Sip 01446 12" Table saw details, repairs and review

[DBT85]

When you slide it along the rear can lag a fraction. Because it then gets pinned in place when it locks, it can remain out of square.

I'm clearly going to have to use it for a while anyway so maybe I'll be OK with it. But you shouldn't have to lift anything up or worry about it. It should be set it and forget it once it's been calibrated like any other tool.

 

[pcb1962]

I see, so yours locks front and back simultaneously in one action.
Mine has separate locking for each so I lock the front first, check that the rear hasn't lagged by lifting it a little, and then lock that.

 

[DBT85]

I see, so yours locks front and back simultaneously in one action.
Mine has separate locking for each so I lock the front first, check that the rear hasn't lagged by lifting it a little, and then lock that.

Ah yes that's a much better system.

On this and I'm guessing the 10" version (and many other saws), you lower the handle at the front and all it does is pull a lever at the other end of the fence tight. That in effect pins the front and back to the two rails in whatever alignment they happen to be in. I'll see how I get on with it as I said.

 

[weekend_woodworker]

List your tweaks, I'm not certain on this fence as I'm able to lock it out of square easier than I'd like. Why they persist with fences that lock front and back I don't know.

Hi Darren,

This is the fence I built from the plans. I have not done much metal work, but with the help of a friend with who could weld, my Aldi pillar drill and a fine cutting disk on my grinder I managed to make a very solid and accurate fence. I bought all the bits from eBay.

If I recall correctly the design being American is in imperial and I wanted to build it as a metric fence. Therefore I ended up with M16 threaded bar which has a 2mm pitch. To be able to adjust it to sub divisions of 2mm the design has a ply adjuster on then end. Instead I bought a small block of aluminium which I cut out with a hole saw and a smaller drill bit on the circumference to make the indents. The design has a separate spring and ballbearing to latch the bar in place when you rotate it, however I found you just buy a complete unit on eBay here.

I struggled to find good bearings at 16mm at a sensible price. In the end I went with these that I think are better suited to a CNC machine, they work okay, but are not the best.

For the locking lever on the cam I added a small bracket as a limit, so it couldn't go too far over centre and slacken off the tension.

In terms of the fence itself by having the set screws you can get it nice and square which is great. I had trouble finding UHMWPE as rectangular material so ended up buying a rod and cutting disks off it to use on the sliding surfaces which works alright.

I use the fence for both my table saw and router table with a sub fence attached to the aluminium section. I was worried that the fence might flex too much for the router table as I feed in from the unsupported end, but it seems to be stiff enough and doesn't move. However I have found more disadvantages than advantages to having the aluminium section on the side next to the table saw. I don't use it to attach anything else to and if cutting some sections can find that they go into the slots in the aluminium section. Therefore If I were doing this again, I would not buy the aluminium section to go on the side of the fence and would probably replace it with a section of MDF or suitable plastic.

Finally I found I cut a slightly too large rebate out of the wood which goes behind the thread, this allows the threaded bar to flex slightly between the two bearings near the middle, and it would be better if it didn't.

If you have any other questions about it then please let me know.

Best wishes,

Mark

 

[DBT85]

That's fantastic Mark thanks a lot. I too have no welding skills or equipment nor know anyone that does, so I might have a look and see what I can do.

 

[Daniel.l]

I have owned this saw I purchased it second hand and it was far from perfect.
One major flaw of my one was the Arbor flange and It had bad blade wobble. The holes which you place say a screwdriver in to remove the Arbor nut can eventually cause a bulge on the flange where the blade sits against I noticed the previous owner of mine used force or maybe tapped something in there and over time is ruined the flange. I would check the runout of your blade after it is assembled to see if it's flat but I presume your ordering a new one as yours is broken.
By the way the insert plate is a nightmare thin plywood isn't strong enough and the one that come with the saw isn't great. I made a zero clearance from am old speed sign I found lying around it worked great its a bad design to have the insert plate so thin I suggest a piece of aluminium and screw timber on the underside for extra support in the middle and use an old blade to cut up through it.
The blade rise and fall mechanism has its problems too I thought mine was dirt but it just needed correct adjustment which was quite fiddly.
Good luck with the saw I hope it serves you well I have since sold it and upgraded but if you need any advice from an owner of one of these I'm happy to help.

 

[Fidget]

I made an insert plate for mine out of Valchromat


Also posted this in another thread

 

[mikej460]

Nice saw Denis's insert looks rather funky if you want to improve dust collection

 

[DBT85]

Yep seen that Mike, This saw has loads of room to add extra holes, it's just not a sealed cabinet underneath. I'll see how it fares once its got a proper extractor on it and something over the top.

This is either a saw for life or a saw until I give Mr @Nick Laguna UK a call and ask for a F3.

