22124 Bevel Stop Question

[Heath Markovetz]

Hi Everyone,

I'm pretty new here and getting a garage shop outfitted to start building general furniture for around our house. (Beginning with a dresser for the baby that we're expecting in March!)

I happened to find a decent deal on a Craftsman 22124 table saw and I'm absolutely thrilled with it. I did run into something I wanted to ask about though.

As you may know, this saw adjusts the bevel stops for 45 and 90 with a set-screw threaded through the cast-iron top itself.

I noticed when I first tilted the saw that they feel a little "soft" when the trunnion hits them. This feeling comes as a contrast to my using a Jet cabinet saw for a couple years in a cabinet shop. I distinctly remember when that saw would hit 45 or 90 it was a solid "THUNK"

I stumbled upon the (at least partial) cause for this "soft" feeling when my fence (biesemeyer) was clunking as I slid it from left to right over the left miter slot. I also noted some dragging on the table to the left of the blade. When I first eyeballed it I saw a fairly large hump right there. I thought I got a lemon and would just have to deal with it but shortly concluded that it was the 90 degree stop that the trunnion was actually pushing up on and causing the hump. I backed off the set-screw and the table now appears reasonably flat. (I haven't laid a straightedge on it.) The fence now slides very nicely except for a warped blade insert that will be replaced very soon with a Leecraft that's already hanging on the pegboard.

I guess I just wanted to spark a little conversation about this, with a few points in particular.

First of all, is it supposed to be like this? In looking at pictures of the workings with the top removed I don't see how it could be avoided or improved... Am I wrong in that? Is there some way I can make this better?

What is different on other saws that makes the bevel stops so positive and distinct? Is it just a thicker table and heavier trunnions? Or do other saws put the stops somewhere with more leverage against the tilting of the saw?

Thanks in advance for any insight shared. I find myself on here daily and always find fantastic information. Thanks for that as well.

Heath

[Myk Rian]

I have a similar Steel City saw. This is the first I've seen mention of the problem. Apparently the previous owner cranked pretty hard on the angle adjustment. It's good you figured out the problem.

[Guy Germaine]

To be honest, I have never even looked at mine. When I change the blade angle, I always use a couple of squares. I never rely on the stops.

[Joe Scharle]

Are you saying the trunnion stop is causing your 'cast iron top' to bulge and then relax to flat?

Anyway, I have that saw and FWIW, I keep the stops mal-adjusted so I can get 93 deg to 49 deg range. Like already mentioned, I would never rely on the stops on any machine or any brand. Sawdust will pack up on the stops too.

[glenn bradley]

I do pretty much as Joe does. I keep the stops a few degrees past their intended positions. This gets me in the general area and I use something else to confirm the position. It gets dusty down their and the physical stops are not reliable enough for my taste, on any saw.

[Heath Markovetz]

Yep, that's exactly what I mean, Joe. Turning the handwheel will push the trunnion up into the stop causing a bulge and then turning it back towards 45 degrees will relax the bulge and it'll go back to flat.

Myk, I wish I could blame it on the previous owner, but it was me that cranked it into the stop to cause this. The PO said he always used a square like everyone else has mentioned.

I will use a square as well for critical cuts or when I won't be doing any bevel cuts for awhile since I agree sawdust buildup and the general crudeness of the stops doesn't invite high accuracy.

I guess I was just used to a much more positive stop and wondered how that is accomplished on other saws.

I'm also very surprised other owners of this saw haven't noticed this. Maybe nobody uses the stops as they're intended? Maybe I just need to give the trunnion gears a really good cleaning and lubrication/waxing so it's easier to feel when it contacts the stop?