OK - it wasn't all that funny. Maybe I need a new straight man. And a technical proofreader as well. Whadda ya want fa free...
Part One left off at the point where the extension tables and fence were about to be assembled to the saw. And I know some of you out there are cringing at the thought of this...
But for you guys that flip to the spec's and then leave the magazine on the rack, I'll throw out a few measurements for ya...
Factory blade angle setup was pretty close.
90 d blade angle was 90.4 45 d blade angle was 45.4Looks as though the guy really tried to get it, but his tool was off. (I hate it when that happens...) Double checked my tool... yep still there. Checked the geared protractor as well - yep, good to go. Minor quibble, just an observation.
Blade to Right Miter Slot parallelism was off by .008" over 10". This will have to be corrected - I prefer this to be spot-on.
Miter Tracks were parallel within .002". Good enough, and there ain't nothin you can do about it, neither.
Magnetic switch is an NHD brand MS1-09D-R - an OEM version of an off the shelf switch. It does do current sensing and power fail shut-off.
Power cord has an interesting N 6-15 plug on it that fully shields the electrical outlet full-circle. Nice touch, although it's imported.
Now I'll comment on some of the accessories.
Blade Wrenches. Usual stuff. Cheap steel flat stock wrenches, probably die cut, and soft. One thing I can't quite figure out is why they bothered to put a bend in the arbor wrench. It really makes it useless, as the cleanest approach is from directly above. Go figure. Could be something different about the left-tilt vs. right-tilt model, could be because I'm a southpaw, _could be_ they bought a box of them on eBay. I'll hammer it out flat later - or add it to the collection of _other_ useless wrenches and drivers.
Handwheels are heavy, give a smooth feel to the mech. I am not convinced that they are not imported, but it's possible. The curious thing is, the included 1/8" wrench doesn't fit the allen head setscrews. The grub screws are 5/32"... or is that 4mm? They are not the finely machined handwheels that came on the Navy's latest flying toy, but are cast-iron and dripped in black gloss paint. The handgrips are bare steel, probably zinc but possibly nickel plated. They and their axles are press fitted into the wheel. Mine could have used a wee bit more pressin', as they rattle a touch now and then, and move axially 3/8" or so. No biggy.
Rear Fence slide leaves .018" clearance between a flat table and the lower edge of the fence facing. We'll talk about this later...
There were 4 3/8" flatwashers and 2 3/8" lockwashers missing from the hardware pack for the fence. But I've got a cabinet full of 'em. (No, I didn't lose them.)
The Blade Guard - what can be said about this pinnacle of engineering prowess and UL/CSA approval that I didn't cover in an earlier post. Simply meeting some UL/CSA standard as to the existence of a blade guard doesn't equate into a useable OR well designed feature. What it DOES indicate is that MFG's designed some minimal, crappy contraption that was needed to barely pass spec 20 years ago, and hasn't put one iota of though into it since. This applies to ALL manufacturers. Let's take a poll - how many people here like OR use the guard that with their saw? A show of hands, please... Nuff said. At least this one came with a longer tab that retains the plastic guard in the upright position - barely. It'll still fall on your hand and introduce it to that nice, sharp WWII. Yep, not one iota...
Those darned extensions. I've heard a million stories of grief about mounting them. It's actually a pretty easy job - to a point. The manual doesn't show the proper orientation till later on - when you have to take everything back apart if you get it wrong - but it's pretty obvious how they go - to me. Wasn't a problem, but I can see someone, somewhere making that mistake - twice.
Hold one extension table up, aligned vertically. Hold the bottom with one hand, the pre-assembled screws and washers in the other. Balance the top against the side of your head if you have to. Put the screw into the CENTER hole, and when it's just finger snug, simply rotate the table to the horizontal position and install the other two. Balance does the work for you. Don't torque those screws just yet. The switch bracket is also mounted under the front screw on the left. Another pan-head bolt holds the switch bracket at the front.
I only mention this because I've heard others tell tales of struggling on the floor, upside down underneath the saw table while trying to hold the extension's entire weight and the screws, and align it to the saw while attempting to install the screws. Now THAT would be a real PITA.
So, rinse, repeat. Then wipe the top down with kerosene, rust buster spray, whatever you've got that isn't too flammable and cuts this stuff. Don't dribble it into the mech. Prepare for a mess on the rag, your pants, your shirt....
The wings don't have an entry bevel cut on them like the saw table. You would think that a cross-model generic design would match all the tables - including the bevel - especially the top end, but not yet. So there is a point that hangs over the front edge of the saw table.
So, it's cleaned up and you back up to get a better view of the results of your labor.
Well, gotta go. Hate to leave you in suspense, but I guess there will be a Part III after all. And don't forget to buy that Ovaltine.
Greg G.