I have owned this saw I purchased it second hand and it was far from perfect.
One major flaw of my one was the Arbor flange and It had bad blade wobble. The holes which you place say a screwdriver in to remove the Arbor nut can eventually cause a bulge on the flange where the blade sits against I noticed the previous owner of mine used force or maybe tapped something in there and over time is ruined the flange. I would check the runout of your blade after it is assembled to see if it's flat but I presume your ordering a new one as yours is broken.
By the way the insert plate is a nightmare thin plywood isn't strong enough and the one that come with the saw isn't great. I made a zero clearance from am old speed sign I found lying around it worked great its a bad design to have the insert plate so thin I suggest a piece of aluminium and screw timber on the underside for extra support in the middle and use an old blade to cut up through it.
The blade rise and fall mechanism has its problems too I thought mine was dirt but it just needed correct adjustment which was quite fiddly.
Good luck with the saw I hope it serves you well I have since sold it and upgraded but if you need any advice from an owner of one of these I'm happy to help.

Thanks for that Daniel. The part that's broken on this is the small pulley/flange where you fit the blade. One of the locking tool holes has blown out. Sadly it's not listed as a spare one can replace, though I assume it might be possible were I to contact SIP directly. Failing that one could get made I suppose. It looks to be in tact enough to use, though the few grams lost on one side could potentially upset things.

I have seen the need for a very thin insert I had thought of doing a nice red one like Fidget below but a full sheet of red Valchromat might be OTT.

When you say the rise and fall has issues, can you elaborate?

I made an insert plate for mine out of Valchromat
View attachment 95998

Also posted this in another thread

How are you finding it holding up with that 2mm ish lip around the edge? The one supplied with the saw looks to have been made from ply and was not secured down. Are the screws in yours going into the table itself? The holes on mine look vast.

 

[Daniel.l]

It's funny how you said about the Laguna f3 that's the saw I upgraded too.
Yeah I would contact them to see if you can get one.
I tried Mathias Wandels method of flattening but I didn't have a grind stone, it did reduce its wobble a small bit I just couldn't get rid of it altogether.
Regarding the rise and fall when I was making cuts where I needed an exact height for the blade I would notice after I turn it on or say after the first cut the blade would drop like it skipped a couple of gear teeth which became very annoying. I eventually took it apart to clean and noticed the gears weren't aligned. The cleaning definitely helped aswell and it seemed to work well after the alignment was correct. It wasnt a smooth operation but it did the job. I sold it then because I had my new saw so I didn't test it out properly.
Just make sure they seat nicely together and they are aligned you can see it through the slot in the side.
For the gaps in the side of the frame my saw came with large magnetic stripes they were very handy you could easily take them off to clean and whip them back on again I couldn't imagine they cost much.

 

[Fidget]

How are you finding it holding up with that 2mm ish lip around the edge? The one supplied with the saw looks to have been made from ply and was not secured down. Are the screws in yours going into the table itself? The holes on mine look vast.
[/QUOTE]

Hi,

I got a couple of A3 size sheets of 9mm Valchromat from the bay for not very much and used the original insert to make a copy (I need the supplied one when I'm making angled cuts). The screws are original M5x8 and go into the table.

I've had that insert in for about a year now, it's holding up just fine.

Incidentally, I don't have any problem with the fence locking at both ends, I just make sure that I push forward when I lock the handle which squares up the fence. Hope that makes sense.

You don't work for Telegenic do you?

 

[DBT85]

Never heard of telegenic! I do do telly tho.

 

[mikej460]

Yep seen that Mike, This saw has loads of room to add extra holes, it's just not a sealed cabinet underneath. I'll see how it fares once its got a proper extractor on it and something over the top.

This is either a saw for life or a saw until I give Mr @Nick Laguna UK a call and ask for a F3.

Is that a rebadged Harvey? I do like the look of these saws but like you something to aspire towards

Thanks for that Daniel. The part that's broken on this is the small pulley/flange where you fit the blade. One of the locking tool holes has blown out. Sadly it's not listed as a spare one can replace, though I assume it might be possible were I to contact SIP directly. Failing that one could get made I suppose. It looks to be in tact enough to use, though the few grams lost on one side could potentially upset things.

I have seen the need for a very thin insert I had thought of doing a nice red one like Fidget below but a full sheet of red Valchromat might be OTT.

When you say the rise and fall has issues, can you elaborate?


How are you finding it holding up with that 2mm ish lip around the edge? The one supplied with the saw looks to have been made from ply and was not secured down. Are the screws in yours going into the table itself? The holes on mine look vast.

 

[DBT85]

I'm not sure if it's rebadged or not. I know Laguna are a brand in the US that is now working its way over here, but it's not inexpensive. I can't comment on the quality obviously.

 

[Dokkodo]

I have an itech copy of this saw and this is all really handy to see. Ive only had it a few months but it seems to reach thermal cutout too rapidly and i wonder whether its because there is no fan, as I never recall noticing one on the motor. Ill check when im next in, but if not, im wondering if you could print another and what youd charge for such a service?

