Blade to fence adjustment

[Mark Rios]

What do you folks use as a square to square up and adjust your fences to the blades and blades to tables?

I've got an Incra 7" square but in alot of cases it's kind of cumbersome to use. It hits the teeth of the blade or, in the case of my 12" SCMS, is hard to hold in place while trying to align it and hold the guard out of the way (I haven't grown that third hand yet). It's also too tall to fit under the blade housing to check for perpendicular set-up. I've seen a small machined triangle block for sale but it seems kind of small to get a good, accurate alignment on my SCMS. Any thoughts?

Thanks very much.

[Brian Hale]

I normally do test cuts in scrap to test for square and perpendicular

Brian

[Jim Becker]

I square the blade to the miter slot and then square the fence to the same miter slot. (TS Aligner Jr). I actually will doing this again soon as I am planning on replacing the plastic fence faces on my XActa fence with laminate-covered plywood and it's off just a hair right now.

[Alan Turner]

Depending on the distance, and the saw (TS, BS, etc.) I will use a Starrett 4" double square (= to an engineers square, IMHO) or the 12" Starrett.

[Mark Rios]

Thanks for your replies. I realize on a table saw that the squaring is done in relation to the miter slots. I apologize for not being more clear. On the TS the blade needs to be adjusted vertically as well, right?. I guess the solid, machined triangular gauge block from Woodpecker could be used here because it's not vey big and would fit under the carbide tips of the blade. I'll have to pick one up. My speed square works for the jobsite but for WW I think I need something a little more reliable.

My main tool that I have trouble getting right is the 12" SCMS. Nothing seems to fit. Either too big or too small. I guess I need to find the Goldilocks tool for squaring the blade on the two axis'. I was just wondering what you folks use for vertical squaring (plumb, if you will) and for right and left squaring on your mitersaws.

[Jim Becker]

I was just wondering what you folks use for vertical squaring (plumb, if you will) and for right and left squaring on your mitersaws.

A small engineer's square does this for me on a variety of tools. I believe I bought mine from Lee Valley.

[Gary Herrmann]

I got a Master Plate for Christmas and it helped a lot with setting up my new TS. No blade teeth to get in the way of a nice clean measurement. I think they run about $50 or so?

[Mark Rios]

AAAhhhhhhh....Thannks for the info. I forgot about the Master plate. I've only just recently learned of the Master Plate but only saw it on a table saw. Would it work on a SCMS? Do they make something like it for a SCMS? Thats where I really need it.

[Roy Wall]

Mark,

to check for blade square to table.........

take two boards about 12" long and 3" wide (3/4 , 4/4 thick or so...).

Raise blade all the way up (for 3 1/2 max height cut)

Match them up on edge (together) on miter guage and crosscut both at the same time. Take the front board - still with same edge on table top - and swivel clockwise around and butt to the board that was behind it.

Any error off of 90* will be doubled and show a gap - when it's flush and tight........you're at 90*.