[jkristia]

Ok, I'm probably just being too picky now, but on the SawStop website they show that a nickle can balance on the contractor saw while its running. I noticed I have a slight vibration on my saw, and of course when I tried it didn't pass the nickle test.

How much vibration should I consider normal on a contractor style saw?. Again, it is almost nothing, but if you crumple a piece of paper and leave it on the top you can notice it is moving.

Besides from that, I have now used the saw for about a week and love it.

Jesper

 

[woodnthings]

If it will ease your mind

Just tape 2 nickels together, should work, if not just keep adding nickels until you can buy a Saw Stop! :laughing: You could go to a link type belt. That always helps reduce vibration. If the motor is pulling too hard on the belt let up a little on it as long as the belt doesn't slip under full load. Other than that, not much else to do. So it vibrates a little, so what. It's not A Swiss watch. The Saw Stop is the Ferrari, you've got a pickup truck. Some blades vibrate slightly more than others. Try rotating the blade 90 degrees. Actually to stop the vibration totally, just turn it off. :yes::laughing: bill

 

[rrbrown]

Jesper what type of saw and what are the wings made of. Allot of contractor saws use stamped steel or a grill looking wing. If you noticed the Sawstop has solid cast iron wings much heavier less vibration.

 

[knotscott]

Jesper - I once read that the nickel test proves you have a nickel and a saw, but not much else. :laughing: It's a fun conversation piece but isn't a very scientific test....for starters, not all nickels are a uniform thickness, and not all have nice square edges. There are several other variables too...where you place the nickel, the floor, air flow from the blade, brief regeneration shimmy on shutdown, etc.

If the saw feels smooth and cuts well, I wouldn't worry about it, but if there's noticeable vibration that shouldn't be there, check your belt, belt alignment, pulleys, arbor, motor shaft, blade, etc. Try to isolate each of those components until you have a culprit. There are a finite number of things at can be.

Edit: As I sat here drinking my morning coffee, I was trying to think of some useful descriptors that would help you know what's normal and not normal vibration. I don't normally condone setting coffee cups on cast iron surfaces, but I went out and started and stopped my saw with a full cup of coffee sitting on top.....nearly no visible ripples until well after shutdown, and even those were pretty small. Still not overly scientific but possibly more repeatable than a nickel test.

 

[frostr2001w]

Once again, Knotscott has hit the nail on the head!

 

[jkristia]

Thank you for your replies. I forgot to mention that the saw is a SawStop with cast iron wings, and I know I'm just being too picky. Problem is I dont have any experience with any other saw (other than my old Ryobi which was definitely not vibration free) so I dont have anything to compare it too, and therefore dont know what to expect. And besides from this really minor vibration issue, the saw is great and a huge step up (and of course you would expect that for the price).

Jesper

 

[rrich]

Just tape 2 nickels together, should work, if not just keep adding nickels until you can buy a Saw Stop! :laughing: [snip...]

Try rotating the blade 90 degrees. Actually to stop the vibration totally, just turn it off. :yes::laughing: bill

ROTFLMAO :thumbup1:

How many nickels would it take? :blink:

Why not just remove the blade and do the nickle test? Then all you're checking is the saw and not the harmonic balance of the saw blade.

Jesper - I once read that the nickel test proves you have a nickel and a saw, but not much else. :laughing:

The best analysis of the "Nickle Test" I've ever seen! :laughing:

My advice is to use the saw to cut wood. If you can make clean cuts in wood, then save your nickles for more tools or more wood.

 

[woodnthings]

Maybe it's just me

but I was astonished to find out this was a Saw Stop. Here I am trying my best to solve a vibration problem on the Ferrari of contractors saws.:blink: Good thing I had a sense of humor about it from the gitgo. Pertinent details like the brand of tool should always be included in a thread, to eliminate a bunch of idiotic responses, mine included, so we aren't wasting what precious little brain power we still have left. :laughing: bill
BTW I wouldn't be using a cup of coffee to test it at this point, it would be a glass of Jack D on ice.

 

[rrbrown]

Well it's not just you Bill. I try to ask now because I've done it myself and forgot to mention something important. However my thought is since it is the SawStop I would expect there to be no vibration especially with what it cost and they show the nickle test to sell saws. That said its a new saw call their tech support and ask their opinion. Hell they started this by using a damn nickle anyway.:yes:

 

[woodnthings]

Yeah I was gonna say that too

But you made the excellent point that they use that test to sell the saw. Make 'em come and get it and fix it. Or give me all my "nickels" back.:yes: bill

 

[knotscott]

....BTW I wouldn't be using a cup of coffee to test it at this point, it would be a glass of Jack D on ice.

It was early enough on the east coast at the time that I was still doing the uppers, but I might try it with my Sam Adams now! :laughing: :thumbsup:

 

[jkristia]

well I'm a happy camper now. In the morning I replaced the blade with a Freud general purpose blade from home Depot and then I have been using the saw all day without noticing or thinking about vibration. It was not until now I just realized that "hey - no vibrations", so I took the nickel and ... he he, I can pass the nickel test too now :icon_cheesygrin:. Not sure if it was the belt or the blade, and it doesn’t really matter, what matters is that there are no vibrations.

Here is the proof, and no, I did not glue it to the top :laughing:

Jesper

 

[woodciro]

well I'm a happy camper now...so I took the nickel and ... he he, I can pass the nickel test too now :icon_cheesygrin:. Not sure if it was the belt or the blade, and it doesn’t really matter, what matters is that there are no vibrations.

Here is the proof, and no, I did not glue it to the top :laughing:

Jesper

If that's your idea of a nickel, I'd like to do some trading with you. I'll send you twenty of these, and you send me...:shifty:


John

_______________________________________________

"March is a green and muddy month down below. Some folks like it-farmers, mostly".

Bear Claw

 

[mveach]

I didn't have a nickel eather

porter cable $600. hard part was getting the dime to stand up. then turned saw on and let it run for about a minute. turned it off and the dime was still standing.