I have been contemplating getting the PALS for my contractor saw for about a year. I just bought a set a couple days ago and hope they do the trick. I'll refer back to this video for your tips.
This is gold info. I didn't know this was a thing, and now I do. I have added it to my to-do list for this weekend. Thanks Stumpy! Hope your hand is healing up and the PT is going well!
I store my Kobalt folded up and I have to align it every time I set it up. Gonna go find a set of Saw Pals and see if that helps - should at least make it easier. I get so much more out of my saw thanks to your videos.
Thanks. . . Again so simple but saved my sanity. Gave me more respect for my cheap craftsman saw. Should have figured this out for myself but that wasn’t going to happen.
excellent and extremely helpful video. Last fall my sweet old aunt decided to park in my small shop. she went through the doors I built, hit the table saw and pushed it about 12' until it stopped against the very heave duty work bench at the opposite end of the shop. The table shaw was a little more than slightly out of alignment. I worked on it 3 different times and just couldn't get it correct. purchased the digital alignment gauge and the saw PALs. It took quite a bit of time, and to make it worse I have the bottom of the stand enclosed with a drawer for sawdust collection. Made accessing the bolts a real pain, but I rarely give up. The saw was so far out of alignment that I had to move the front first to allow for room for adjustment of the PALs.finally got it aligned perfectly. the gauge is great to quickly align the fence and anything else that uses a miter slot. I carry the gauge with me when I travel as its fun to ask a buddy if his saw is properly aligned. most people say yes, and then I pull out the gauge to verify. haven't found one that was perfect yet with the exception of mine when I finished. i've helped several friends align their saws. but it always costs them. I will help for a little good sipping whisky and a good steak.
Thanks for the tips. The Delta manual didn't have any info for my contractor saw. I used to run a circular sawmill. Making that adjustment was called lead
That was great. I needed that. I found a site I suppose an engineer gave the instruction with formulas. I was going to try to use it but you have done the calculations for me. I have a Ridgid R4511 with the marble top. Heavy as a tank. This is going to make my alignment easy a pie. Thank you so much. I would like to be your shadow for a year or so. ha
I've been putting off aligning my table saw ever since you mentioned this video would be coming out a while back and I'm glad I did, this is very helpful and was extremely well done.
Great information. I would suggest using thin sheet brass if you are shimming a cast iron saw table. Most hobby shops carry it. The shims you use for setting kitchen cabinets will not do.
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Thanks for making this tutorial. It very informative and makes me reconsider making my own table saw. I rather have a safe table saw than one that's hard to adjust for alignment or not at all. I learned a lot by only watching this video. Thanks again and I'm happy to subscribe to your channel. 👍
I spent yesterday afternoon trying this without having seen this video. I know what I'll be doing this afternoon. James, you have an excellent delivery but your tutorials are also impeccably prepared/ thought through. You are a gift to us clumsy woodworkers. Many thanks.
super dope video James, this video is a priceless wealth of info for those looking to get into the craft or even those already innit but looking to upgrade their skillset.
James, why do you think that the Woodworking tool industry has not offered alternatives to cast iron machine surfaces? I remember Ridgid did for a while with a granite top table saw but I hadn’t learned about any problems. Solid surface like the manufactured quartz countertop materials which claim to be stronger would seem to be a vast improvement for us who have to deal with rusty metal.
Steel City used to make granite topped saws and jointers. I think the problem was granite is more brittle than cast iron. They chipped easily, especially on the sharp edges such as along the miter slots. And they just never caught on. Steel City went out of business and Ridgid stopped making granite saws.
On your contractors Sawstop Saw you appear to have an add on fence rail, and I’m curious what rail you’re using, my Sawstop Jobsite Pro, doesn’t have the ability to expand the cutting surface beyond the existing fence rail. I’d like to add a table top around my saws table extend the cutting area with a larger fence rail, so curious what you’re using!
Great instruction. I would have liked to have seen how close you got the runout to zero using the mallet on the contractor saw. Of course given your tools that’s not how you would do it.
You should explain how to read the dial indicator needle movement direction relative to the inclination of the sawblade. In this vid, it looked like your needle moved to the right of your zeroset from the front to back of the blade and your blade was inclined to the left. So blade inclination appears to be opposite of the DI needle movement direction, right? Can't find this info anywhere on YT's woodworking channels and it's really fundamental to using and understanding a DI when adjusting for parallelism. Might think about this for a future vid!
I was surprised how easy my SawStop was to adjust this down to 0.002" from 0.020" in 5 minutes. the 45 degree check was 0.011" which is good enough for me. Not enough to add shims.
From where can I obtain an assortment of shims for the for and aft table adjustment on my Grizzly 690 ??. Great (and overdue) video, very well explained !! Thanx.
I just recently broke my tilt nut on my Delta 10" contractor table saw. When I replaced the tilt nut, the saw will not now go to 45 degree tilt. It goes only to 38 degree tilt. The table saw, before I broke the tilt nut, did go to 45 degrees. How would I fix that? I just watched your video on how to proper align and adjust the table saw. Would that fix the problem or do think that there is a more serious problem here? I have checked the trunnions and they seem tight that none have become loose.
