Help from Bosch SCMS users??

[gidon]

Well I decided to take advantage of the Axminster offer and a large box arrived yesterday with my shiny new GCM10SD.

Very impressive piece of kit and I have no idea how I'm going to accommodate it (it's huge) in the workshop!

Anyhow I thought (maybe unwisely) I'd have a quick check of the tables / fence etc for square and flatness and noticed that the left top adjustable fence (as you look at the machine) is not quite square to the table - in fact it moves out of square as you tighten the knob. You can just see in the pic below - at the top I can just fit a 0.3mm feeler guage.

Now although lots of things on this saw are adjustable - this doesn't appear to be. The other sliding fence is bang on. I contacted Bosch who were worse than useless. But both Axminster and Bosch would take the saw back. But I don't want to do this really - far too much hassle.

Would anyone with this saw be able to check theirs? If it's likely that any other saw I get would be the same I will (try to) forget about it and fettle as needs be. But if all of yours are bang on I may have to go through the hassle of exchange .

Many thanks,

Gidon

 

[Steve Maskery]

Gidon
I had a bit of a problem gettinghte fences right, too, but mine is OK for square (cut) now. I don't know about square vertically, but I'll have a check for you later today, I'm tied up for a few hours.

Cheers
Steve

 

[gidon]

That would be great - thanks Steve.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[George_N]

Sorry I can't help with the SCMS problem but it seems that quite a few respected manufacturers are letting their standards slip. MarkW's 'Unreasonable expectations?' thread for example. I don't think it is unreasonable to expect things to be right. I would expect to check and adjust settings but there's not much the average woodworker can do if cast fences are not flat or square. It is one thing to flatten a chisel or plane iron back or even a plane sole but jointer and saw fences are getting into the realms of serious metalwork, which most of us are not set up for.

 

[gidon]

I'm not sure their standards are dropping or whether they've always been the same but now with the internet and forums like this one any faults get noticed and discussed. And as more people read about various faults they start checking their own machines etc etc!!

What frustrates me a little with this is when I spoke to Bosch the only help they had was that there are lots of adjustments on this machine and that I should read the manual (which I informed him I had)! When I asked if he could check on their machines he said he didn't have any! Only when pushed further did he say that they did but in their workshop and that would be closed now. Stark contrast to the service I've had from the helpful technicians at Scheppach for example.

Cheers

Gidon

 

[Steve Maskery]

Gidon
Mine is out, too. The far left end is good, but around the saw area and all the RH fence is out by about the same as your photo shows. As you say, there is no adjustment. You could try shimming the fence casting, though I'm not sure how successful that would be.

I'm disappointed really, there was me thinking this was a fantastic machine! Mind you, it's still more accurate than my RAS was.

Cheers
Steve

 

[gidon]

Thanks a lot for checking Steve. I'm unsure now what to do - Axminster are more than happy to let me try another one. But not sure if I'll gain anything and it may be worse!

I guess for most cuts the bolted base fence is where the wood will register against. But cutting wider pieces against the fence and for crown mouldings, that degree or two off would not be helpful!

I agree - perhaps some insulating tape at the back of the upper casting may correct things but was hoping not have to mess around (yet again!)

Cheers

Gidon

 

[Steve Maskery]

Yes, I'll grant you it is disappointing. But nevertheless, it's still a PDG machine.

Just thinking aloud, would it be possible to drill and tap for a grub screw at the back of the casting, so you could tweak it perfectly. It's all aluminium, so drilling won't be a problem, but I'm not sure how well it will take a fine thread.

Hope you get something sorted satisfactorily.

Cheers
Steve

 

[cutting42]

Hi Gideon

I just checked mine as well and it is square both ends.... However the adjustable section IS set back from the base section by about 0.2mm but it is square!

Now as I use a sacrificial fence with a stop on it this does not affect me as I have shimmed this to be square, you could try that especially as it helps with breakout as well.

 

[gidon]

Steve - it does seem to be a very well thought out machine. I don't think this issue is unique to Bosch - I noticed in a Pop Woodworkingreview of mitre saws that the aux fence on their Makita LS1013 was 1/32" out:

With the drop-down auxiliary fence in place at the left of the saw the height increases to 3", but it also threw out the squareness of the fence by 1/32" and there was a bit of play to the taller fence.

What I find interesting about that comment, which I think sounds pretty serious, is that the Makita still comes out joint favourite together with the Bosch!

I tried various shimming yesterday with no luck - but that grub screw idea may work - I'd have to prove it first with shims though especially with my lack of expertise in tapping!

cutting42 - I'm not sure whether it's the same on mine or not. All packed up now and ready to go back! But will have to make an secondary fence sometime ...

Yep - for some strange reason still decided to do a swap with another machine - Axminster made it sound so easy so I thought what the hay! They sending out a new machine and collecting the old one - hopefully today. Pretty impressive it it all goes to plan ...

Here's hoping this one isn't worse!

Thanks for the help chaps - very much appreciated.

Cheers

Gidon

 

[gidon]

New machine arrived in time to have a check over it at lunch time. The fence is a little better overall but not by much!
But the setup of the saw was not good. I had to adjust both the fence for square to the blade and the 0 deg stop for the bevel. Both were out by ~ half a degree or so. (The first saw they were spot on!)
Anyway hopefully that's it now and I can get on and use it. First (really exciting job: making a lid for the sandpit - for some reason I trimmed the corners of the square MDF top so now have to cut the (22.5 deg?) angled mitres for the lipping .
Cheers
Gidon

 

[skirting]

Hello Gidon, glad to hear you got your saw sorted (well, sort of :wink: )

I read you bill be using mdf for a sand pit, it will swell outdoors

Cheers, Skirty

 

[gidon]

Thanks Skirty. Realise that about MDF - but have a lot that needs using up, and the edged will be lipped with softwood. And the whole thing will be primed and then painted with exterior grade paint. So hopefully will last long enough . Anything will be an improvement on the fitted plastic sheet it came with which doesn't keep the rain out at all!
Cheers
Gidon

 

[skirting]

Hello Gidon

Yes should last long enough then :lol: