said front to back of blade? You mean
1/16 inch off over less than 8 inches ? Yes,
1/16" off is bad, very bad. To see how bad that
is: 1/16" is about 63/1000" and most people want
less than 15/1000" (1/64") and some are shooting
for 5/1000. So your saw is a least four times the
limit off. Others will tell you how to align the
blade, but first align the blade with the miter
slot and then make the rip guide parallel with the
miter slot.

there 'aint no adjustment screw. you loosen those bolds and nudge
things around with a hammer.

of course, you have to do this while crawling on one knee, with one arm
and a hammer and your head jammed into a space the size of a shoe box,
making an adjustment that you can't check until you extract yourself
from said shoebox, and of course it isn't right, so you have to crawl
back in there and try again....

then, when you get it right you tighten the bolts back and everything
shifts.

this is one of the great advantages of cabinet saws.

Ok so I loosen all six slap it into submission the retorque. There
doesn't appear to be any slots on the holes for adjustment I'll look
again thanks alot.


"bridger" wrote in
ups.com:

there 'aint no adjustment screw. you loosen those bolds and nudge
things around with a hammer.

of course, you have to do this while crawling on one knee, with one
arm and a hammer and your head jammed into a space the size of a shoe
box, making an adjustment that you can't check until you extract
yourself from said shoebox, and of course it isn't right, so you have
to crawl back in there and try again....

then, when you get it right you tighten the bolts back and everything
shifts.

this is one of the great advantages of cabinet saws.

DDG wrote:
Ok so I loosen all six slap it into submission the retorque. There
doesn't appear to be any slots on the holes for adjustment I'll look
again thanks alot.

Nah, don't loosen them ALL. Leave one at the front of the saw tight.
You don't need to move it all that much, you want to be able to pivot
the assembly into being parallel with the miter slot. Loosening them
all makes it all that much more difficult. Depending upon the angles
involved and the amount of muscle you can put on the trunnion, you may
want to just leave the rear ones slightly snug and whack away. Less
chance of losing your alignment when you tighten up.

THANKS it worked great actually couple screws were loose I had to
loosen the rest but the a few slaps with a 3# and it finally straigned
up then cautiusly tightned the center bolts followed by the remainder
and wow my kerf had to be recut in my blade cover and it now cuts using
my new fence.

Some times you do just need a bigger hammer!


Unquestionably Confused wrote in
:

DDG wrote:
Ok so I loosen all six slap it into submission the retorque. There
doesn't appear to be any slots on the holes for adjustment I'll look
again thanks alot.

Nah, don't loosen them ALL. Leave one at the front of the saw tight.
You don't need to move it all that much, you want to be able to pivot
the assembly into being parallel with the miter slot. Loosening them
all makes it all that much more difficult. Depending upon the angles
involved and the amount of muscle you can put on the trunnion, you may
want to just leave the rear ones slightly snug and whack away. Less
chance of losing your alignment when you tighten up.