Table saw blade height?

[Timberfreak]

Just wondering if the blade on my saw should be level with, or below the table surface ~ because . . . when the blade is wound "fully" down it is still proud of the surface.
In that position I can make a cut around 7/64ths of an inch. I've had the saw for about 18 months but can't say if it has always been like that as I've only just noticed it recently. I regulary check, and if necessary clean out the well in which the blade lives, although the sawdust has an escape route and it's only the odd stray thin piece of off-cut that sometimes requires releasing from there. I'm just wondering if there could be a build-up of dust inside the inaccessable winding gubbins . . . or, is this a feature of this particular saw?
For a 10 inch saw, this is by far the best I've had in respect of the depth of cut -- it cuts 94mm (33/4") at 90 degrees, but it still cuts 7/64ths when it should cut zero!
None of my previous saws exposed part of the blade when "fully wound down".

You will, of course want to know what saw I have :? ~ it's a Makita MLT100 and comes as standard with a 260mm blade. I know that a 254mm (or smaller) blade would give an unobstructed table top.

Are there any other MLT100 owners out there with this same experience?

 

[marcros]

my kity is similar. i have not measured it but it is annoyingly just proud when fully would down.

 

[Morse]

Thats interesting - I have the same saw and the blade on mine goes right away below the surface.

I've got the tablesaw and router table back to back at the same height so I can use one as a takeoff table for the other and often the crown guard and riving knife come off, fence gets stowed and the blade is dropped completely away.

Call Makita; that sounds definitely wrong to me.

 

[Steve Maskery]

There is something definitely wrong. Either the blade is the wrong diameter or there is some obstruction. Take the throat plate off and have a poke around with a torch. You can even turn the power off first if you want to.
S

 

[Benchwayze]

I don't know the layout under your table of course, but:

If there's nothing you can see, preventing the blade from going right down, could you put some appropriate thickness washers between the table fixing bolts and the underside of the table? This would elevate the table a little. Or maybe someone has already put some in the wrong place?
Could this solve the problem?

HTH

 

[newt]

I suspect it could be sawdust build up in the winding gears.

 

[kinsella]

My max blade size in the machine will also stick out the top by a few mm, even when i clear the chips from under the winding gear. i have a Scheppach TKU. As long as you know the worst its boing to do if switched on (very low risk) is to give you a nasty cut. You'll still have your hand and fingers.

 

[Benchwayze]

My max blade size in the machine will also stick out the top by a few mm, even when i clear the chips from under the winding gear. i have a Scheppach TKU. As long as you know the worst its boing to do if switched on (very low risk) is to give you a nasty cut. You'll still have your hand and fingers.

You can't be serious?

 

[WellsWood]

My max blade size in the machine will also stick out the top by a few mm, even when i clear the chips from under the winding gear. i have a Scheppach TKU. As long as you know the worst its boing to do if switched on (very low risk) is to give you a nasty cut. You'll still have your hand and fingers.

You can't be serious?

Quite! Not what I would define as just "a nasty cut" - more a case of "OH F$^*!!"

Seriously though, to address the OP's problem, most saws should have stops on the rise and fall mechanism. Probably worth checking if this one does, and if they are properly adjusted.

 

[Benchwayze]

I think the answer is to fit the next size blade downwards. You might lose a few mm depth of cut, but that's better then losing a finger, or losing tendon function; or worse. If a skilled woodworker can lose half his hand, on a fully guarded SCMS, then I wouldn't like to risk a 'nasty-cut', from an expose 'few mm' of a saw-blade'. . Still, to each their own.

 

[doorframe]

My Lutz has a 350mm (14") blade. Fully down it still leaves about 10mm proud of the table. This could be reduced by leaving it on full tilt, but that's not so practical, as the saw is built into the work bench so needs to go flush when not in use.

A few mods sorted this, and left me wondering why the manufacturer didn't take care of this issue.

 

[andersonec]

I had one of those saw's and it should definitely go down all the way.

I had a serious defect when one day the whole blade assembly suddenly dropped and could not be wound up again, the thread inside one of the upright windings had stripped, luckily it was just within warranty and the saw was replaced.

If you open it up and look inside you will see the upright threaded 'rod' which supports and lifts the blade as it is wound up and down, wind it and you will see what I mean, I expect there is some sort of obstruction at the base of that rod/leg.

Hope you get it sorted.

Andy

 

[Timberfreak]

Thanks guys for all your responses. Seems like there's a fair bit of variation with "ups and downs" with the blades on saws of different manufacture.

. . . If you open it up and look inside you will see the upright threaded 'rod' which supports and lifts the blade as it is wound up and down, wind it and you will see what I mean, I expect there is some sort of obstruction at the base of that rod/leg.

Hope you get it sorted.

Andy

I'll give that a try ~ although I'll first have to figure how to get into that particular part of the saw. All I've removed so far has been the table insert to change the blade and clear small off-cuts --- do I access the winding gear by turning the saw upside-down to remove a panel, or is there an easier (correct!) way?

 

[andersonec]

Yes, If my memory serves me, you need to access it from underneath but just tip it onto the side with the motor (left) I thought there would have been two 'threaded legs' to lift the motor and blade assembly but there is only one, it could be jammed up with something.

Don't force wind it, the same thing could happen to yours, the female threaded section seems like it is easily stripped (aluminium) and it will fail terminally.

Andy

 

[Timberfreak]

Thanks Andy,

I'll have a look at that at the weekend . . . have been busy making too much sawdust the last few days, but project is almost finished now.

 

[Timberfreak]

My Lutz has a 350mm (14") blade. Fully down it still leaves about 10mm proud of the table. This could be reduced by leaving it on full tilt, but that's not so practical . . .

Forgot to mention that I had the blade fully tilted today and wound it "right down" but it sticks up even more above the table than when it's in the vertical position, so I'm seriously thinking that there must be something blocking the mechanism.

 

[doorframe]

Forgot to mention that I had the blade fully tilted today and wound it "right down" but it sticks up even more above the table than when it's in the vertical position, so I'm seriously thinking that there must be something blocking the mechanism.

My old Clarke and Ryobi saws are the same as your's on full tilt, but still go below the table when fully down @ 90'. The Lutz has a very crude rise/fall/tilt/ mechanism. Better in some ways, worse in others. Only use it now and them as I get a 110mm cut.

Hope you get yours sorted soon.

 

[Timberfreak]

SORTED!

Removed the bottom from the saw and got the problem fixed. The 'grill' thingy needs to be removed from the underside then the winding gubbins is pretty accessible ~ especially when the blade is put on full tilt.
I found that the bottom few threads on the threaded rod that raises and lowers the blade/motor assembly was seriously clogged with "stuff" so that these threads just wouldn't screw into the block thus preventing the blade from fully retracting.
I presume that "stuff" was a cocktail of oil/grease mixed with sawdust. Oil and grease are great for lubrication, but when sawdust gets in the mix it isn't so clever.
The blade disappears below the table by almost 1/16" now.

 

[Steve Maskery]

=D> =D> =D>