Riving knife trouble

[devonwoody]

Started assembling my new tablesaw Record TSPP250
and the riving knife sticks above the saw blade which also holds the blade guard


Does anyone have the answer to this curious design?

 

[Philly]

DW
That is the "way" with riving knives, I'm afraid!
They all come like that now.
Philly :?

 

[Mcluma]

if you want to have it lower, you shall have to make some adjustments,

I had to do the same with the riving knive on my pkf255

McLuma

 

[Adam]

DW
That is the "way" with riving knives, I'm afraid!
They all come like that now.
Philly :?

Nope, Sheppach are lower than the top of the blade (just), which means you can (cough) take a tranching cut with the guard off and the riving knife in place (cough).

Even the Jet sits proud although from memory, it has a secondary hole drilled slightly lower down and a notch on it which just begs to be continued on and would allow it to take trenching cuts with the riving knife installed.

Adam

 

[Philly]

Adam
Yeah, agree with you some can be modified to be slightly lower. You could even (though I don't recommend this, and yes I know i'm a hypocrite :twisted: ) remove it altogether, Although I DONT recommend this. Useful for certain types of cuts or if using certain jigs. :wink:
Cheers
SafetyPhilly

 

[Mcluma]

Adam
Yeah, agree with you some can be modified to be slightly lower. You could even (though I don't recommend this, and yes I know i'm a hypocrite :twisted: ) remove it altogether, Although I DONT recommend this. Useful for certain types of cuts or if using certain jigs. :wink:
Cheers
SafetyPhilly

On my previous Nu-tool i had it removed all toghether, which was the only way this machine would work properly (also had those horrible kick-back springs on it). on my new EB PKF255 i slightly modefied the sitting so its just about 3mm below the blade, which is nice, as it still can hold the blad guard wenn in normal operation, but wenn i need to do trenching I do not have to take the knive off, which works for me.

McLuma

 

[Jake]

My festool saw comes with an adjustable knife that has two positions, the lower one is for trenching and is level with the blade height. Pull it upwards firmly, and the guard fits on for normal cutting.

 

[cd]

DW,
My TSPP250 was just the same, IIRC loosening the bolt that holds it will allow it to slide out and 5 mins with a round file should make the slot the 5mm or so deeper allowing it to drop just below the blade.
It was the first thing I did to mine BTW
When you put it back check it doesnt foul the blade when the blade is fully retracted though or you get lots of sparks
cd

 

[devonwoody]

Thanks CD I was hoping there was a solution.

What about your cover plate, mine is about 1mm below the surface of the c.i. table

Did you have to pack yours up, and have you made closer slot for blade (when needed) on a substitute. ? I appreciate you could not have a tighter plate if tilting the blade.

Mite gauge very sloppy at the moment, so will have to tidy up that workmanship.

The instruction manual states to put a roll pin in the holes of the mitre slot, did you do that to yours? (To align table and hold it in place?)

I DO NOT THINK THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO CALL THESE MACHINES TABLESAWS ANYMORE. TABLESAWS TODAY DO NOT DO THE THINGS THAT WOODWORKING BOOKS STATE CAN BE DONE.

I THINK THEY SHOULD BE CALLED SOMETHING LIKE

"EUROPEAN C.I. TABLE CUTTING SAW."

 

[Jake]

I DO NOT THINK THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO CALL THESE MACHINES TABLESAWS ANYMORE. TABLESAWS TODAY DO NOT DO THE THINGS THAT WOODWORKING BOOKS STATE CAN BE DONE.

I THINK THEY SHOULD BE CALLED SOMETHING LIKE

"EUROPEAN C.I. TABLE CUTTING SAW."

Are you sure that shouldn't be CHINESE HALF-BAKED ENGINEERING SAW?

 

[CHJ]

Started assembling my new tablesaw Record TSPP250
and the riving knife sticks above the saw blade which also holds the blade guard


Does anyone have the answer to this curious design?

I had similar problems with mine.

 

[cd]

What about your cover plate, mine is about 1mm below the surface of the c.i. table

Did you have to pack yours up, and have you made closer slot for blade (when needed) on a substitute. ? I appreciate you could not have a tighter plate if tilting the blade.

