Harvey/Xcalibur Table saw help, more dilemmas!

[mindthatwhatouch]

Well I finally took the plunge and ended up with an Xcalibur Table saw. My first proper table saw so in need of a bit of help.
After a much needed clean I have discovered a couple of things that I need a bit of advice on.

First thing is the rise and fall mechanism makes a bit of a grinding noise. Though the mechanism is much easier to move now it's clean. Tracked this down to the rod rubbing against the riving knife bracket as pictured below.
Presuming there should be a gap here when I bend the bracket away from the rod how much of a gap?
Or should I add a spacer between the arbour and bracket or take a bit off the back of the bracket. It doesn't look like anything has been disturbed since manufacture so maybe not the spacer and it doesn't look like anything else has shifted so assuming it got slightly bent/moved during dismantling/transportation.
Guessing some form of PTFE lubricant is ideal for the pivots, worm and screw etc.

The previous user has a few white plastic shims between the existing blade and the backing washer, is this normal and whats the idea of these?
Can anyone advise if this set up is suitable for a dado stack? not used one before so no idea on the mounting arrangement.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[ian millerchip]

that arbor isn't long enough for dadoes if you really want to use them get in touch with roy at woodford they sell a longer arbor that should fit .that riving knife bracket certainly should be rubbing like that any more pic further back

 

[mindthatwhatouch]

Thanks Ian.
More pics as requested, looking at it again it rubs when the saw blade is in a lower positions, maybe it has always done it?

 

[Steve Maskery]

Are you sure that that is the original RK? I'm not sure that it is. Did the saw come with a blade, if so is it a trad 1/8" (3.2mm) or a thin-kerf blade (maybe 2.8 or 2.4mm)? If the latter, then the previous owner would have had to make a new RK to match (say 2.5 or 2.0mm, respectively) as the original one would have been about 3mm, i.e. wider than the kerf of the TK blade.

There is not much clearance behind the RK on mine and all this binding business does ring a bell. Just remove the RK and have at it with a grinding wheel. There is plenty of metal there and removing 1mm or so from the back is not going to compromise it.

As for the white shims, I have no idea. The RK and the plate of the blade sit on the same ground surface so that they line up exactly. Having shims there is going to move the blade over a tad, pushing it out of line. Shims might have to be used when using a dado stack, but not there and not with a normal blade.

 

[Wizard9999]

Agree with Steve, that doesn't look like the RK on my Xcalibur.

Terry.

 

[ian millerchip]

just to add fuel to the fire it does look like the original one that came with mine complete with silly little yellow blade guard that bolted to the top of it however never had the trouble with the grinding was always smooth as silk once cleaned out sawdust :roll: but stick with it they are a good saw

 

[mindthatwhatouch]

Curious.
Riving knife does not look homemade (if it is someone did a good job) and fits the little yellow guard well. (2009 model 807-01-01)
Shall certainly stick with it Ian, just needs a slight adjustment tis all.

 

[mindthatwhatouch]

Well I found out what the plastic shims are for.
When the blade goes over about 40 degrees it just catches the cast iron top. Not sure there is enough movement to slide the top away from the blade.

So a question about set up and placement now that I have started to use it. I just assembled it as the last owner did. Considering fitting a router table between the rails so that I can use the same fence for the router table.

At the moment the cast iron extension is on the right side of the blade, as the blade tilts right surely there should be more rail on the left side of he blade so that you can bevel a board with the fence on the left? Don't think I will ever need the 1500 mm rail to the right of the blade.
So should I swap the extension piece over to the left and move the rails to the left also and put the router table on the right?
Hope this makes sense. Pics of the current set up (albeit temporary)