Table saw question

[scully]

Just bought a brand new Porter Cable Benchto top table saw, see it here:

setting it up I found the machined aluminium table is slightly concave from front to back It is consistent along the entire width of the saw table. It looks pretty good from end to end. It is only a poofteenth [14 thou] from being flat and am wondering whether this is within acceptable tolerances for this type of saw. Would they actually machine it like this on purpose? and if so why?

I have never owned a table saw prooir to this and really have no idea to what sort of tolerances are acceptable. Thanks scul

[Morris Dovey]

| Just bought a brand new Porter Cable Benchto top table saw, see it | here:

|| While setting it up I found the machined aluminium table is slightly | concave from front to back It is consistent along the entire width | of the saw table. It looks pretty good from end to end. It is only | a poofteenth [14 thou] from being flat and am wondering whether | this is within acceptable tolerances for this type of saw. | Would they actually machine it like this on purpose? and if so why? | | I have never owned a table saw prooir to this and really have no | idea to what sort of tolerances are acceptable.

With a list price of more than US$500, I'd take it back to exchange for a machine with a flat (to within +/- 0.001") table. It sounds as if you got a warpeed casting.

No, they wouldn't intentionally machine it that way.

-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA

[todd]

Amazon refers to this model as a "Job Site Table Saw", although I'm surprised at the $400 cost. I figure the common usage for a saw such as this is for the job site, where 1/64" of concavity isn't going to be a problem. I see no reason why it would be machined as such purposely. If I was on the hunt for a step up, I would probably spend another couple hundred on a Grizzly contractor's saw.

todd

[CW]

Check with Delta. There top of the line saw is within specs at +- .015.

[scully]

So by that measure the one I have would be within that spec at .014?

[Bugs]

All the PC equipment I've seen is subject to poor quality control. Go Delta for a reasonably priced and warranted equipment. Bugs

[CW]

[brianlanning]

With a price of more than $500, I'd take it back and buy this:

[brianlanning]

I thought contractor's saw were jobsite type saws. What the OP linked to looked more like a bench top saw with a stand.

brian

[CW]

[todd]

When I typed my earlier response, it occurred to me that "contractor saw" seems like a misnomer nowadays.

todd

[CW]

Yes, actually it is.

[Charlie H.]

I think getting the blade square to the table top (miter slot and fence) and the repeatability of the fence will be much more noticeable than .014 cup across the table top. Chances are the material you will be cutting will have more than .014 variance over a much shorter span. If you bought it locally at someplace like Lowes or Home Depot you might see if you can look at another one before returning the one you have. Depending on how the table top is mounted you might be able to shim it in the low spot from underneath, since it is aluminum it will be fairly easy to flex it .014. Charlie

[mew]

Definately Delta. I bought the Unisaw 3 years ago and it had a 0.01 dip in the middle of the main table. I called and they sent a replacement even though it was within spec. They did not even want the "warped" one returned. I cannot bear to throw out the old table top but have not found a use for it yet. The new top was within 0.004" which is plenty good enough.

Mike

[Joe Gorman]

Put in a blank throat plate and use as an extension table, or modify it to mount a router in it, separately or attached to the saw. Joe