I have such a crappy table saw that the bolts can only be reached by taking the metal housing apart. So 20 mins to take it all apart, make one tap, 20 mins to put it all together again - as such it is a chore I often neglect - I have actually considered rebuilding the whole damn thing just so I can improve the blade adjustment
At 11:56, you introduce a contractor saw diagram and info, but from 11:13 until then, I was barely hanging on to what you were saying. What about moving this to 11:13, when you shift the presentation to contractor saws? The high quality and usefulness of this video is unsurpassed - including the diagrams. But the two diagrams with numbers (like the one at 11:13) looked to me like a science fiction engine component assembly from the space shuttle. If those diagrams didn't have numbers, I would have been less intimidated. I rarely make video comments on YT, but your presentation and video production was outstanding and excellent and wanted you to have this feedback.
Good info, but for one thing. Sawblade.com does not have a add to cart button on the sawblade page, nor any prices on the blades. I just lost 1/2 hr trying to get there.
I have an old jet contractor type saw. Parallel to blade fine, but my fence is not 90° to the table. Can’t resaw anything cause top is canted to the right so a square edge wobbles trying to hold it to the fence. I’ve done it many times with no issues but today when I tried, every piece wobbled. Even old pieces that I know had a square edge...multiple pieces. This saw doesn’t have the Allen key adjustments, just the plastic pads. I rechecked human error over and over cause I assume it was that. Saw has not moved in any way since last time I resawed (2 days ago). Any ideas?!?! Getting 🤬😤😡 Thanks! :)
I can honestly say that I have never heard of checking run out at 45 degrees before. It makes sense that it should be checked and adjusted and it also explains why I get burning at 45 degrees. Thank you for that great tip!
30 years ago I restored a 1950's Craftsman and purchased the Pals and I was able to adjust that blade dead on with a dial indicator. Thinking back I don't think I recall ever hearing about the 45 deg. adjustment, but then again my brain is 55 years old, probably time for an upgrade.
@@akbychoice dude my delta saw is the BIGGEST piece of shit in the known universe. First of all, the owners manual has not ONE mention of how to correct a misaligned blade to the miter slot. There are three different sections that claim to show the process of alignment but in actuality each section sends the reader to another one of the three sections so it’s really just a big circle jerk of ESL insanity.Not only this, but Delta REFUSES to respond to my emails, my calls, my texts, etc. on this issue. I literally have not even gotten a machine reply each time I’ve reached out to correct the problem. I have no idea what to do at this point. I’m furious at these MF’ers. I spent close to $700 on this saw and I haven’t even been able to use it once without fearing for a piece of wood to come flying at me at super-sonic speeds. Absolutely ridiculous and I will NEVER be purchasing ANYTHING manufactured by Delta again. Worst customer service experience I’ve ever had in my life, from any company ever. I swear to God I hate effin Delta with every fiber of my being. They are a straight up shit hole company filled with scam artists. Do NOT buy their products, you will be severely disappointed and there will be nothing you can do about it. You have been warned folks.
😂 I knew you were serious. I have to align 5000hp motors to pumps, and one of my motors doesn’t have microadjusters (which are 3/4” bolts). I have a 30 lbs poly deadblow hammer that I use to thwack it into alignment. It’s a challenge moving a 14 ton motor a few thousandths of an inch with a hammer, but it can be done!
Pure Gold, I recently moved house and had too almost entirely dismantle my Cabinet saw for transport and access. Apart from finding a problem with the dust extraction around the blade reassembly is going well. The step by step guidance in your video will make realignment more straight forward as t will ensure I make all the necessary moves in appropriate order. Love your explanations.
Awesome video! However, you missed one very crucial adjustment on MOST Contractor and Hybrid saws. Between the trunnions, on either side of the blade, there are two steel rods that hold the trunnion mounts together. On my Delta Hybrid these rods are about 1" diameter, and about 18" long, with a lock nut on both ends of both rods. When I attempted to adjust my blade I discovered there wasn't enough play in the trunnion bolts to move them where they needed to be. The problem wasn't just the trunnions being out of adjustment, it was also a problem of these two steel rods being racked out of alignment. They were no longer parallel to each other. Mine had about a 5 degree twist. The bad news is that, at leased on my saw, the only fix is to disassemble the saw and turn the top upside down on the bench. Loosen all four locking nuts on the ends of the rods, and re-tighten them while constantly checking that the twist is gone. It took me four attempts of disassembly and re-assembly before I got all the twist out. It was a real pain, but now my saw is within .003" to the miter slot.
Thank you! I've been trying for days to get my contractor saw aligned, nothing seems to work. Never thought of checking for twist. Going to do that now.
I had trouble with periodic vibration of my blade every few inches under load. In doing some research some said it might be my arbor bearings but those are in great shape. While some people said a link belt might help. So I decided to check my belts. They were in good condition, but I did notice some odd wear on one side of one belt. My saw is a Jet model that is a contractor style in a cabinet base so the motor hangs down with two belts (220v). I got in there and measured the belt pullies to the inside cabinet wall and found the motor pullies were nearly a 1/4 inch out of alignment with the arbor pullies. Testing after alignment solved the issue. I never found any web page or forum post that discussed this problem and solution and so I hope this is helpful to someone out there.
