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Thread: Table Saw Alignment

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Grand Rapids, MI
    Posts
    53

    Table Saw Alignment

    Does anyone have any knowledge of this gauge from Hartville Tool?

    http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/11482

    $99 with a digital gauge seems like a good price if it works well.

    TIA Gordy

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Ventura, CA
    Posts
    530
    I'm sure that is a good gage.

    BUT -- expensive alignment tools are really not necessary.

    Buy a decent dial indicator for $50 (or much less) and fix it to a scrap piece of wood. Clamp that to your miter gage. Square the blade to the miter slot using that rig.

    Then turn it around and square the fence to the miter gage.

    You can probably do doggone near as good a job without the dial indicator; just a brass screw into the end of the scrap wood clamped into the miter gage.

    Numerous tutorials on the web; search around and you will find them.

    I wasted waaaay too much money on a "master plate" that is about useless.

    My $0.02.

    -TH

    PS -- buy John White's excellent book about maintaining shop machines. Well worth the money and he walks you through the entire process.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    East Central Illinois
    Posts
    532

    Gauge

    Ditto the dial indicator. I bought a used one with magnetic stand for $10 at an auction. I lined up my contractor saw by adjusting the trunnions and checking the alignment with the dial indicator. Less than 5 thousandths runout. If you have an owners manual it should show you how to adjust it. You may be able to download a manual if you don't have one.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Boise, Idaho
    Posts
    1,186
    Here's what I got. Works well. Inexpensive at $19.95. Does all of the above...as Billy May would say..."AND MORE"!

    http://www.littlemachineshop.com/pro...1593&category=

    Burt
    Attached Images Attached Images

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Grand Rapids, MI
    Posts
    53

    Got it...

    Quote Originally Posted by Burt Alcantara View Post
    Here's what I got. Works well. Inexpensive at $19.95. Does all of the above...as Billy May would say..."AND MORE"!

    http://www.littlemachineshop.com/pro...1593&category=

    Burt
    They had the set with a case for 5 bucks more. Just ordered.
    Thanks.
    GA

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Clinton Township, MI, United States
    Posts
    1,554
    Gordy,
    Just a suggestion, but get back on that website and order a set of tips for your indicator. The flat tip will get a LOT more use than the spherical tip that is standard.
    It will also make measurements to a blade edge on jointers/planers so much easier.
    A set of tips is only about $5, and if you can get it sent along with the indicator, you can save some postage/handling.
    Mike
    Last edited by mike holden; 07-30-2008 at 3:21 PM. Reason: spelling
    From the workshop under the staircase, Clinton Township, MI
    Semper Audere!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Encinitas, CA
    Posts
    671
    I have teh same set up. It works great and is really versatile. I probably paid more than $20 which seems like a great price to me.
    Gary

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Trussville, AL
    Posts
    3,589
    I was thinking about master plates. Could you take an old saw blade (or a cheepie Irwin you picked up for $5 on clearance from woodcraft ), make sure it's flat, and use a cold chisel to knock the carbide tips off? That wouldn't be "square" but it should be smooth and flat...

    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Henderson2 View Post

    I wasted waaaay too much money on a "master plate" that is about useless.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Trussville, AL
    Posts
    3,589
    That's a nice looking setup. Not sure I'd ever need the other tips, but having a plastic case, even if it's flimsy, would be better than my Styrofoam one

    Quote Originally Posted by Gordy Anderson View Post
    They had the set with a case for 5 bucks more. Just ordered.
    Thanks.
    GA

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Gordy Anderson View Post
    Does anyone have any knowledge of this gauge from Hartville Tool?

    http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/11482

    $99 with a digital gauge seems like a good price if it works well.

    TIA Gordy
    There's a review of it here:

    http://www.ts-aligner.com/tsjrvsxpoint.htm

    Bill

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Jerome Hanby View Post
    I was thinking about master plates. Could you take an old saw blade (or a cheepie Irwin you picked up for $5 on clearance from woodcraft ), make sure it's flat, and use a cold chisel to knock the carbide tips off? That wouldn't be "square" but it should be smooth and flat...
    This was discussed several months ago. See:

    http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...ht=masterplate

    It's a long thread but well worth reading the whole thing. In the end, master plates are a waste of money. Mark a spot on your blade and you will get better results.

    There's a new web site devoted to nothing but table saw alignment:

    http://www.tablesawalignment.com

    It requires registration but the info is top notch and I haven't been spammed at all.

    Bill

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