Ridgid 3560 installation notes...

[Puckdropper]

I'm about halfway through the set up of the Ridgid 3560, and have gotten tired and frustrated, so quit. While it's fresh in my mind, I'd like to address a few thoughts:

If you're manufacturing or building something, stick to the most common sizes. For wrenches, that's 3/8", 7/16", 1/2", 9/16", and 5/8". Sizes such as 15/32" are sometimes found in socket sets, so if you want to use that size make it socket accessible. Also, if you're going to use one size from another measurement system, make the entire thing using that system. Don't mix the two systems. I'm rarely a purist, but this is one case where it's absolutely necessary.

Some have suggested installing the Herc-u-lift system before turning the saw over. I tried this, and think it would have gone easier after turning the saw over. Gravity seemed to work more against me than with me.

Many advise installing the wings after the saw is turned over, and I agree with this... with one caveat: The wings are heavy, so attaching them up in the air might not be an easy task for a single person.

The manual advises running a nut down the adjuster foot all the way it can go, then putting them on the legs. In reality, the foot is going to stick out around 1/4-1/2", so you don't need to go all the way to the bottom. I don't enjoy leveling, so I like simple time saving tips.

Vise grips, an adjustable wrench, and a socket wrench are tremendous time savers on this tool.

Puckdropper

[mac davis]

I think I used metric, but you're right on about uniform sizing..

I tried it the way the instructions tell you to.. might have worked if I had a helper, but alone it just wasn't worth the trouble, so I flipped it upside down..

There was another issue in there somewhere, but I can't remember what sort of assembly problem it was... have to look at the saw tomorrow..

I should have done just that... they needed so much alignment that I couldn't see any advantage of doing it table side down on a flat surface.. I did feel the disadvantage of flipping it right-side-up with the wings on it.. Again, I was alone and the instructions call for 2 people, as I remember..

I do all my tools the same... feet screwed in against the leg bottom and then lowered as needed... you can have them all the way out and get them level, but with that much bolt exposed you've got unneeded sway and vibration..

As was a drill driver with flex shaft and socket adapter.. I'm a wood guy.. I gave up skinning knuckles on sheet metal a long time ago.. ;-]

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[Dan Coby]

I used both an english and a metric socket set to assemble my 3650. I did make a few unkind comments about mixing measurement systems.

I clamped a 4 foot length of 2x4 to a wing. I then clamped the other end of the 2x4 to the table top to temporarily hold the wing while I inserted the first screws and shims.

Dan

[Edwin Pawlowski]

A good reason to use metric.

[J. Clarke]

Nothing prevents a fastener manufacturer from making 10.5mm heads. The point is that they should use standard sizes. If they're going to use nonstandard ones they can as easily do that in Metric as in English units.

[Swingman]

"Puckdropper" wrote

A good case for why every wooddorker should be wed ... in the old days, a stout wife was considered a good wife.

"Hoonnnney ... Please come hold this end while I...."

BTDT ... ;)

[Skip Williams]

Puckdropper,

I just finished assembling mine last week, and was able to do it alone...and I am old

I turned the saw upright before putting on the wings. I also put the lift on before putting on the wings. Saved me from bumping my head, which i seem to do at every opportunity

I rolled the saw over to a table that was almost the same height as the saw and used that to hold the wings up while i put in the first couple of bolts.

I was fortunate to have a set of sockets and wrenches that contained both SAE and metric so that didnt pose too much of a problem...but I do wish they had standardized on one or the other. Instructions for installing the lift left much to the imagination.

Good luck on the rest of the assembly!

Skip

[Doug Winterburn]

Cuts down on the number of clamps required. If you work it right, keeps them from bugging you until the glue dries...

[Swingman]

"Doug Winterburn" wrote

SWMBO wouldn't know a SCMS from a chisel, but she is an expert on applying glue "to that end, while I apply it to this end", and she can expertly operate _any_ clamp in the shop.

... and for anyone with a similar partner, that's gloatworthy! ;)

[mac davis]

or include a couple of cheap wrenches..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[mac davis]

or in my case, having a younger wife... I do the skill things, she does the heavy lifting... works for me!

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[mac davis]

It took 10 years, but my wife asked me to show her how to use the CMS last week... We brought home a truckload of 2x4 scraps and I hadn't "had time" to cut them into fire pit size, (that trick works well), so she cut 'em all to 18", stacked them in the wheel barrow and ran them to our pit and the neighbor's..

Oh.. and I bought a new ROS a couple of months ago and she just loves it.... I have to borrow it from her now if I need it..lol

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[Swingman]

You both suck! :)

[bob kater]

[Puckdropper]

*snip: Previous Installation Notes*

Finished the installation today, except for waxing and putting the end caps on the rails. (I haven't cleaned off the top of the saw yet, so it's still protected.)

A few more notes: Take the blade guard off and then loosen the set screw the first time. That set screw was TIGHT. It bent (and bent back straight) one allen wrench, but the second one succeeded in moving it. Once you have the set screw on the blade guard assembly loosened, then you can put the guard back on and work on aligning it.

The bolts attaching the Herc-u-lift supports to the legs need to be rather loose. You can get away with tightening the nuts until there's two or three threads under the nut. Also, the adjuster feet should be close to the legs, not sticking very far out. That way, there should be enough clearance to get over variations in the floor. (Like for a drain.)

I missed installing the foot stabilizer pieces (the metal part that goes on the bottom of the leg), so I guess I'm going to go without them for a while. Make sure you have the pieces in this order: adjuster foot, nut, stabilizer, leg, nut.

The belt seems to be way too slack when installing it. Dont worry about it. When you raise the blade the belt will lose that slack.

Everything else went well, except I misread the directions installing the front rail and aligned it wrong. Not a big deal, I've just got to adjust it before I can use the ruler on the fence.

I fired it up and heard a distinctive "whoosh" sound. At that point, I knew I had a quality tool. A couple test cuts showed the fence was nice and square and the miter gauge was tool. I put the two cut ends up against a combination square, and had very little light showing through either side.

It's time to start laying out my cuts for the next project. :-)

Puckdropper

[Edwin Pawlowski]

My guess is was standard, a 12mm at .4724. 15/32 is .4688.

I argued for two years with our mold setup guys that the nuts on some of the clamps are 17 mm, not 11/16. They wondered why they always rounded the nuts until one day I tossed their 11/16 sockets into the river.

[Puckdropper]

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in news:qjGDj.4231$ [e-mail]:

Sounds reasonable, but the manual said to use a 1/2" wrench. After all, don't .46 and .47 both round (pun unintended) to .5? On many other bolts, the 7/16" fit properly, the closest to that is 11mm, .004" away.

I did finally use my metric sockets to do some work, but on the saw a socket won't fit everywhere. Guess I've got to pick up a set of combination metric wrenches (round on one end, open on the other. They hang on pegboard nicely that way.)

I wish the politicians would pick one system, prevent new assemblies from using the other one (but not replacement hardware), and end this duel (pun intended) system. That way, we'll not only know what time it is in Indiana, we'll also know which set of tools we need to use! (Sorry if I'm getting a little silly... Numbers do that to me. That's why I could never be a mathematician.)

Puckdropper

[Charlie Self]

If you can hold the wing in position long enough to get maybe four or five threads started on a center, or near center, bolt, you can then swing it up and clamp each end, though not tightly, aligning the holes as you go. When I was assembling as many as 11 tablesaws for articles, my wife was working a dozen miles away, so I had to work it out. Putting the wings on while the saw was upside down on the floor never worked well for me, and, to be honest, it's a lot easier to flip them up and standing if you don't add that weight.