Then as I understand it, if I adjust my trunnion by intentionally smacking it, I may be guilty of 'mallets of forethought'? Sorry, couldn't resist. Great video, especially the 45-degree test...
Stumpy, I can’t thank you enough for this video series on table saws. Not only do you tell us how to do something, but you tell us why, and what will happen if we don’t. Great series for anyone to learn from.
I admit that I am not a machinist, but my understanding of the term "run out" is NOT what you are measuring when you check the saw blade alignment to the miter slot. That is alignment. Run-out would be if you kept the gauge against the saw blade in one spot, and then rotated the blade, looking for variation. Obviously, that sort of run-out is measuring both the saw blade itself AND the imperfection in the axial rotation of the motor shaft not being at perfect right angles to the miter slot. To remove the saw blade from the measurement, there are "perfectly flat" test "blades" sold by Bosch and others.
Don’t forget, once you readjust you’re blade, you need to also check that your fence is still parallel to the blade/miter slot. And you’ll probably need to make a new zero-clearance insert as well, since your blade has moved in relation to the table top.
Assuming your fence is bolted to the edge of the table and you already had it aligned to the miter slots, it shouldn't move on you if it's a decent fence. But checking it wouldn't hurt!
Hi James nice video about the tablesaw, mine is just great by the way, I was however having problems with by 90-degree cuts that I make on my chopsaw, how about a video on adjusting them?
As usual Professor Nubs your wealth of information flabbergasts me. Perfect timing by the way I just noticed some inconsistencies in my cuts particularly longer rip cuts. All since my Delta Hybrid saw got "bumped" .
Two things to note: 1) As always, your tips and advice “jive” with the geometry and physics I learned in school, AND the personal experience I’ve gained in 40+ years as a serious DIY’er and occasional handyman. Because of this, I trust all of your suggestions, advice, and tips, and I ALWAYS learn something from your videos (even the ones covering things that “I already know” how to do). 2) On your comment “who has a manual” for their (fill in the power tool)? - A little bit of web-surfing can usually turn up a PDF file for these things. I even found one for my almost 30-year-old Craftsman Contractor’s Saw! I keep a copy of these PDFs on my iPad and have tossed the worn out binder of stained, torn, (and sometimes unreadable) paper manuals that used to live in my garage. Very handy, and I can “zoom in” on the stuff that my older eyes just can’t make out any more. Keep up the good work
It depends more on the person that the saw. I like two or three thousandths since my saw is micro adjustable enough to achieve that. But in all honestly, this video shows my saw is off by 5/1000ths and it has had no discernible affect on the work we've been doing recently. Though I also discovered the tilt axis of off by a further 10/1000ths, and that was no surprise because I have had some recent issues with bevel cuts scorching.
My Laguna F3 was getting pinching/tooth marks at the end of my cuts. Went through your procedure and now I'm just over 1 thousandth out. Saw cuts much smoother and feels safer. Thanks for the great info...once again.
5/thousandths of an inch? I'm all for accuracy especially as Im maturing with wood working but is 5/1000s going to be seen? How much will it affect a project?
Ya know what's weird? Yes, I know, you're on pins and needles now! My Jet contractor saw is in rough shape. After watching your vid on this several time, I ordered the needle gauge, arrived Friday. The blade is +10/1000th of the back left rear. On 45° its almost spot on front to back. PALS on order. I'm beyond being able to lift it. Now I'm trying to figure out how to get access to front trunnion while being able to put it back together. But 10/1000th at 90° and 2/1000th at 45°?
I used to teach Chiefs in the Navy how to REALLY align motors etc. Most didn't like finding out they'd been doing it wrong for years! I didn't see you bring up "total runout", ie. the basic combination of (basically) how much the motor shaft is out (most are due to machining tolerance) plus how much wobble in the blade. There are ways to mitigate those, yet, you will never get a better alignment than that. The best is 0 misalignment, the closer you get to that will result in less wasted energy (heat)! Sub note: if ya wanna be seriously anal, you probably could down to .001- .002. If ya do, you should be a machinist and not a carpenter!
I've got an old Craftsman Contractor saw I'm trying to get adjusted. This thing has 3 bolds on each trunion. Please advise!! I have the aline setup and when I get the front at zero the back is about 10-12 out, but when I get it with 2-3 then the front is out by about 10. I did get a set of Pals, But I don't think I'm even close enough to use them at this point. They're in place, just not adjusted up
Always appreciate your expertise and the manner in which you explain things. Looking for advice on why my Delta Cabinet saw will not tilt to 45 degrees. I removed the stop screw completely and it didn't help. Cleaned out dust and still same problem. It will not make a perfect 45. I am a little more than .2 degrees off.
The biggest issue most wood workers have, new or old ! They don't try cutting with their new saw is that they adjust it rite out of the box ! My 12 inch grizzly saw, my saw from grizzly came out of the box dead accurate with no adjustments ! And it's still perfect !
I’m having a really hard time aligning the blade parallel to the miter slot at 45 on my Dewalt table saw. I’m unsure where the tilt axis is. It’s aligned at 90 but way off at 45. Any suggestions???
I adjusted my blade slightly away from the fence. My cuts are now drifting left and making long cuts off by 1/16. No more binding but way off. Going to try to set it to zero or slightly towards the fence.