I found a washer for each screw under the plate was about right for mine. I've never quite got round to making a one with a closer slot but tend to use a cross cut sled or a panel cutting sled I've made and there tight to the blade so not really needed to.

Mite gauge very sloppy at the moment, so will have to tidy up that workmanship.

Mine was tight and still is I would ring record and ask them they may change it for you.

cd

 

[Bean]

I have just modified the riving knife on my Kity to position it just below the blade, its an easy job, and well worth the extra flexibility it gives


Bean

 

[ProShop]

Devonwoody, I had one of these saw table a while back.
Altering the slot to lower the riving knife was the first thing I sorted.

I aslo found the insert (cover plate) was lower than the table, so I made a packing piece from some shim steel I have.

Another problem I found was the sliding carriage dipped about 2mm from one end of the table to the other. again I sorted this with shim steel.

I also found the table was misaligned with the pull saw action, so I had to rejig the roll pins holding the main table to the base.

Hope this helps

 

[devonwoody]

Thanks for all the useful information ( I was away on holiday the last time this discussion came up so I missed the thread of CHJ)


Couple of new thoughts re this problem of blade and riving knife troubles.

If I buy one of those fancy anti kickback blades which seem to almost have a reverse tooth, does this design create problems on any type of halving cut?


Secondly, if the riving knife is thicker than the saw kerf, won't this cause the knife to jam the timber against the fence after passing blade and knife?

 

[CHJ]

...snip...
Secondly, if the riving knife is thicker than the saw kerf, won't this cause the knife to jam the timber against the fence after passing blade and knife?

Depends upon the alignment of the knife, if flush with blade kerf on fence side then no. To much oversize though and it will jamb in the slot with hardwoods etc. that do not yield. ideally you need a knife to match each different blade kerf.

Most fences have a sliding face which can be adjusted to (or just past) centre of the blade axis, this will then relieve the pressure between the fence and riving knife if this is a problem.

 

[Steve Maskery]

if the riving knife is thicker than the saw kerf, won't this cause the knife to jam the timber against the fence after passing blade and knife?

Yes.

DW, you have my sympathies. TSs are very disappointing tools as they come from the manufacturer. Sure, you can get a good one, like Philly's, but at a price. I recently helped Newbie Neil assemble his Jet, and while that is good, it was not without its flaws. IIRC the table and sliding table were not in alignment and couldn't be made so because one of them was not flat.

Myself, I have an old Axminster TS. I have built a new base, rip fence and pulley guard. I use zero-clearance insert plates, cut from polythene chopping boards. I junked the guard and riving knife and mounted my own. I have had the motor rewound. The only original part of the saw is the casting, switch and spindle. Ah! The spindle! The nice, long-nosed, spindle! This is why I keep it. I have sorted to my satisfaction most of the many flaws with this machine, and have something which works for me. I don't recommend many of the things I have done, but I would be lying to claim I haven't done them.

You have to decide to do one of three things:

1. Spend a large amount of money on prefessional kit
2. Buy hobby kit, use it as the manufacturer intended and live with its limitations, or
3. Buy the best you can afford and find your own solutions to the machine's shortcomings.

But if, like me, you opt for option 3 and come unstuck, you, like me, will not be able to claim ignorance of the dangers of so doing.

Very best wishes in your journey.
Steve

 

[Bean]

Devon
If your riving knife is thicker than your blade you need to reduce the tickness to that of the blade or just a little less ( thou's not mm's). I've never experienced the tooth you mention so i cannot comment on that.



Bean

 

[devonwoody]

Thanks Steve and Bean for encouragement and info.

Attaching picture of the progress so far on tablesaw setup, excuse untidiness (dont know if it will get any better though).

Does anyone have any comments or advice re the record fence accessory? it appears that I can create a tunnel for boards to ride beneath. Also the supplementary fence slides behind the start of saw blade, am I supposed to use this as a false fence?

The manual from record is useless has regards operating the saw, and if it did have operating instructions I am sure there would be translation problems.