Cab I have a poll?

[devonwoody]

Can I have a poll?

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Can any tablesaw user please respond to this thread stating if it essential that the table slots are exactly parallel to the saw blade.

Yes or no without any qualification or reference to any manufacturer would be helpful and avoiding a manufacturer seeking any redress.

Slots parallel should be ..............Yes.

 

[ike]

Depends - define "exactly" cos everything is made with tolerances. Test crosscut and measuring for straightness and squareness will help answer the question.

 

[Anonymous]

DW

Having a disagreement with a manufacturer by any chance?

Picking up on Ike's point it puts me in mind of my wobbly bandsaw wheel. Manufacturer said it was within tolerance but only when I replaced it at my own expense did I get satisfactory results.

You should know better than ask us lot for a straight answer.

Regards

Roy

 

[tim]

I know you didn't want manufacturer's names here.... but... I have a Sheppach (as do you now) and there was some discussion here about this recently somewhere. I think the upshot is that there don't seem to be many TS2500s with parallel slots.

I use my sliding table and fence anyway so no bother to me but I don't think it should be acceptable.

Sorry for breaking all the rules of your poll!

Cheers

Tim

 

[PJ]

If the slots will be used for mitre gauge/jigs, then yes, the slots must be set up referenced of the blade.
If the tablesaw has a sliding table then it is not so important as the sliding table will be set up referenced of the blade making the slots redundant.

The question is are you going to use the slots for joinery?

Philip

 

[Ulrich]

On my 20 year old tablesaw, which I purchased from my local tool dealer last year, the miter slot was out of parallel almost by 1 mm (comparing measures at the front and the back of the blade). I discovered this only several weeks after purchase. Since it proved difficult to correct the misalignment on my own I complained at my dealer and he immediately sent a man who managed to set the miter slot parallel. But he needed two hours and had to drive one and a half to me and back. So, if the dealer immediately consented to my complain and took over the expenses for three and a half working hours of his staff, that seems a serious prove for me that the miter slot ought not to be out of parallel at all.

As for the practice: Wether you will have to expect problems arising from a misaligned miter slot, will depend on how much it is out of parallel. If it is only slightly misaligned and if you will use it only for cutting boards to length and width, you will probably not experience problematic inaccuracies. But I could imagine problems with the resulting lack in accuracy for example, if you want to cut tenons on your tablesaw.

 

[gidon]

Well my Scheppach TS2000's slots weren't parallel to each other or the blade when I got it. It's tweakable and now better than it was. But never got it perfect. Use the sliding table anyway ...
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Freetochat]

The simple answer is Yes, it should be. I had a similar argument with the manufacturers of your previously rejected table saw, and the machine was returned two weeks ago.

 

[tibbs]

Can any tablesaw user please respond to this thread stating if it essential that the table slots are exactly parallel to the saw blade.

Hi DW

To quote directly from Kelly Mehler "The Table Saw Book" :-

"For accurate ripping & crosscutting, the sawblade should be perfectly parallel to the mitre-gauge slots"

He then goes on, over several pages, to discuss how to measure & align the blade with a dial indicator :shock: - he seems to suggest that anything more than 3 thou misalignment between front & back of the blade with reference to the mitre slot requires adjustment. He also presents an alternative measuring technique using a feeler gauge.

Elsewhere he suggests that table saws almost always need some adjustment even when brand new straight from the manufacturers - whether your saw is adjustable or has instructions for same in an easily readable language is entirely another matter of course :roll:

Seems like a good book - might be worth considering getting a copy.

Richard

 

[Steve Maskery]

Short answer - Yes.

Longer answer - Yes-ish.

THere is no such word as exactly, and the tolerance which is acceptable will depend on the position of the saw in the price spectrum. I wouldn't expect a cheap tablesaw to be parallel to 3 thou, but I would expect to be able to tweak a professional machine to that level.

My TS is an early Axminster. When I bought it 13 years ago the slots were about 3mm out front to back, with no adjustment on the trunnions. One call to Ax and they sent a replacement NQA. AND the replacement had already been checked over.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Scott]

Yes!

 

[Mcluma]

yes they should, otherwize you cannot use your jigs etc.

 

[Bean]

Yes and within a couple of thou.

Bean

 

[jasonB]

Yes, give or take a few thou.

Jason

 

[Philly]

Yes
Philly :norm:

 

[Woody Alan]

Yes

What would be the point of having it if it isn't aligned? if it's out, depending which way (clock or anti-clock) and again depending which slot you use in crosscut it would be dangerous if it wasn't?

I make no other comment here as asked, but if you do a search you will find my remarks on the very saw you are talking of. It is fixable and it isn't quick unless you're lucky.


Cheers Alan

 

[Midnight]

ummmm...... anybody else seeing a pattern here...???

 

[devonwoody]

Anymore comments before doing a tally?
(I posted the same thread on the aussie site as well)

 

[jasonB]

DW, the first few seconds of this video may be of interest if you haven't already seen it.

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/wvt117.asp

Jason

 

[devonwoody]

I think it can be taken that the saw blade on a tablesaw should be parallel to the table slots and more so if jigs are going to be run along these lines.

My discussion with the technical dept eventually turned into a disagreement and because I would not bend and if I was dissatisfied I was offered the situation of again retuning a saw to the suppliers.

Does any tool supplier in these modern days produce equipment of this nature that comes out of a factory which can be classed as 100% accurate to agreed tolerances?

Perhaps my tablesaw supplier would reply to this thread.