Thank you so much for this video. I was just gifted a pristine 25 year old Delta platinum contractor saw that is way above what I was using. My first test cut bound up on the blade. I was able to adjust the unifence to get done what I needed, but I just looked at it and see it has those microadjusters already on it. I'll be buying that gage tonight.
Thank you for sharing the knowledge associated with wood working, table saws and power tools. I've never been very comfortable with my table saw but as a newbie I realize that with time will come experience. I'm halfway through a project with around 150 cuts on a table saw so far and my anxiety around this project is greatly decreased and my focus is on the actual work, piece by piece, knowing where my focus should be. I'm also glad I paid attention to the set up for the table saw as several points were tweaked and I'm very happy with the outcome. Thanks!
My thanks also along with others for your reliable advise, however I would like to suggest an improvement in the method. Because the cabinet saw table is very heavy and the cabinet structure is much lighter, as you strike the corner of the table, the cabinet will deflect a little and then bounce back. This makes the process frustratingly unpredictable. I found an alternative approach. I loosened the three bolts as you described, then, using a trolley jack or a bottle jack plus a short length of 2 x 4, I take some of the weight of the table off the cabinet, enough to be able to tap the upper edge of the cabinet in the required direction. The cabinet will move in relation to the table by a consistent amount per tap. Lock up the bolts, double check alignment and lower the jack.
Would you happen to know how to remove a blade that is stuck? The nut came off ok, but the blade won't slide off. Maybe it became too hot and expanded somehow onto the pin thing that holds it. Thank you for any insight
I would just like to say, after fighting an out of square table saw for far too long and attempting multiple times to adjust it, this video answered all my questions plus some. Great job
I have a contractor's table saw and I have the PALS for aligning the blade. Do I still need to loosen 3 of the four bolts that support the trunnions? Or do I only need to loosen the 2 rear bolts where I placed the PALS? Your video states loosening 3 of the four bolts when using the mallet to align the blade.
I don’t think this is considered run out. This is misalignment. Run out is if the blade was wobbling on the arbor, either due to a warped blade or a warped, arbor backing plate or shaft.
Well, since I already hit the "Like" button a couple years ago, I'll leave a comment to say I was here yet again. I search UA-cam for this video, copy the link, and put it in every reply to the folks on various FB groups that have questions on aligning their saws. Keep up the great work!
best video on the subject I've ever seen ... i tend to watch dozen or so videos on a subject before i dive in on my own projects just to get the various opinions and tips before I decide what is right for my project..currently restoring a 70's craftsman 10" table saw... your video was very eye opening in what i i knew.... thanks for the excellent tutorial ...BTW...I LOVE the way you present without the "I am the gospel only ny way is right attitude" keeps me coming back
I trust that I can look up any random woodworking related question on UA-cam and that there will be a home run stumpy nubs video about exactly that topic
When making cuts with my table saw the blade lowers by at least a 32 to a 16th of an inch. I've tightened to the bolt to the wheel which raised and lowers the blade as much as I can without making it near impossible to move the blade and I still find it moves. What can I do?
Hi I have this problem but I can’t get it right . I need some help . I’m willing to remunerate your time. I’m in Philippines a video chat is I what I require so I can show you my table saw. Please help me .
Love your vdo new to all this. I have an older table saw. Delta model 10. But as far as i can see has no riving blade to help stop kick back. What to do.
I have been contemplating getting the PALS for my contractor saw for about a year. I just bought a set a couple days ago and hope they do the trick. I'll refer back to this video for your tips.
So glad you addressed the process for contractor saws.
This is gold info. I didn't know this was a thing, and now I do. I have added it to my to-do list for this weekend. Thanks Stumpy! Hope your hand is healing up and the PT is going well!
I store my Kobalt folded up and I have to align it every time I set it up. Gonna go find a set of Saw Pals and see if that helps - should at least make it easier. I get so much more out of my saw thanks to your videos.
Thanks. . . Again so simple but saved my sanity. Gave me more respect for my cheap craftsman saw. Should have figured this out for myself but that wasn’t going to happen.
excellent and extremely helpful video. Last fall my sweet old aunt decided to park in my small shop. she went through the doors I built, hit the table saw and pushed it about 12' until it stopped against the very heave duty work bench at the opposite end of the shop. The table shaw was a little more than slightly out of alignment. I worked on it 3 different times and just couldn't get it correct. purchased the digital alignment gauge and the saw PALs. It took quite a bit of time, and to make it worse I have the bottom of the stand enclosed with a drawer for sawdust collection. Made accessing the bolts a real pain, but I rarely give up. The saw was so far out of alignment that I had to move the front first to allow for room for adjustment of the PALs.finally got it aligned perfectly. the gauge is great to quickly align the fence and anything else that uses a miter slot. I carry the gauge with me when I travel as its fun to ask a buddy if his saw is properly aligned. most people say yes, and then I pull out the gauge to verify. haven't found one that was perfect yet with the exception of mine when I finished. i've helped several friends align their saws. but it always costs them. I will help for a little good sipping whisky and a good steak.
Thank you so much! I am trying to teach myself via UA-cam how to build... your information is priceless, thank you!
Thanks for the tips. The Delta manual didn't have any info for my contractor saw. I used to run a circular sawmill. Making that adjustment was called lead
Stumpy this is the best table saw aligning video I have ever seen.
