table saw setup

[NCPete]

So, I made a few cuts with my saw yesterday, and I was impressed with how smooth it ran, I will probalby replace the current belt with linkbelts anyways, but it is nothing urgent, like I had read in a few reviews. I am impressed with how the saw feels. last table saw I had used was a Dewalt portable(744?), which we lugged around from job site to job site. (not any exra fun, either. ) The blade, however, will be replaced. WWII? the nice, and reasonably inexpensive Freud's at Lowe's? Forrest? I don't know.

this started out aasquestion about set-up. Having done a good share of work on cars, it blew my mind to see that the drive belt for my saw is tensioned only by the weight of the motor. Almost seems wrong.

Now that everything is well aligned, what other setup points should I lookk for?

Thanks!

 

[DaveO]

If everything is well aligned....blade to miter slot and fence to blade, then you ar pretty much set. If you motor was not aligned right you would know it. All contractor saws I've seen use the motor to tension the blade, it's pretty heavy. Link belts and machined pullies are nice but if your saw is running smooth they prolly won't improve it much. I use a thin-kerf Freud combo blade and the Glue-line rip blade on my saw and have been very happy with the performance. Don't know how they compare to a WWII, I am sure it is a very fine blade, but I am happy with my Freuds. Another important thing to get or make are zero clearance inserts. They make cuts safer, dust collection a little better, and reduce splintering on cross cuts.
Use your saw for a few hours and then double check the tightness of all the bolts, nuts, etc. That's all I've got to add.

Dave

 

[Travis Porter]

I have both the Freud narrow kerf blades and a Forrest WW II. I hardly ever use the Forrest for one reason. It takes more muscle (on my part) to push it through the blade. The WW II is a VERY good blade, but I am just as happy with a Freud narrow kerf teflon coated blade. I believe I use a 60 tooth teflon coated (I do know it is black not red) and I am very happy with them. My only issue has been getting them sharpened. I sent one to a place in Raleigh one time and was not happy with the cut quality when I got them back. Going forward I will ship them to Forrest to be sharpened.

As for the saw, now you need to set you up some "accesssories". Push sticks are a must. Always have a minimum of 3 in my book. One for each hand and a spare for when you chew up one of them and should throw it away as it has become dangerous (learned that the hard way).

Seal your top with something be it wax, Boeshield, or talcum powder (never tried that one, but Powermatic recommended it).

Get your stops on your miter guage adjusted and tweaked.

Make sawdust with wood and powder with MDF.

 

[Monty]

mmmm... MDF!

 

[Steve D]

Another good tweak down the line would be to add PALS. It is an alignment system for contractor style saws that make it much easier to align the blade to the miter slot. Infeed and outfeed tables are also great additions.

 

[Travis Porter]

I really know what you mean with that. Try making raised panel doors with a router table with it without a vacuum hookup. I made wainscoting with stile and rail cutters one time and it took me a week to get all the dust out of nose.

 

[Mountaincraft]

Alignment is critical. As of the last calibration test, the blade is within 0.001" of the miter slots on my saw, and it hasn't moved since my first setup. This is for the Delta contractor saw. The fence I adjust about once a week in normal work.

As for the blade, Freud Diablos will follow grain in thick cuts because they are so flexible. I have had Forrest blades, and they are excellent. They just aren't worth the price. The blade currently in my saw is the Freud Woodworker 50 tooth combo. With the alignment set right, this blade is the equal of any I've seen. And at $35 a pop at Lowes, I won't go back. Besides, it costs about $10 to sharpen. After collecting 10 blades, I'm set for years.