Blade angle problem on Delta Contractor's saw

[Larry Spitz]

I have an old Delta Contractor's Saw, Model 34-444. This saw does not have the 45 and 90 degree angle stops that are adjustable with an Allen wrench through the table, but a single stop at 90 degrees that must be adjusted by someone sitting on the floor with a long thin arm, considerable manual dexterity and lots of patience.

I adjust the angle stop rarely because it doesn't need it, but when I do, I take great care to tighten the jam nut well because it is such a pain to do it again.

I noticed that one cut I made today did not make a 90 degree angle as I wanted, though I hadn't (intentionally) changed the blade angle recently. When I went to adjust the angle, the handwheel just spun and did not change the blade angle.

I dropped the motor and vacuumed out the sawdust from inside the housing and could not see or feel anything wrong. I fiddled around trying to shake or rotate everything I could reach. I did not detect any looseness in any connections. When I tried the handwheel again, it worked.

This bothers me. I don't know what had gone wrong. I don't know what "fixed" it. My only guess is that it had something to do with the fact that I had been cutting MDF and somehow that disengaged the handwheel which then re-engaged when I vacuumed out the saw. This is a real stretch. I have had the saw for almost 15 years. Periodically I saw MDF with it. I have never had a problem.

I will be more attentive to the blade angle in the future. In the meantime can any one offer me advice as to what went wrong?

Cheers,

Larry

[George]

Look on the floor for the lock on the tilt handwheel. Could be you've lost or loosened it to the point where the handwheel did not engage the toothed shaft.

If not, look to the eccentric where you adjust for backlash.

[Dan Valleskey]

Was saw dust on the trunions keeping it from seating where it was suposed to?

All you really did was clean up under there, right?

Hmmm...

-Dan V.

[Larry Spitz]

I don't know. Maybe.

Right!

[Mike]

This may be a little vague but it's been a while since I had this model. If this is the saw I think it is, you might check the part where you adjust the stop. If I remember, the set screw and jam nut is on a little piece that hangs down. The piece I'm talking about is about

3/4" long and has the set screw and lock nut on the bottom and an allen screw on the top that attaches it to the trunion. If the piece that hangs down comes loose it can actually turn to one side of the shaft and the shaft will miss the stop all together. You can check it by simply tilting the blade so it's not against the stop and reach in there and see if you can move that piece with your finger. If so just tighten the allen screw so that the piece is in position in front of the shaft. The other place to check is side of the box where the shaft passes through the side. Sometimes the side of the box can be bowed out a little and push the crank off of the pin where it engages. The crank will still be on the shaft but not far enough to engage the pin. If this is the case, check inside the saw where the shaft passes through the side. Inside the saw there will be a little collar that attaches to the shaft with a set screw. You may have to move that collar in (a small amount) so that when you tighten the locking knob, the crank will be able to slide on a little farther to engage the pin.

If none of this makes sense and you don't recognize any of the parts I have so poorly described ..............never mind. :-)

Mike O.