Thanks Stumpy, this is the best tutorial I've ever seen on this! Much appreciated!
I've watched all the youtube videos on table saw alignment, this one was the most helpful and informative for me. A great help thanks.
That was great. I needed that. I found a site I suppose an engineer gave the instruction with formulas. I was going to try to use it but you have done the calculations for me. I have a Ridgid R4511 with the marble top. Heavy as a tank. This is going to make my alignment easy a pie. Thank you so much. I would like to be your shadow for a year or so. ha
I've been putting off aligning my table saw ever since you mentioned this video would be coming out a while back and I'm glad I did, this is very helpful and was extremely well done.
Great information. I would suggest using thin sheet brass if you are shimming a cast iron saw table. Most hobby shops carry it. The shims you use for setting kitchen cabinets will not do.
Thanks for making this tutorial. It very informative and makes me reconsider making my own table saw. I rather have a safe table saw than one that's hard to adjust for alignment or not at all. I learned a lot by only watching this video. Thanks again and I'm happy to subscribe to your channel. 👍
Thanks from California, you are V I P of internet woodworking.
very clear and sensible. Thanks!
Thank you for this, I've just gotten my first table saw.
I'm looking forward to videos with the incra fence.
Second that.
Excellent video! Very clear and very informative.
Excellent video, thanks for sharing! I really need to upgrade my table saw...
Great video and thanks you for sharing. I hope to see a similar video on jointer tuneup and alignment.
Excellent, clear and detailed! Many thanks
I spent yesterday afternoon trying this without having seen this video. I know what I'll be doing this afternoon. James, you have an excellent delivery but your tutorials are also impeccably prepared/ thought through. You are a gift to us clumsy woodworkers. Many thanks.
super dope video James, this video is a priceless wealth of info for those looking to get into the craft or even those already innit but looking to upgrade their skillset.
Fantastic video. Thank you!!
Dang good explanation. Thank you
James, why do you think that the Woodworking tool industry has not offered alternatives to cast iron machine surfaces? I remember Ridgid did for a while with a granite top table saw but I hadn’t learned about any problems. Solid surface like the manufactured quartz countertop materials which claim to be stronger would seem to be a vast improvement for us who have to deal with rusty metal.
Steel City used to make granite topped saws and jointers. I think the problem was granite is more brittle than cast iron. They chipped easily, especially on the sharp edges such as along the miter slots. And they just never caught on. Steel City went out of business and Ridgid stopped making granite saws.
great intel again and as always killer graphics 👍
On your contractors Sawstop Saw you appear to have an add on fence rail, and I’m curious what rail you’re using, my Sawstop Jobsite Pro, doesn’t have the ability to expand the cutting surface beyond the existing fence rail. I’d like to add a table top around my saws table extend the cutting area with a larger fence rail, so curious what you’re using!
Thank you for another great video!
Great instruction. I would have liked to have seen how close you got the runout to zero using the mallet on the contractor saw. Of course given your tools that’s not how you would do it.
You should explain how to read the dial indicator needle movement direction relative to the inclination of the sawblade. In this vid, it looked like your needle moved to the right of your zeroset from the front to back of the blade and your blade was inclined to the left. So blade inclination appears to be opposite of the DI needle movement direction, right? Can't find this info anywhere on YT's woodworking channels and it's really fundamental to using and understanding a DI when adjusting for parallelism. Might think about this for a future vid!
What a great video James!
I was surprised how easy my SawStop was to adjust this down to 0.002" from 0.020" in 5 minutes. the 45 degree check was 0.011" which is good enough for me. Not enough to add shims.
Thanks for this info!
From where can I obtain an assortment of shims for the for and aft table adjustment on my Grizzly 690 ??. Great (and overdue) video, very well explained !! Thanx.
Brass shim stock: amzn.to/3fEUL4b
Hello, love the video. Well done! Looking for the micro adjustment screws or PALS but not available. Any suggestions? Thanks, Bill
www.in-lineindustries.com/products/contractor-saw-pals/
I just recently broke my tilt nut on my Delta 10" contractor table saw. When I replaced the tilt nut, the saw will not now go to 45 degree tilt. It goes only to 38 degree tilt. The table saw, before I broke the tilt nut, did go to 45 degrees. How would I fix that? I just watched your video on how to proper align and adjust the table saw. Would that fix the problem or do think that there is a more serious problem here? I have checked the trunnions and they seem tight that none have become loose.
Great best I have seen
GREAT JOB !!
I have such a crappy table saw that the bolts can only be reached by taking the metal housing apart. So 20 mins to take it all apart, make one tap, 20 mins to put it all together again - as such it is a chore I often neglect - I have actually considered rebuilding the whole damn thing just so I can improve the blade adjustment
At 11:56, you introduce a contractor saw diagram and info, but from 11:13 until then, I was barely hanging on to what you were saying. What about moving this to 11:13, when you shift the presentation to contractor saws? The high quality and usefulness of this video is unsurpassed - including the diagrams. But the two diagrams with numbers (like the one at 11:13) looked to me like a science fiction engine component assembly from the space shuttle. If those diagrams didn't have numbers, I would have been less intimidated. I rarely make video comments on YT, but your presentation and video production was outstanding and excellent and wanted you to have this feedback.
what should I use to shim my cabinet saw to adjust the 45 angle?
