Well I just spent a good chunk of coin at the local Woodcraft store on some tuning tools and I just spent some time Tuning my Rigid TS3650 table saw for the 1st time. I had been using T-squares and rulers to get it done, well trying to get it done and let me tell you what a "HUGE" difference it makes when you have the right tuning equipment. I can tell you that this was some money well spent because I will never have an out of tune tablesaw or bandsaw again.
Here is what I purchased and what it found.
I. Superbar and Master plate made by Mastergage:
1. After setting it up and doing the testing recommended it found the trunion to be out 60/1000's of an inch to the right which was pinching the wood against the rip fence (my main reason for buying this tool). this doesnt sound like a lot but i cant tell you what a difference it makes with the cuts my saw is making now.
2. the next test I did was to rotate the blade by hand as the dial indicator road the outside edge of one of my blades. there was a 5/1000's of an inch variance in the blade isolated in one spot. this made the think my blade was warped slightly so i installed the "new" Forest Woodworker II blade that I bought at Woodcraft (i did mention i spent a lot of money there didnt I) and it showed the same symptom so i started looking closer at the arbor and found a piece of metal bur that had imbedded itself into the face of the arbor. i was scared to death of messing up the face of the arbor but with a very light touch with a stone and now the blade spins within 2/1000's of an inch.
3. I checked the rip fence alignment and it is very close. I tuned the blade to the left hand miter and the fence is dead on (well 2/1000's) to it but out of the right hand miter its out 7/1000's. i will have to live with that i guess.
II. Wixey Digital Angle gauge
1. I had set the angle indicator on my TS using my T-square and it was out almost a 1/2 of a degree. i did verify that my Bandsaw table was almost dead on though.
Nedless to say the $150 + tax that I paid for the Superbar, Superplate and Wixey digital angle gauge is money that i know went to a good cause. I can feel all those straight smooth cuts now...
Disclamer. this is the first tools of this type that I have owned but they did exactly what they were supposed to do and they did it well. i would buy them again if i had a choice... :thumbsup:
Here is what I purchased and what it found.
I. Superbar and Master plate made by Mastergage:
1. After setting it up and doing the testing recommended it found the trunion to be out 60/1000's of an inch to the right which was pinching the wood against the rip fence (my main reason for buying this tool). this doesnt sound like a lot but i cant tell you what a difference it makes with the cuts my saw is making now.
2. the next test I did was to rotate the blade by hand as the dial indicator road the outside edge of one of my blades. there was a 5/1000's of an inch variance in the blade isolated in one spot. this made the think my blade was warped slightly so i installed the "new" Forest Woodworker II blade that I bought at Woodcraft (i did mention i spent a lot of money there didnt I) and it showed the same symptom so i started looking closer at the arbor and found a piece of metal bur that had imbedded itself into the face of the arbor. i was scared to death of messing up the face of the arbor but with a very light touch with a stone and now the blade spins within 2/1000's of an inch.
3. I checked the rip fence alignment and it is very close. I tuned the blade to the left hand miter and the fence is dead on (well 2/1000's) to it but out of the right hand miter its out 7/1000's. i will have to live with that i guess.
II. Wixey Digital Angle gauge
1. I had set the angle indicator on my TS using my T-square and it was out almost a 1/2 of a degree. i did verify that my Bandsaw table was almost dead on though.
Nedless to say the $150 + tax that I paid for the Superbar, Superplate and Wixey digital angle gauge is money that i know went to a good cause. I can feel all those straight smooth cuts now...
Disclamer. this is the first tools of this type that I have owned but they did exactly what they were supposed to do and they did it well. i would buy them again if i had a choice... :thumbsup:
