Axminster table saw - blade catching on dust hopper.

[redmoorphil]

Hi guys,
Had my table saw for quite a while now and spent time setting it up correctly and basically 'fettling' it.
Actually got to use it properly for the first time this weekend whilst putting together a quick and easy router table
as my wife said I couldn't play with it until I had finished the garden fencing. (Part of the deal on being allowed to buy it).
I noticed that the blade had a sort of ringing noise when it was stopping and after a couple of cuts in softwood it became harder to advance the wood as the blade had slightly dulled.
Took off the insert and had a look and there was almost no clearance between the blade and the dust hopper. Tried to push the hopper back a bit to slightly bend it but no joy so I removed the furthest holding screw and put a couple of washers between the hopper and the frame to angle it away from the blade more. Didn't help and the blade would not then rotate.
Has anybody else had a problem with this? Not sure whether its common and I should take the hopper out and try bending it a little so it sits away form the blade or whether to just ask Axminster for a new part - although I have had it a couple of months now.
Thanks,
Phil.

 

[marcros]

is it the original blade in it- not something silly like a replacement a few mm larger is it?

 

[redmoorphil]

No, its the original blade.
After a bit of googling alternatives I am wondering if i should just scrap the dust hopper on it altogether and build something better inside the cabinet to funnel and extract the dust.

 

[marcros]

there are some good threads on here about doing just that.

If you search the forum, try terms with both kity 419 and axminster ts200. The saws are very similar and I have seen some WIP threads on modifying both.

 

[monkeybiter]

At this early stage I'd contact Axminster, they're normally very helpfull.