Something metal. You can cut a soda can into pieces if you don't have anything better.
Good info, but for one thing. Sawblade.com does not have a add to cart button on the sawblade page, nor any prices on the blades. I just lost 1/2 hr trying to get there.
You have to select the type of teeth from the box, as well as the length. then the "add to cart" button will appear.
On mine, the blade is jumping up and down while I cut. Can't figure it out.
I installed the PALS and my saw is so out of alignment that I maxed out the adjustment of the pals and still needed more movement-HELP!!!
I have an old jet contractor type saw. Parallel to blade fine, but my fence is not 90° to the table. Can’t resaw anything cause top is canted to the right so a square edge wobbles trying to hold it to the fence. I’ve done it many times with no issues but today when I tried, every piece wobbled. Even old pieces that I know had a square edge...multiple pieces. This saw doesn’t have the Allen key adjustments, just the plastic pads.
I rechecked human error over and over cause I assume it was that. Saw has not moved in any way since last time I resawed (2 days ago).
Any ideas?!?!
Getting 🤬😤😡
Thanks!
:)
Fantastic explanation and instruction. If I was a woman I would marry you !
Equipment required: dial indicator, mallet.
Don't forget the stick.
An exemplary tutorial. Information density was off the charts. Stumpy Nubs is like a UA-cam protein shake. Consider me nourished.
That was superb! Thank you.
James, you are the MVP of internet woodworking education.
I can honestly say that I have never heard of checking run out at 45 degrees before. It makes sense that it should be checked and adjusted and it also explains why I get burning at 45 degrees. Thank you for that great tip!
30 years ago I restored a 1950's Craftsman and purchased the Pals and I was able to adjust that blade dead on with a dial indicator. Thinking back I don't think I recall ever hearing about the 45 deg. adjustment, but then again my brain is 55 years old, probably time for an upgrade.
I thought you were joking when you first mentioned using a mallet to fine tune a table saw. I really appreciate the lesson.
I had to use a dead blow and a clamp to adjust my Delta.
@@akbychoice dude my delta saw is the BIGGEST piece of shit in the known universe. First of all, the owners manual has not ONE mention of how to correct a misaligned blade to the miter slot. There are three different sections that claim to show the process of alignment but in actuality each section sends the reader to another one of the three sections so it’s really just a big circle jerk of ESL insanity.Not only this, but Delta REFUSES to respond to my emails, my calls, my texts, etc. on this issue. I literally have not even gotten a machine reply each time I’ve reached out to correct the problem. I have no idea what to do at this point. I’m furious at these MF’ers. I spent close to $700 on this saw and I haven’t even been able to use it once without fearing for a piece of wood to come flying at me at super-sonic speeds. Absolutely ridiculous and I will NEVER be purchasing ANYTHING manufactured by Delta again. Worst customer service experience I’ve ever had in my life, from any company ever. I swear to God I hate effin Delta with every fiber of my being. They are a straight up shit hole company filled with scam artists. Do NOT buy their products, you will be severely disappointed and there will be nothing you can do about it. You have been warned folks.
@@justinkinter8651 sorry, however I’m not your problem.
😂 I knew you were serious. I have to align 5000hp motors to pumps, and one of my motors doesn’t have microadjusters (which are 3/4” bolts). I have a 30 lbs poly deadblow hammer that I use to thwack it into alignment. It’s a challenge moving a 14 ton motor a few thousandths of an inch with a hammer, but it can be done!
Pure Gold, I recently moved house and had too almost entirely dismantle my Cabinet saw for transport and access. Apart from finding a problem with the dust extraction around the blade reassembly is going well.
The step by step guidance in your video will make realignment more straight forward as t will ensure I make all the necessary moves in appropriate order.
Love your explanations.
Awesome video! However, you missed one very crucial adjustment on MOST Contractor and Hybrid saws. Between the trunnions, on either side of the blade, there are two steel rods that hold the trunnion mounts together. On my Delta Hybrid these rods are about 1" diameter, and about 18" long, with a lock nut on both ends of both rods. When I attempted to adjust my blade I discovered there wasn't enough play in the trunnion bolts to move them where they needed to be. The problem wasn't just the trunnions being out of adjustment, it was also a problem of these two steel rods being racked out of alignment. They were no longer parallel to each other. Mine had about a 5 degree twist. The bad news is that, at leased on my saw, the only fix is to disassemble the saw and turn the top upside down on the bench. Loosen all four locking nuts on the ends of the rods, and re-tighten them while constantly checking that the twist is gone. It took me four attempts of disassembly and re-assembly before I got all the twist out. It was a real pain, but now my saw is within .003" to the miter slot.
That sounds frustrating, Im glad you were able to fix it.
Thank you! I've been trying for days to get my contractor saw aligned, nothing seems to work. Never thought of checking for twist. Going to do that now.
I had trouble with periodic vibration of my blade every few inches under load. In doing some research some said it might be my arbor bearings but those are in great shape. While some people said a link belt might help. So I decided to check my belts. They were in good condition, but I did notice some odd wear on one side of one belt. My saw is a Jet model that is a contractor style in a cabinet base so the motor hangs down with two belts (220v). I got in there and measured the belt pullies to the inside cabinet wall and found the motor pullies were nearly a 1/4 inch out of alignment with the arbor pullies. Testing after alignment solved the issue. I never found any web page or forum post that discussed this problem and solution and so I hope this is helpful to someone out there.