Great thinking with extending the extraction to the blade cowl.

Also ive never quite managed to get the blade truly parallel to the mitre slots, hasnt been helped by having a slightly wonky blade to reference, but any hints on how you went about it would be appreciated, i drove myself half mad during my last attempt...

 

[DBT85]

I have an itech copy of this saw and this is all really handy to see. Ive only had it a few months but it seems to reach thermal cutout too rapidly and i wonder whether its because there is no fan, as I never recall noticing one on the motor. Ill check when im next in, but if not, im wondering if you could print another and what youd charge for such a service?

Great thinking with extending the extraction to the blade cowl.

Also ive never quite managed to get the blade truly parallel to the mitre slots, hasnt been helped by having a slightly wonky blade to reference, but any hints on how you went about it would be appreciated, i drove myself half mad during my last attempt...

Are you use its the thermal cutout that's triggering? I assume the motor housing is a tad warm if that's the case. The fan is typically under a shroud, I just had mine off to install the fan. I also have no idea what the motor actually came with. The one I removed was clearly not the original as it was drunk as anything and had obviously been melted a bit to get it on there. Once I've actually got power to this (hopefully tomorrow) I can see how it actually does.

I can print you one as long as you double check the sizes are the same. You may have to shim it as I did for mine but it was only a bit of masking tape half the size of a postage stamp that I needed to snug it up. As for cost, its up in the air. Someone else had asked about dust adapters and the same thing applies there. I may do something like cost of the materials and postage and then a donation of whatever you like. I'll have a further think.

Regarding the dust cowl, it has a port on it for the dust so I just hooked it up. It hadn't been done by the previous owner though. Maybe it'll make some difference!

As for the blade and the slots, I think I've got mine sorted, It certainly seemed to be the same on both sides. When ive got power and put the new blade in I'll see how I fare. As you know to orient the blade you have 4 bolts as pictured holding the hinge parts to the underside of the table. I fractionally loosened off the 2 nearest the blade and then just one of the other ones. That gave me a pivot and a little resistance. Then I just used a block of wood and a mallet to persuade the entire mount to move in the direction I needed. To measure it I just put my combination square in the slot and then extended the ruler until one edge (I think the front) just touched the blade. Mark that tooth and rotate it back and check the back clearance. Given that your combo square will sit in the slot at a slight angle, make sure the same part of the ruler contacts the same tooth when measuring both front and back. On mine with that one tooth it just brushes the ruler if I use the same part of the ruler, but it I use the opposite sides of the ruler it doesn't contact it the same as its at a bit of an angle.

So basically hit it with a hammer

I did try setting my dial gauge in the mitre slot as it had a screw thread that happened to fit the supplied mitre gauge, but since its more than a little sloppy and wanted to tilt over, it couldn't be reliable. Soon I'll have a better mitre gauge that may well have the right thread on it, in which case I might try again.

 

[Ttrees]

DBT85, Might it be a good idea to also make a protective cover for that fan?

@Dokkodo
Unsure if this is useful or information that applies to your inducton motor, but just for research purposes I'm asking...

Could that be suggesting that there could be an issue with centrifugal switch?
They can apparently get stuck and the starter winding is on all the time causing heat.
I haven't had to go near any single phase motors so far and only have opened up three phase motors, so am unsure if your motor has one or not?
The only thing I can advise on the matter is mark this side up or a line on end bells for re-assembly later, that's as much knowledge I have on the subject.

I have a new grinder that gets rather warm, and unsure of the cause is, so have been only looking into this a bit now, its not much of an issue at the moment for the odd chisel or plane iron.

Tom

 

[Nick Laguna UK]

Is that a rebadged Harvey?

Hi Mike, No they are not the same - Completely different manufacturers (and based in different Countries, Harvey is China).
Fusion is exclusive to Laguna USA and built in Taiwan - Laguna own all tooling / design rights and it is not available in any one else's brand name either.

Hope this helps,
Cheers,
Nick

 

[DBT85]

DBT85, Might it be a good idea to also make a protective cover for that fan?

Tom

Yeah Tom its got the shroud that goes over it, I just took the pic while it was off. The hole thing might tear itself apart at full speed so I didn;t want bits blowing out everywhere

Hi Mike, No they are not the same - Completely different manufacturers (and based in different Countries, Harvey is China).
Fusion is exclusive to Laguna USA and built in Taiwan - Laguna own all tooling / design rights and it is not available in any one else's brand name either.

Hope this helps,
Cheers,
Nick

Just see if you can get them to make a slider instead of the left extension!

 

[Nick Laguna UK]

Just see if you can get them to make a slider instead of the left extension!

Hi DBT, it's being looked at by Laguna USA you will be pleased to know - realistically will take time to be available but they have been asked for it over there too.
Cheers,
Nick