collinb Posted May 30, 2016 Report Share Posted May 30, 2016 (Although Ohio was rainy & humid it was still relaxing) tomorrow is the evening that I align the Ridgid. I am not at all confused by the process. It is pretty straight forward. It is that second step of aligning the fence that has me asking questions. If the blade is the event of all the action why would one align to the miter slot instead of to the blade? That would be to open up unnecessary error. Of course the longer length of the miter slot would allow more room for more precise correction. That's all I can figure out unless there are some principles I have missed. Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted May 30, 2016 Report Share Posted May 30, 2016 The blade is 10"? The miter slot 24"? Think minimization of error. Also, There is also some flex in the blade. Rather than aligning the blade and arbor etc to the miter slot and then aligning the fence to the blade, align both moving parts to the fixed part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted May 30, 2016 Report Share Posted May 30, 2016 As C Shaffer said; longer reference plane. Be sure to avoid the pitfall I read so many mention; use the miter slot you will run your miter gauge in as the reference slot. Generally this is the left slot but, many folks will post for help after aligning to one slot and then using the other to actually make their cuts. Test with "A" then use "B"? Not. One would like to think that machining reasonably parallel miter slots in a tablesaw top would be child's play in our modern age. However, it seems to escape even the name-brand tablesaw manufacturers in some models. With the blade aligned to the slot and the fence aligned to the same slot you can get very close pretty quickly. Once you are good at 90* you will have to consider bevel angles. With cabinet mounted trunnions, getting a good alignment at 90* and at 45* is straightforward. You will love this after struggling with a table-mounted trunnion design. Once aligned at 90* if the alignment is not true at 45* (usually not) you simply alter the plane of the table to blade relationship. this is done by shimming the front or rear of the table as required. Shim stock is available but, I have had good success with hole-punched squares of cut up aluminum can that set on the bolts like washers. A shim as added at both rear mounting points or both front mounting points as required to bring the table into plane at bevel angles. I adjust at 90* and at 45* and satisfy myself that the angles in between are now as good as the machine will allow. that is; I don't kill myself at 22.5* if it is not perfect. I will say that time invested now in a good alignments will save you time and material (not to mention frustration) for years to come. Enjoy your new saw ;-) P.s. this was helpful to me as well . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collinb Posted May 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2016 The blade is 10"? The miter slot 24"? Think minimization of error. Also, There is also some flex in the blade. Rather than aligning the blade and arbor etc to the miter slot and then aligning the fence to the blade, align both moving parts to the fixed part. I picked up a Master Plate cheap a couple of months ago. Still, a lot shorter than the miter. Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted May 30, 2016 Report Share Posted May 30, 2016 16 minutes ago, collinb said: I picked up a Master Plate cheap a couple of months ago. Still, a lot shorter than the miter. Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk You will find this helpful. I have a Freud alignment plate from the way-back machine. A blade is pretty true but, a dedicated plate will show you just how variable different blades can be. regardless of the arbor mounted assistant of choice, rotate the plate or blade to check against the same spot front and rear . . . OK, now I'm just repeating what you already know . Sorry about that, must be the coffee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collinb Posted May 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2016 So ... Nobody makes a 3/4" block that sits in the slot, to which one abuts the fence for fast alignment? Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat60 Posted May 30, 2016 Report Share Posted May 30, 2016 Well...I have done that and I think it gets me close.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted May 30, 2016 Report Share Posted May 30, 2016 21 minutes ago, collinb said: So ... Nobody makes a 3/4" block that sits in the slot, to which one abuts the fence for fast alignment? Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk 14 minutes ago, mat60 said: Well...I have done that and I think it gets me close.. Seems like that should work better than it does, doesn't it? I too have milled a blank to fit snugly in the miter slot, run the fence up against it, loosen the works, lock the fence down, clamp the fence tube to the "guide" and tighten things up. It does get close but, not usable for me. If the slot were perfect, the "guide" were perfect and the fence tube were perfect this should work. I have to assume it is a compounding of error as discussed earlier in the thread. You could certainly give it a quick try. Maybe you'll get lucky; nothing wrong with that at all in my book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted May 30, 2016 Report Share Posted May 30, 2016 41 minutes ago, collinb said: So ... Nobody makes a 3/4" block that sits in the slot, to which one abuts the fence for fast alignment? Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk It depends on the fence. Most fences DO NOT travel square, they just LOCK square if nothing is in their way. If you put pressure against the side of the fence while locking it you will never get it properly aligned. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat60 Posted May 30, 2016 Report Share Posted May 30, 2016 40 minutes ago, gee-dub said: Seems like that should work better than it does, doesn't it? I too have milled a blank to fit snugly in the miter slot, run the fence up against it, loosen the works, lock the fence down, clamp the fence tube to the "guide" and tighten things up. It does get close but, not usable for me. If the slot were perfect, the "guide" were perfect and the fence tube were perfect this should work. I have to assume it is a compounding of error as discussed earlier in the thread. You could certainly give it a quick try. Maybe you'll get lucky; nothing wrong with that at all in my book. Heck..Im not saying I havent done it 15 different ways and on my Jet saw the left and right miter slots dont even line up..LOL...It doesnt seem to hard to tell when useing the saw when the fence is off a bit.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collinb Posted May 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2016 22 hours ago, gee-dub said: As C Shaffer said; longer reference plane. Be sure to avoid the pitfall I read so many mention; use the miter slot you will run your miter gauge in as the reference slot. Generally this is the left slot but, many folks will post for help after aligning to one slot and then using the other to actually make their cuts. Test with "A" then use "B"? Not. One would like to think that machining reasonably parallel miter slots in a tablesaw top would be child's play in our modern age. However, it seems to escape even the name-brand tablesaw manufacturers in some models. With the blade aligned to the slot and the fence aligned to the same slot you can get very close pretty quickly. Once you are good at 90* you will have to consider bevel angles. With cabinet mounted trunnions, getting a good alignment at 90* and at 45* is straightforward. You will love this after struggling with a table-mounted trunnion design. Once aligned at 90* if the alignment is not true at 45* (usually not) you simply alter the plane of the table to blade relationship. this is done by shimming the front or rear of the table as required. Shim stock is available but, I have had good success with hole-punched squares of cut up aluminum can that set on the bolts like washers. A shim as added at both rear mounting points or both front mounting points as required to bring the table into plane at bevel angles. I adjust at 90* and at 45* and satisfy myself that the angles in between are now as good as the machine will allow. that is; I don't kill myself at 22.5* if it is not perfect. I will say that time invested now in a good alignments will save you time and material (not to mention frustration) for years to come. Enjoy your new saw ;-) P.s. this was helpful to me as well . . . That was quite helpful. I had forgotten about this portion of the geometry. But I think I'll do it later. Not looking forward pulling off the fence and wings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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