Table saw woes

[JoeWV]

Lately I've had troubles ripping even thin boards on my delta contractor saw. I've got the larger model with a Besemyer fence. My boards seem to be getting caught between the stock splitter and the fence. The wood is ver hard to push through and I'm also getting a small wave in the cut. The splitter seems in line with the blade.

Suggestions on how to fix this without buying a new saw?

Thanks

[PaulMarcel]

If the blade is inline with the blade but the cut binds up between the splitter and fence, it's likely your fence is toed into the blade, which is a bad kickback scenario.

Try this out to see: take a scrap of plywood, set the fence maybe 2-3" from the blade. Push the ply through until part of it passes through the back of the blade, but not reaching the splitter yet. Hold the board there and stop the saw.

Two things: Look at the kerf in the ply. If you can see a distinct edge/ridge where the back of the blade stopped and the "front-of-the-blade-only" kerf begins, then your fence isn't parallel to the blade. If the ridge is on the inside of the kerf (side closest to the fence), the fence is toed in and you need to calibrate that. If there is no ridge or there is just a slight ridge on the outside edge of the kerf, then your fence is parallel or toed-out slightly and that's actually very good.

Second: lower the blade completely and push the ply through to see how it lines up with the splitter. If it is off, then you know it isn't really aligned with the blade. First fix the toe-in/toe-out before attacking this part. Also, it might be perfectly aligned but you might be running a thin-kerf blade that is thinner than your splitter. The splitter on my PM64 was that way.

As you adjust the fence to fix the alignment, you can use this ply trick to see your progress. Isn't as tedious as reading what I wrote

[Mike M]

Lately I've had troubles ripping even thin boards on my delta contractor saw. I've got the larger model with a Besemyer fence. My boards seem to be getting caught between the stock splitter and the fence. The wood is ver hard to push through and I'm also getting a small wave in the cut. The splitter seems in line with the blade.

Suggestions on how to fix this without buying a new saw?

Thanks

I would first check the splitter. The thickness of the splitter should be slightly thinner than the kerf of the blade, typically about .020". Thin kerf blades require a thinner splitter than standard kerf blades. If you have the wrong splitter, it will bind up.

Align the splitter by raising the blade and placing a straight edge on two teeth (front and back). Test both sides of the blade for a gap to the splitter. The gap should be equal on both sides and not taper from front to back. Also check that the top of the splitter is in line with the blade. If all is correct, a rip cut shouldn't touch the splitter unless the kerf is springing together.

Finally, the fence could be out of parallel with the blade. The normal alignment process involves getting the blade parallel to the miter gauge slots then align the fence to be parallel to the slot or slightly further in the back than the front.

My guess is the first problem and you are using a thin kerf blade with a stock splitter that is too thick.

Good luck

Mike

[petersb]

Lately I've had troubles ripping even thin boards on my delta contractor saw. I've got the larger model with a Besemyer fence. My boards seem to be getting caught between the stock splitter and the fence. The wood is ver hard to push through and I'm also getting a small wave in the cut. The splitter seems in line with the blade.

Suggestions on how to fix this without buying a new saw?

Thanks

I have a Delta contractors saw too and my splitter is always coming out of alignment with the blade. That is where I would start. It is easy to go through the whole alignment setup if need be. Paul and Mike have sent you in the right direction.

[jon003]

Sounds like the saw needs a full tuneup. Check and tune all of the alignments. Remember to adjust them all to the same thing, usually left side mitre slot.

Blade<->LSMS (left side mitre slot)

Fence<->LSMS

Splitter/RK<->LSMS

I made a really silly jig out of a couple of pieces of scrap and an inexpensive ebay dial indicator (~$8).

Solved a burn problem on my old saw, and every year or so, I check all my tools with it in a few other small jigs.

[nateswoodworks]

If you get your saw all tuned up and still have problems it's probably time to think about a new blade. It sounds like a alignment issue and you got great advice already, but a dull blade will cause you to exert more pressure making it feel like it is binding. Just another thing to check.

Nate,