[Paul W Gillespie]

Working on my coffee table project I started cutting the legs to size on the top and bottom. I have discovered that they are slightly out of square. I have been trying to track down why. It could be many things, I know. Like blade not 90 degrees up and down, my miter gauge could be off or the miter slot could be out of square to the blade. It could be a combo of all these things adding up.

I got a couple of devices to make my measurements easier. Yes I know, you don't always need some kind of gadget, but trying to figure these things out with my combo square was not cutting it for me.

I bought the Wixey Digital Angle Gauge to check blade tilt and it was off by a little, about a degree +/-. I will need to adjust my stop, but I like this gauge so far. It is something I have wanted for awhile and finally pulled the trigger on.

I also bought a thing called the Mag-Dro that lets me take my digital caliper and clamp it into the miter slot to take a reading of the blade to miter slot distance. I picked it up for about $9, so I figured what the heck, if it helps me.

My question is what is acceptable for miter slot to blade distance? I am getting a reading of around .005 average from front to back. Meaning it is about .005 farther at the farther side of the blade away from me. This is an average because I have to use a spacer block between the blade and the caliper and the reading is changing slightly each time. Sometimes .004, sometimes .007. Probably because of user error.

Before I go loosening bolts and trying to fix it, I want to see if it bad enough to worry about.

My problem could also be my miter gauge, which I will also be checking.

OT, I am thinking about doing a video review of the new gauges once I learn to use them better.

Thanks

 

[knotscott]

It sort of depends on which way the deviation goes. I usually recommend +/-0.003", but 0.005" toed away from the tail of the fence isn't too bad. 0.005" toed in is pushing the limit a bit, and can cause minor binding that is more likely to lead to kick back. 0.001" or less is best! :thumbsup:

 

[mdntrdr]

Are your measurements taken at the front and rear of the blade, or are you using a straight edge to measure front and back of the slot? :smile:

 

[woodnthings]

I would knotscott's numbers

But I would use a steel straightedge to extend the plate of the blade up to 24" rather than the 8" or 9" using the blade or tooth. Measuring on one tooth and rotating it is the preferred way, but this is the method I use shown in this thread:
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f27/tablesaw-blade-alignment-miter-slot-11185/

 

[Paul W Gillespie]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I was marking a tooth on the blade and rotating. I would zero out the caliper at the front of the saw, closest to me, where you would stand if making a cut. I would then rotate the blade to the back of the saw, close to the splitter, and check. This is using the left miter slot, so it means that the blade is pointed in towards the fence at the back of the saw, closest to the splitter. I know that is not good and can cause some pinching, burning and possible kick back.

I feel like I am coming down with a cold and my basement shop is also colder than usual since Arctic freeze is hitting the Northeast. I may have to wait to investigate more. I really don't feel like messing with the miter slot adjustment, but will if I have to. I think I need to do some more measuring.