Then as I understand it, if I adjust my trunnion by intentionally smacking it, I may be guilty of 'mallets of forethought'?
Sorry, couldn't resist. Great video, especially the 45-degree test...
That's really bad. I'll "steal" that. :-)
Mike Curtin Worse than bad, it’s atrocious; it is also brilliant!
Stumpy, I can’t thank you enough for this video series on table saws. Not only do you tell us how to do something, but you tell us why, and what will happen if we don’t. Great series for anyone to learn from.
Never knew about the shims for adjusting the 45 on my saw. Thanks for the extremely helpful tips. I knew what I'll be doing tomorrow in the shop now.
I admit that I am not a machinist, but my understanding of the term "run out" is NOT what you are measuring when you check the saw blade alignment to the miter slot. That is alignment. Run-out would be if you kept the gauge against the saw blade in one spot, and then rotated the blade, looking for variation. Obviously, that sort of run-out is measuring both the saw blade itself AND the imperfection in the axial rotation of the motor shaft not being at perfect right angles to the miter slot. To remove the saw blade from the measurement, there are "perfectly flat" test "blades" sold by Bosch and others.
Don’t forget, once you readjust you’re blade, you need to also check that your fence is still parallel to the blade/miter slot. And you’ll probably need to make a new zero-clearance insert as well, since your blade has moved in relation to the table top.
Assuming your fence is bolted to the edge of the table and you already had it aligned to the miter slots, it shouldn't move on you if it's a decent fence. But checking it wouldn't hurt!
Hi James nice video about the tablesaw, mine is just great by the way, I was however having problems with by 90-degree cuts that I make on my chopsaw, how about a video on adjusting them?
As usual Professor Nubs your wealth of information flabbergasts me. Perfect timing by the way I just noticed some inconsistencies in my cuts particularly longer rip cuts. All since my Delta Hybrid saw got "bumped" .
Two things to note:
1) As always, your tips and advice “jive” with the geometry and physics I learned in school, AND the personal experience I’ve gained in 40+ years as a serious DIY’er and occasional handyman. Because of this, I trust all of your suggestions, advice, and tips, and I ALWAYS learn something from your videos (even the ones covering things that “I already know” how to do).
2) On your comment “who has a manual” for their (fill in the power tool)? - A little bit of web-surfing can usually turn up a PDF file for these things. I even found one for my almost 30-year-old Craftsman Contractor’s Saw!
I keep a copy of these PDFs on my iPad and have tossed the worn out binder of stained, torn, (and sometimes unreadable) paper manuals that used to live in my garage. Very handy, and I can “zoom in” on the stuff that my older eyes just can’t make out any more.
Keep up the good work
I always wonder how many "thou" are acceptable, and how many are not....
It depends more on the person that the saw. I like two or three thousandths since my saw is micro adjustable enough to achieve that. But in all honestly, this video shows my saw is off by 5/1000ths and it has had no discernible affect on the work we've been doing recently. Though I also discovered the tilt axis of off by a further 10/1000ths, and that was no surprise because I have had some recent issues with bevel cuts scorching.
Sometimes a long brass drift can get into tight spots where wood may not be strong enough. It's also less likely to cause damage like steel would.
My Laguna F3 was getting pinching/tooth marks at the end of my cuts. Went through your procedure and now I'm just over 1 thousandth out. Saw cuts much smoother and feels safer. Thanks for the great info...once again.
Rule #1.....unplug BEFORE doing any work. Seems like it should be unsaid.....but.
5/thousandths of an inch? I'm all for accuracy especially as Im maturing with wood working but is 5/1000s going to be seen? How much will it affect a project?
Ya know what's weird? Yes, I know, you're on pins and needles now! My Jet contractor saw is in rough shape. After watching your vid on this several time, I ordered the needle gauge, arrived Friday. The blade is +10/1000th of the back left rear. On 45° its almost spot on front to back. PALS on order. I'm beyond being able to lift it. Now I'm trying to figure out how to get access to front trunnion while being able to put it back together. But 10/1000th at 90° and 2/1000th at 45°?
Nice dial indicator for 30 bucks…A Woodpeckers version is FOUR TIMES that. I shoulda checked around before splashing out huh!
I used to teach Chiefs in the Navy how to REALLY align motors etc. Most didn't like finding out they'd been doing it wrong for years!
I didn't see you bring up "total runout", ie. the basic combination of (basically) how much the motor shaft is out (most are due to machining tolerance) plus how much wobble in the blade. There are ways to mitigate those, yet, you will never get a better alignment than that.
The best is 0 misalignment, the closer you get to that will result in less wasted energy (heat)!
Sub note: if ya wanna be seriously anal, you probably could down to .001- .002.
If ya do, you should be a machinist and not a carpenter!
