Table Saw Burning Problem - Follow Up

I wrote a while ago about some wood burning problems I had with my perfectly aligned (or so I thought) table saw (General Internation 50-185 with WWII blade).

The last posts in the thread (from Jack Novak & Klaatu) suggested that I check the alignment with the blade fully raised and then with the blade lowered. That's what I did. Full up, I get a negligeable difference of

0.001" between the front and back of the blade. However, when I lower the blade to about an inch high, I get a huge difference of 0.03 (yes 0.03, not 0.003) that is about 1/32" !

No wonder I get nasty burning. Also, since this squeezes the wood against the fence, I'm afraid It could be dangerous for kickback.

I bought the saw last December, so it is still under warranty (2 years) and I guess this problem qualifies as a "manufacturing defect". I'm gonna try and have it checked / replaced by General International. This should be an interesting test of their consumer service.

Anyways, I just wanted to inform the group of my findings in case it could help someone else strugling with his table saw. This is not something that I saw mentionned in any "table saw alignment" instructions I found. Big thanks to the group and Nova & Klaatu for the help.

Reply to
Le Steak
Loading thread data ...

if you go with a metal saw.....that will eliminate the problem completely.

Reply to
Jakes452

Let us know the final outcome. Especially how it was fixed, if it is fixed and not replaced.

Reply to
Preston Andreas

It didn't start too well, with the retailer in Ottawa (Legere Supply) not even returning my calls. I don't know what those people think, but they certainly lost a client there.

So I called General International directly in Montreal. They told me I had to ship the defective saw to them or I could bring it there and they would fix it for me on the spot. Fortunately I don't live to far from Montreal (about 2 hour drive) so I decided to bring it there myself.

I met with the service guys (they were 2) and for about an hour, in a rather "chaotic" way, they removed parts from the trunnion assembly, machined them on the spot and tried all sorts of not-so-gentle prying and pulling and pushing.

In the end, they managed to align the saw properly with the blade at about 1 inch high. They said "it`s fixed now, take it home". So I just told them to raise the blade fully in order to confirm. They did and guess what, it was still off by about 1/32", just like when I brought it in !

Now the service guy probably pissed at having spent an hour working on the saw for nothing, tells me "you`re not really gonna use it with the blade fully raised are you ?" I told him I wasn`t bringing this lemon back home with me. He didn`t argue and he gave me a new saw.

I asked the guy if my problem was common and he said they were having more and more problems and would have to "look into it". I guess the quality control in Taiwan is not always consistent...

So in the end I`m happy, I got a new saw, but I must say it was more trouble than I bargained for.

Reply to
Mathieu B

how much difference, if any, is there in the alignment of the replacement saw between full up and lowered?

dave

Mathieu B wrote:

Reply to
Bay Area Dave

BTW, the really sad thing is that when I was shopping for a TS, the salesman talked up the beefy trunnion of the General, as compared to the Unisaw and Powermatic (he sold all 3). and here you had trouble with the "superior" trunnion.

dave

Mathieu B wrote:

Reply to
Bay Area Dave

When he asked, "you`re not really gonna use it with the blade fully raised are you ?" , I would have demanded my money back. What a stupid question. And that was from the manufacturer.

Preston

Reply to
Preston Andreas

|When he asked, "you`re not really gonna use it with the |blade fully raised are you ?" , I would have demanded my money back. What |a stupid question. And that was from the manufacturer.

The oft cited Wood Magazine TS review has an interesting exchange.

When the PM66 showed a lot of scoring on the cut, a Powermatic spokesman said, "Scoring only occurred under heavy load (such as ripping thick red oak) and they have since corrected the problem."

Isn't the whole idea of a %&*$#! 3 hp cabinet saw that you can cut wood easier than with a 1 hp contractor saw? And they've been building that saw for years and they just now figured out how to fix it? Go figure.

Reply to
Wes Stewart
1/32nd of an inch at 2" high is a problem? On a table saw with a relatively flexible blade? Do you arrange your paper clips by size and direction?

I work with wood...it gives...and I can compensate where it doesn't (gotta love the jointer for that one). Even when I get it "perfect", give it a few days in changing humidity/temperature and it's no longer "perfect".

I work with relatively cheap machines ($500-1,000) and don't expect the laser accuracy that I would get with a $5,000 machine. Have never tested anything I own to see if a nickle would stay on edge although there are several people posting here that think that is the test between a good machine and a lemon...

I guess I have to say that I just don't get it...

Reply to
Tom Kohlman

That's obvious.

Reply to
CW

You'd appreciate the nickel test comparing my old saw to my new one. With the new one, the nickel doesn't fall over. With the old one, the nickel hits me in the forehead. I like the difference.

Reply to
Silvan

Agreed that it was a stupid question, and the guy shoulda known better -- but it was *not* from the manufacturer. For the General International line, General is the *importer*. The actual manufacturer is in Taiwan.

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

For a copy of my TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter, send email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com

Reply to
Doug Miller

It doesn't give *that* much. Yes, 1/32 of an inch at 2" high is a problem, a major problem. Table saw blades don't flex anywhere nearly that much, absent a deliberate effort to do so.

Apparently not.

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

For a copy of my TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter, send email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com

Reply to
Doug Miller

I've just finished removing the oil/wax coating and installing the new one. There is still a difference in the alignment between full up and full down, but much less (about 0.014 - less than 1/64"). I aligned it at 1.5 inch, so that if I raise it I get +0.007 and if I lower it

-0.007. Seems to be a good compromise. It doesn't burn wood anymore and cuts smoothly now.

Reply to
Mathieu B

I'd say that when the smoke detector goes off in the shop it's a good sign that 1/32 is a problem.

Now I could compensate by opening the fence a little bit more, but do I want to do that every time I lower/raise the blade ?

Reply to
Mathieu B

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.