tune up your table saw with a 2x4 - smart table saw

Getting accuracy and performance from your table saw depends on how well you adjust and calibrate it.
Fortunately, there is a lot of information on this topic.
Unfortunately, many of these guides make your saw cut square and real using expensive fixtures, fixtures, and measuring tools.
Although this is very good and very precise, it is too much for many of us.
The truth is that no matter how well your saw is adjusted, if there is anything that is not aligned, you can combine the pieces you cut from and how they are combined.
This guide will show you how to use 2x4 and a basic understanding of simple geometry.
Before we start making adjustments, it's important that you understand what makes a good saw work well.
There are 5 main routes and sizes to consider.
Blade alignment table: when viewing from above, the Mitter slot on your table needs to be completely parallel to the blade so you can pass a piece of wood directly through the saw, instead of catching and binding on the width of the blade.
If this adjustment is turned off and your blade is tilted, you will notice that the arc on the teeth of the blade is scraped to the surface of your cut.
Tear fence alignment: your fence needs to be parallel to the Mitter slot and blade, so that the part you tear can remain the same width and will not swing or combine on the blade.
Inaccuracies in this adjustment can result in binding and kickbacks.
You never want to encounter these failures. they are unpredictable and dangerous!
Oblique gauge angle: the pointer on the Mitter gauge should be read accurately so that you can cut precisely at any angle you want.
Most of the time, you will want a 90 degree diagonal angle so that the part you Cross will have a square angle.
Blade bevel angle: When you look back at the saw from the front, it is important for the blade to lift the table at an appropriate angle.
Most of the time you would want the blade to be 90 degrees full from the table, but some work requires other angles.
Most saws have "stop" points of 90 and 45 degrees.
Accurate production of indicator pins and stop points is critical to the consistency of the cut. Rip Scale (cut width)
Indicator: You want the tape measure on the guide rail to reflect the exact position of the tearing fence and to accurately display the width of the workpiece to be cut.
First of all, you have to wash your saw.
If you have dirt and dirt, it will affect your measurement and calibration.
Now take the time to remove all these balls and deposits so that your adjustments are as effective as possible.
Clean shiny metal is your goal.
The table saw is a very dangerous tool.
People will encounter serious dangers and injuries when using them.
I know someone lost their finger because of the table saw. it's no joke.
When you don't cut a piece of wood, always unplug and "lock" the saw for safety "--
Especially if you work on the saw and will put your hands on all moving parts.
My saw has a lock tag on the power switch and I pull the plug out of the wall and remove the lock tag so I have two layers of protection in case of human error.
One more note: Always use the shield on the blade.
I deleted mine in order to take pictures and measure.
It is dangerous to operate without a saw.
Cut a small piece of 2x4 and screw the drywall screw into its end.
You want the screws to be close to one of the short sides of the board.
Remove a clean tooth on the blade and mark it with X.
Clamp the plate with screws on the Mitter gauge and rotate the blade so that the screws come into contact with the teeth you previously marked.
When you move the blade back and forth, you want the marked teeth to scratch the surface of the screw slightly.
If there is any pressure or air gap between the teeth and the screws, release the clip and tap the board back and forth until you get the perfect tolerance.
I found the screwdriver handle to be a great tool to tap and nudge fine-tune like this.
After fully arranging the teeth in front, slide the Mitter back and turn the blade so that the same screws and X-marked teeth align on the back of the blade.
You want to see the exact same tolerance here;
The front should match the back.
If the tolerances are different before and after the blade, adjustment is required.
On most contractor grade saws, the blade is mounted on a baton under the table, which can be relaxed and adjusted to achieve perfect alignment.
Cabinet saws generally have fixed batons and need to be adjusted. . .
This exact procedure will vary from model to manufacturer, so it is better to consult the original owner manual of your saw for more details.
When your table and blade are aligned exactly, you will want to have your rip fence parallel to them.
The easiest way to do this is to move the fence over the chute and observe the resulting gaps.
You want it to be evenly parallel from the front to the back.
If there is any change in this gap, you need to adjust it from the fence.
My saw has two bolts at the top of the fence and you can loosen, re-align and tighten to change the angle of the fence.
Your saw may be different, so check your master's manual again to see the exact procedure for your saw.
