mikew13

Delta 34-444 Help Aligning
Saw is a 5 year old US made Delta 34-444 I just got and haven't cut wood with it yet, but I need to get back in business after a long delay after having my 36-600 quit, (motor is rebuilt and its up for sale)

Im short of money right now for a PALS and dial runout gauge. But what simple tools can I use besides a try square and 1/2" socket to get it temporary aligned until I can get the PALS and dial gauage. My 45 oz deadblow is too big to fit under the carriage.

Problem is (I had the trunions loose) I tried to align the blade using a try square against the miter guage. I sqared the miter guage to the fence using the try square. I seem to have trouble getting moving the rear (really limited space under that end of the carriage). At one point I put the miter guage on the other side and it was square against the blade, but not on the cutting side.

By the way the blade on there is a Freud 1/8" glue lam blade.
The other problem is what do I need to adjust that the blade is 90 degrees, the tilting mechanism is off a little.

Thanks

Mike

Rob

Before I purchased a lot of fancy gauges, I used a combination square to get the blade parallel with the slot. Put a clean blade on and mark one of the teeth with a magic marker. If it's a combination blade, pick a tooth that points out to the slot. With that tooth just showing above the table and nearest you, adjust your combination square so it just touches the outside of the tooth. Now rotate the blade a little so that the same tooth is at the back of the saw, again, just barely showing. Slide your combination square up the slot (don't adjust the square at all) and see where the tooth lies in relation to the square. It should be at the same distance it was at the front of the saw. If not, start adjusting. I think the first time I did this, I had to take a narrow but stout piece of oak to get the trunion to move. A couple of well placed blows and it should move. While you're at it, may as well take it all apart and give it a good cleaning.

After you get the blade square, you can use the same method to get the fence parallel to the slot. I have the back of my fence out by a couple thousandths of an inch. Better out a little than in as this causes pinching and kickback.
There should be a bolt and nut underneath (around the front trunion) to set and tighten to act as a stop for 90*. I don't worry about mine too much as I check for 90 fairly regularly.

This can prove to be a tedious task. Patience comes in real handy as you will regret throwing that hammer across the room.

Good luck!

BTW..the PALS won't help you align anything. It just allows it to stay aligned once you have done all the work. I put them on both of my saws about 10 years ago and haven't had to do any re-adjusting.

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