This is just great and awesome knowledge magnificently delivered. 👏👏👏
I've got an old Craftsman Contractor saw I'm trying to get adjusted. This thing has 3 bolds on each trunion. Please advise!! I have the aline setup and when I get the front at zero the back is about 10-12 out, but when I get it with 2-3 then the front is out by about 10. I did get a set of Pals, But I don't think I'm even close enough to use them at this point. They're in place, just not adjusted up
Always appreciate your expertise and the manner in which you explain things. Looking for advice on why my Delta Cabinet saw will not tilt to 45 degrees. I removed the stop screw completely and it didn't help. Cleaned out dust and still same problem. It will not make a perfect 45. I am a little more than .2 degrees off.
The biggest issue most wood workers have, new or old ! They don't try cutting with their new saw is that they adjust it rite out of the box ! My 12 inch grizzly saw, my saw from grizzly came out of the box dead accurate with no adjustments ! And it's still perfect !
Oh...I forfot to ask. Will you sell me that huge wood constructed jack plane on the top shelf? Of course, I'm just kidding.
I’m having a really hard time aligning the blade parallel to the miter slot at 45 on my Dewalt table saw. I’m unsure where the tilt axis is. It’s aligned at 90 but way off at 45. Any suggestions???
I adjusted my blade slightly away from the fence. My cuts are now drifting left and making long cuts off by 1/16. No more binding but way off. Going to try to set it to zero or slightly towards the fence.
Thank you so much for this video. I was just gifted a pristine 25 year old Delta platinum contractor saw that is way above what I was using. My first test cut bound up on the blade. I was able to adjust the unifence to get done what I needed, but I just looked at it and see it has those microadjusters already on it. I'll be buying that gage tonight.
Thank you for sharing the knowledge associated with wood working, table saws and power tools. I've never been very comfortable with my table saw but as a newbie I realize that with time will come experience. I'm halfway through a project with around 150 cuts on a table saw so far and my anxiety around this project is greatly decreased and my focus is on the actual work, piece by piece, knowing where my focus should be. I'm also glad I paid attention to the set up for the table saw as several points were tweaked and I'm very happy with the outcome. Thanks!
My thanks also along with others for your reliable advise, however I would like to suggest an improvement in the method. Because the cabinet saw table is very heavy and the cabinet structure is much lighter, as you strike the corner of the table, the cabinet will deflect a little and then bounce back. This makes the process frustratingly unpredictable. I found an alternative approach. I loosened the three bolts as you described, then, using a trolley jack or a bottle jack plus a short length of 2 x 4, I take some of the weight of the table off the cabinet, enough to be able to tap the upper edge of the cabinet in the required direction. The cabinet will move in relation to the table by a consistent amount per tap. Lock up the bolts, double check alignment and lower the jack.
Would you happen to know how to remove a blade that is stuck? The nut came off ok, but the blade won't slide off. Maybe it became too hot and expanded somehow onto the pin thing that holds it. Thank you for any insight
I would just like to say, after fighting an out of square table saw for far too long and attempting multiple times to adjust it, this video answered all my questions plus some. Great job
I have a contractor's table saw and I have the PALS for aligning the blade. Do I still need to loosen 3 of the four bolts that support the trunnions? Or do I only need to loosen the 2 rear bolts where I placed the PALS? Your video states loosening 3 of the four bolts when using the mallet to align the blade.
I don’t think this is considered run out. This is misalignment. Run out is if the blade was wobbling on the arbor, either due to a warped blade or a warped, arbor backing plate or shaft.
Thanks for this very illuminating.
One question, should the blade alignment not be double checked against both slots as they may not be aligned?
Wow i wish i found this video earlier. Excellent thank you. Best video
Where can you get the Saw PALS? I have searched on eBay and on Amazon but have not found any results. Any suggestions?
"Don't strive for a level of perfection you just can't achieve."
Everyone should apply this pretty much everything.
Well, since I already hit the "Like" button a couple years ago, I'll leave a comment to say I was here yet again. I search UA-cam for this video, copy the link, and put it in every reply to the folks on various FB groups that have questions on aligning their saws. Keep up the great work!
best video on the subject I've ever seen ... i tend to watch dozen or so videos on a subject before i dive in on my own projects just to get the various opinions and tips before I decide what is right for my project..currently restoring a 70's craftsman 10" table saw... your video was very eye opening in what i i knew.... thanks for the excellent tutorial ...BTW...I LOVE the way you present without the "I am the gospel only ny way is right attitude" keeps me coming back
I wouldn't have even considered trying to adjust my table saw before watching this video. Thank you, James!
I trust that I can look up any random woodworking related question on UA-cam and that there will be a home run stumpy nubs video about exactly that topic
When making cuts with my table saw the blade lowers by at least a 32 to a 16th of an inch. I've tightened to the bolt to the wheel which raised and lowers the blade as much as I can without making it near impossible to move the blade and I still find it moves. What can I do?
Most table saw adjustment videos are worthless, this one is not!!! Great video, a plethora of information laid out in a manner anyone can understand
Hi I have this problem but I can’t get it right . I need some help . I’m willing to remunerate your time. I’m in Philippines a video chat is I what I require so I can show you my table saw. Please help me .
My Bosch 4500 portabale contractor saw has the blade brake stuck do you have a video to fix this issue thanks
Love your vdo new to all this. I have an older table saw. Delta model 10. But as far as i can see has no riving blade to help stop kick back. What to do.