Sorry, another Axminster TS200 question

[whevs]

Hi, I needed a saw for my winter project of building a boat, I was going to make a simple table saw from an ebayyyyy Bosch circular saw but it didn't cut great and started smoking alarmingly. So I decided on a small table saw and started researching............ I ended up on here (UKWorkshop) and read the reviews of the TS200 and I thought I'd buy that rather than a hundred squid Cheapie off Amazorn. I've got it now after turning an idea for a Christmas prezzie into an early Christmas prezzie (the missus had the idea and I couldn't very well say no ). Trouble is, I checked the table for flatness thinking that as it's a cast and machined table it would be flat, I used a steel ruler and found that there were definate chinks of light showing through in several places, especially around the saw blade slot. I don't really know what I'm doing though and was starting to think that maybe my ruler is at fault. I have OCD so assuring myself that something is ok can be difficult but there are definate dips in this table top. Is this common with Axminster TS200? Is it possible to send Axminster the table top only so they can send me a flat one as the rest of the saw is ok as far as I know? I only ask that because I live offshore near Scottish Highlands and I had to pay an extra £30 to get it here so sending the whole unit back and forth could get pricey. Surely they should check if the table is flat before they send it out. Also, this is my first table saw so maybe all table saws are like this, I think there may be near on a millimetere of difference between the edge of the blade slot and the edges of the table. I really need some advice on what to do to check the table again properly and wether it's worth getting in touch with Axminster. I know that some on here may well be fed up with this saw coming up all the time in the forum so I'm sorry if I'm going over old ground but I really don't know what I'm doing when it comes to getting this saw flat and true. Actually, I've not used a Table Saw in 20 years or more and that was briefly in school! So my Ar@e needs locating as does my elbow. I really want to get started on the 13cuft of Douglas Fir which I got from BlackDog Milling in Perthshire a month or so ago (although it does look nice stacked up in neat rows out the back garden :wink: ). Sorry to ramble on and on but that's me when I write I'm afraid lol.

Thanks for reading, hope you can get me on the right path here, you seem like the lads to ask.

 

[JakeS]

I've seen another complaint to the same end on the TS-200, although the table on mine seems fine. I think some have put it down to the weight of the motor sagging the tabletop. It's possibly worth contacting Axminster tech support on the matter, they've been very quick and helpful when I've had questions, but I don't know whether they'd be able to resolve your problem.

If you're wondering about your steel rule and the apparent sag is as much as a millimetre, try using a bit of nylon thread (like fishing line or something): hold it at one end of the table, pull it taut across the whole table, and see if you can slip feeler gauges or bits of paper or card or whatever underneath it near the slot without touching the wire. You may need three hands (or help)! Obviously this method would only work for a sag, not for a raised area.


That said, also consider whether such a sag really makes any difference to the result you're going to get. If you're using it for cutting non-parting grooves it may mean the groove is a bit deeper at the start and finish, but if you're just ripping boards then it shouldn't really affect the cut you get, so long as you're careful to square the blade against the adjacent bit of table?

 

[Steve Maskery]

I would say that 1mm is too much. Far too much. For the extensions, it's not so critical, but the main cast area should be flat to a few thou. 1mm is 40 thou.
Have you tried ringing Axi and asking them to check one out for you? They have good a customer relations reputation.
Remember, though, that any machine usually requires some fettling. Even if it was all true out of the factory, it's had a traumatic journey halfway round the world.
S

 

[JakeS]

For what it's worth, I checked mine again this evening - using either edge of a heavy-duty aluminium drafting t-square edge held upright against the table, or the continuous side of a box-section spirit level, rested along the cut line about 15mm to the left of the blade, I couldn't fit my smallest feeler gauge underneath anywhere along the line. So Axminster have certainly sent out some good tables for this saw at some point. I'd really give their technical support people a call (or an email) and see what they suggest, first.

(My smallest feeler gauge claims to be 0.02mm, but of course I have no reliable way of measuring that. My digital caliper varies between 0.01 and 0.03mm, but my digital caliper is from Lidl, cost me something like £6 and has a wobbly fine-adjustment wheel, so who knows.)

 

[Tomsk]

Don't be afraid to talk to Axminister. Their customer support is legendary. I had issues with my own TS200 which eventually resulted in a complete replacement machine. Problems were dealt with swiftly and efficiently.

out of interest, what boat will you be building? That was one of the reasons I bought the TS200...

Tom