Table saw questions - Sears 1.5 hp Contractor - 10"

[Doug Garson]

Did you say the featherboard was behind the blade? The featherboard should be ahead of the blade ie just before the blade on the infeed side. Perhaps post a picture of your setup.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Is the nick in the leading edge of the board or the trailing edge of the board? I define leading edge as the first edge of the board to make contact during a cut.

I agree with Doug. The feather board should be set up so that it maintains pressure just prior to the board touching the blade on the infeed side of the blade.

[Lee Schierer]

Harbor freight must have quit carrying the readout gage?? I'm not opposed to buying one - recommended kit/one from Amazon?

Harbor Freight Dial Indicator

Amazon Dial Indicator

[Rick Johnston]

The Nick was on the trailing edge. Yes, the feather board is at the front of the blade.

[Rick Johnston]

Update:
Borrowed a readout gage. - Lee you were right....
The slot to blade was probably .005 - some variation subject to which slot I used. The fence was 16 thousandths out with it narrower at the back of the blade!!! After some tweaking I got to .003. Considering saw equipment - not going to get closer than that.

I took my blade to be re - sharpened this morning. I suppose if I still had it, a new test would be worth doing.
I took a new freud blade while in the lumberyard and nicked my fingernail to feel the difference. There was a noticeable difference between mine and a new one.

[Robert Engel]

Robert, what was the reasoning for the material attachment to the fence? To make it glide easier - to make longer? It's very smooth now with the aluminum and seems the fence length is okay per some posts.

Not totally necessary just personal preference based on experience dinging wood on sharp corners of fence.

Sounds like your ready to go.

[Rick Johnston]

Robert, do I need to be concerned at this point about which way the tolerance is out? Like is the blade is making contact first at the front vs the back and with the fence tolerance greater at the back of the saw. I don't remember when I finished last night - but I'm going to check again.