Another way to check this alignment is to cut two pieces of wood that cling to the chute and slide the fence up to check the gap.
If this is the accuracy you want, you can even do it with a tape measure.
Adjust the oblique instrument so that the pointer is completely at 0, indicating that the pointer is vertical (90 degrees)to the blade.
Next, mark a piece of 2x4 with a and B so that you will next have a letter on each side of the intersection.
You should have two of these after cutting.
Flip one of them so that one is facing up and the other is facing down.
Press the two flat on the Mitter gauge and check if there is a gap between the seams.
In this picture you can see that there is a gap at the top.
This shows that the Mitter gauge needs to be adjusted slightly-
Rotate clockwise to form a perfect 90 degree angle with the blade.
Make adjustments and cut another piece to test the alignment.
When everything is just right, there is no gap.
This is because two 90-degree angles form a straight 180, and you can compare them with known planes such as the Mitter gauge.
If your 90 degree cut is inaccurate, laying the board in this way will double the inaccuracy and highlight enough misplacement you can see.
In short, this is the magic to make the entire calibration process effective!
After you are satisfied with this adjustment, release the indicator needle on the meter and adjust it for accurate reading.
Next, we will adjust the bevel angle of your blade.
Most saws have a ring on the beveled lead
Tighten the blade so that it cannot exceed 90 degrees in one direction and 45 degrees in the other.
Adjust your blade so you can stop at 90 degrees and the blade is vertical.
Again, we will mark A and B on each side of the blade and cross A piece of 2x4.
Do the cut, as before, and flip one of the parts.
This time, we will use the desktop as a reference straight edge, and you would like to look for gaps on the side of the part you just cut.
This photo shows that the bottom of these parts is tight and there is a gap at the top.
The blade is tilted more than 90 degrees and needs to rotate counter-clockwise to be at 90 degrees again.
The 90 degree stop on my saw is a threaded collar with 2 brass fixing screws.
To adjust it, I had to loosen the brass screws and screw the collar in and out until I found the sweet spot to repeat the 90 degree cut for me.
Don't forget to tighten the fixing screw between adjustments, just in case, tighten again after you're done.
The perfect 90 degree bevel will produce a gap-free cut.
When you dial this in, you should adjust your pointer so it can be read accurately.
Next, stop rotating the blade according to the 45 degree inclined plane.
Before we proceed with this step, note on safety and oblique cutting: do not cross the board with oblique cutting gauge at the angle of oblique cutting (
Left of most saws).
If anything slips, the wood is tied and pulled under the blade, which is the last place you want your glove gauge or your hand banned.
Once your blade is at 45 degrees and your Mitter gauge is on the safe side of the blade, you can do the first cut.
This time, we need to cut 4 pieces so that the angle reaches 180 degrees.
Please note that this picture is just to show you the pattern the part fits and we will not set them in the direction used for the measurement.
After completing all the cuts, use the desktop as a reference for the plane.
Assemble all 4 pieces and press them on the table to check the gap.
The above figure shows the clearance caused by the tilt of the blade more than 45 degrees.
To make a perfect 45 degree cut, the blade needs to rotate clockwise, and the 45 degree bevel stop needs to be adjusted.
As before, repeat the process until you reach a perfect angle without gaps.
Set up your rip fence so it's less than 2x4 on the blade.
Lock the fence in place and use push-stick.
Close the fence to the blade about 1/4 "and tear the other side of the board.
The goal is to finally get a plate with a sharp square angle instead of the radius 2x4 gets from the saw machine.
This will make it easier to see the scale position of the edge of the board on the tape measure.
As the fence is still locked from the second cut, you can place the newly torn board on the scale of the fence to see how accurate the cut is.
Align right on the 0 mark to the left of your work and keep it there.
Then, look at Ma-
The hair on the fence is aligned with the right edge of the board or not.
You can loosen the screws on the viewing window and slide back and forth to adjust the measurements read by the fence.
Repeat the process until you perfectly cut the board of lines at both ends of the scale.
Now that you 've crossed out the main items from the list, there are other tips below that can help you cut things down like butter.
Most importantly, be safe and enjoy your table!
Thank you for reading and I will see you in the comments section!