Axminster AW254 table saw deep dive!
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- Опубліковано 28 лип 2024
- This episode takes a deep dive into my new-ish table saw the Axminster AW254TS. I make a few improvements, change the blade and make sure the saw is calibrated. §§
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This saw can be bought stand alone as I have shown it, or as part of a kit complete with sliding mitre table and stand.
To align the mitre slot to the blade you loosen then table mounting bolts that are use to fix it to the casing and then you can tap the table to get it lined up. I wouldn't touch those those trunion bolts. I have the 216mm version and got it lined very accurately, less than 0.1mm if I remember.
When it comes to cat skinning etc. etc..
I managed similar accuracy this way and it just happened to be the way I had seen it done in the past. I had no issues after this so it worked for me. If moving more than 1mm or less then I’d possibly look into other methods but this works well and is simple enough.
Great detailed analysis, and your video persona has a good level of self deprecation! Denis from Hooked on Wood does a similar throat plate alteration, to his usual super high standards! Carry on the good work 👍🏻
Yeah, I love Dennis’ channel. Very inspirational. Thanks for watching!
I have the AC216TS and the riving knife and poorly designed clamp to the blade guard drove me mad as I also needed to do a series of groove cuts. Like you I cut the top off the riivng knife, not the original but a £25 new one from Axminster Tools in Axminster. It is set 3mm lower than the crown of the blade. The original riving knife and guard can be refixed for normal through cuts. As to the poor clamp design that gets in the way of undertaking narrow cuts, well I'll give that some thought later.
Yeah. It’s fiddly to adjust the riving knife and a more accessible quick release knife would be ideal but once it’s set up it works well and overall I’m very happy with the saw.
Got the same saw. Bought the same blade as well but had issues using it because the kerf is so close to the width of the riving knife. Struggled to align the two up and the timber was binding on the riving knife, switched to an Axminster premium blade that has a wider kerf. Like the mods you have done, considering them for my saw. Enjoyed the vid, subbed 👍
Thanks for the sub. Yeah my riving knife was a little out and needs to be bang on in order to prevent binding but once set it seems to run nicely. Early days though. Im in the middle of building a piece of shop furniture for it too which will make it really versatile.
Hi. No as yet I have not managed to fix that issue and it is close enough for most of what I do to get by. I imagine there is a stop collar on the thread which can be adjusted but not looked yet. It’s on the cards though so watch this space.
I have a similar type of saw (Charnwood 650) and have been through many of the issues that you have had- the saw was second hand and the under table blade shroud is so fiddly to remove and replace that it is now off permanently - I have made up a chute system in the saw body with the dust collection hose at the bottom - lifts a massive amount of dust. I have sealed between the body and table top with foam from an old gym mat. I used magnetic card over the various slots for levers and handles - your brush strip solution is great. I must go and see if my saw can be adjusted by trunnions bolts - I released the four corner bolts holding the table to the body, slid the top to parallel the blade with the mitre slot. Think I saw that on a USA UA-cam video so maybe not correct for me. I have also cut the riving knife down and bought a grooving blade. I have cut mounting slots in the riving knife for the blade guard with its dust collection port - not much use really.
Great video by the way
Thanks, yeah I looked at the Charnwood too. I think i will be making some sort of ‘floating” overhead dust collection in future. In general though these saws are great because the important stuff is done well and the other niggles are easy to fix.
Nice little look around your saw, i have the ac216t/s to help the dust collection i have removed the left side plate made my own and have the dust collection port coming out of that side easy to do as all just screws together, main problem with it coming out the back is to many bends in the dust pipe slowing it down, so far looks like it works alot better like that, the biggest prob i have to put up with is the mitre slots are slightly tighter in places and im to worried to sand the slots down incase i cock it up and the fence puls to oone side slightly when locked down. Besides that its not a bad saw
Yeah the fence is an issue and I may end up upgrading to one Axminster stock for their Professional range, £350 though so ill see if i can improve the one the saw comes with, watch this space! Do you find you still get build up on the bottom of the saw with your side exhaust?
@@CaptainofmyShed Yes there is but not as bad, the reason i think the dust collection is so poor is that the case which surrounds the blade is so open not being more enclosed is its week point,i keep looking at my saw thinking there must be a way of enclosing it, and as daft as it may sound it could do with a accordion style fitting on both sides of the blade mech to enclose it all better mean the dust would have no where to float around apart from being drawn out by extraction, as for fence check out DIYTINKERER on youtube he had same issue with fence it may help, sorry if i have not explained very well not very good with words
@@CaptainofmyShed Actually if it had the same dust extraction as the dw 745 t/s with the dust port straight out the back panel with the same arc to allow 45 degree cuts the dust collection would never be a problem,axminster suggest a 950mtr dust pull to match the saw but that i think is because of the bad design.
Hey, interesting video. I although thought about the dust shoot from below.
Looking forward to more videos about upgrading this saw (there are not many...) and it will be interesting how happy you are with your upgrade.
The sliding table is an really good upgrade for the saw but could use an update for cuts other than 90 degrees.
Will definetly follow to see what else you have in mind.
What size is the plastic dust funnel you used as I have one of these saws on order and want to prepare for improving dust extraction?
The outlet was 100mm. The key is to block up all holes except for around the blade. So if you have a zero clearance throat plate, then make sure there are some holes in it to aspirate the system.
Hi, im thinning of buying this saw myself soon to replace my dewalt dwe7492 just as ive hears with the cast iron top and weight this saw is alot more sturdy and accurate, not to mention machined better and a quieter motor. My question is though after looking at a number of reviews and insights, how solid is the rip fence when locked and does it pull or wiggle at all when in use, its arguably my main reluctantce to change from the rack and pinion fence on my current TS, also noticing someone else mentioned in the previous comments too, any advice or feedback would be appreciated thank you 😊👍🏻
Hi, thanks for the question. I will be doing more improvements to this saw with videos to show my findings etc. but for now i can say that straight out of the box, the fence isn’t perfect. It does line up when locked nice and parallel with the blade and mitre slots but has a tendency to move a little when you lock it so it takes a bit of fiddling to get it bang on then it cuts nicely and although you can flex it with your hand a bit, this doesn’t seem to be an issue. The good news is there is a simple fix to the issue of it moving at the point of locking which requires a bit of Teflon tape on the table side of the fence clamp where the inside face meets the rail. (Video to come). The other good thing is that Axminster sell an extension kit with a much longer rail so you can increase your cut capacity, if that is something youre looking to do.
Lastly, I have been in touch with Axminster to see if they would supply me with the fence and rail from their professional range saw and they said yes. It costs around £350 but i think this would give you a really nice system at a still decent price.
@@CaptainofmyShed ah okay, keen and looking forward to seeing your coming videos on the matter, than you so much for the advice, given how you previously had a DeWalt table saw, can you say if all in all you made the right decision moving to this one, I tend to make a lot of fine woodworking projects and am a stickler for accuracy, especially when my current TS bed isnt 100% flat, and yes I'll definitely be getting the extension rail to increase the rip capacity, much needed for working with alot of sheet goods
So what I like most is that this saw has got the basics right. Dead flat table (I might just be lucky). Solid parts and construction, and a quiet motor. I figure any issues beyond this are fixable by the user. One point of slight irritation, which I need to fix. Blade tilt only reaches 44.9 degrees before hitting the stops, will have to tune this.
I do miss the twin ratchet fence though.
@@CaptainofmyShed Interesting re the 44.9 degrees, I have the same issue - have you managed to fix it and how?