# Craftsman 113.27520 table saw - quest. to align saw blade with table grooves



## mica (May 4, 2010)

I've had this table saw for quite a while and can't seem to figure out how to align the blade. All the manual states is to loosen the 3 screws to the front and back trunnion, but there is no adjustment I can see. Without a picture I'm probably wasting my time trying to explain this to someone.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

Many of us have done it before…it's long been the bane of table mounted trunnions.

The adjustment needs to be done manually by "persuading" the trunnion carriage in one direction or another. Many use a two-by and a hammer to tap it into adjustment or a rubber/wooden mallet, and there's a lot of trial and error….it's tedious and imprecise, but with some patience it'll come. Don't loosen the bolts too much…just enough to allow the carriage to move. It'd probably be better to leave one of the 4 corner bolts "less loose" than the others (just relieve the tension slightly) so that you can pivot the carriage around that bolt. You'll need to determine which one to pivot around based on the direction the carriage needs to move. Don't retighten each bolt all at once or the carriage can move, snug them all up, recheck the alignment, then do a final tightening and check again….repeat as necessary. You'll want in the +/- 0.003" range or better if you can…a slight "toe out" is better than a "toe in" situation, which can cause binding and kick-back.

There's an aftermarket alignment device called "PALS" that will be $20 very well spent IMO. It's basically a set of hardware made for your saw that helps you make fine adjustments without the hammer and two-by, and helps hold the settings. In-line Industries carries PALS.

Here's an upside down pic of the very similar Ridgid contractor saw trunnions:


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## ajosephg (Aug 25, 2008)

Also, do the alignment with the belt on and tensioned.


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## mica (May 4, 2010)

Thanks very much. I did what you stated, and as I was hitting the 2×4 into the trunnion it must of moved, because I was able to complete the adjustment. Again, thank you.


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## wchips (Dec 11, 2009)

woodcraft sells a gadjet that simplifies adjusting alignment on craftsman table saws


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## C_PLUS_Woodworker (Jun 10, 2010)

I just tuned up my 1970's era craftsman saw. With thin kerf Freud blades, this has just been too good of a saw to junk. I am retired now and am definitely going to upgrade the fence, take off the stand/wheels and build a cabinet for it. I agree with some other posters on a different thread that discussed (with the abundance of good used saws for cheap) how tempting it is to just buy one of those. But, I really think that just upgrading the fence system will be enough for me.

My point…....somehow the blade alignment got screwed up with the miter slot. Toed in by about a 1/4 inch. Man, did I burn some good wood on my first cut. I cannot think of what did that to the saw, but it sure was out of whack. What a PITA it was to get re-aligned. Turned out it was the front trunnions that were out. I had previously installed a PALS system on the saw and those rear adjustments didn't make a lick of difference, I finally just loosened all 6 of the trunnion bolts, kinda got the alignment close, then tightened one to pivot on, then re-aligned, tightened, checked alignment, etc, until I got all the bolts tight again. Now it is back to VERY close. I don't have a gauge, but it is toed out the width of a piece of paper, so that should be good.

So, for you folks that have to do this CHORE, just be patient, have a cold beverage available, take at least 2 Valium, send the wife and kids away so you can "talk" to the saw in a language it understands, and you will eventually get it. I did. And I have at least 6 thumbs.


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## JimDaddyO (Dec 20, 2009)

If you want a challenging saw to line up, take a look at my '72 Craftsman. It is direct drive (blade mounts right to the motor) and the assembly is suspended from the saws top by 4 machine screws. You can make them out in front of the insert hole.










It is a PITA to try and move it just a little, and because of the CS holes and machine screws tapered heads are the mating surfaces, it wants to move as you tighten the bolts. It is nigh impossible to get it right on, so I have to settle with "close enough".


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## C_PLUS_Woodworker (Jun 10, 2010)

Does anyone remember that small car many years ago that needed to have it's engine removed (or at least taken off the motor mounts and moved forward) so the rear spark plugs could be changed?

It is so obvious sometimes that these design engineers neither changed a plug nor sawed a board.

And yet, we still tinker with this stuff.


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## davidpettinger (Aug 21, 2009)

Heck, I had to do that on my 67 Nova Wagon with the 396 we horseshoed into it, solved that problem by boring holes through the fender well with a 2" hole saw.


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## drors01 (Jul 8, 2014)

If you still have the 113.27520 then please take a look at this riving knife mod

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/181954


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## John01803 (Jan 22, 2018)

My problem with my Craftsman table saw is the the "screw tube" came out of the angle adjustment and I can't get it to go back in to get a good 90 degree.
Help.


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## sailingfree (11 mo ago)

Parallelism/heeling problem on my Craftsman 113.298 Table saw:
Per the owner's manual I have loosened all six trunnion screws, pounded both sides a lot and still have 3/64" toe out.

So I looked to see the amount of available space in the elongated slots for the center bolts. I saw that I have maxed out all the available adjustment.

Help! Any suggestions?

(I have tried with the bolts are just loose enough to see some space above the trunnion on all six bolts. I have tried with one bolt hand-tightened. I use the same sawtooth with the blade all the way up. )

Thanks


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## sailingfree (11 mo ago)

I will try some more with just one corner bolt tight. I'll check my assessment of the slot location, I may be confused.


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## sailingfree (11 mo ago)

Confirmed: I have maxed out my trunnion correction, the extra space in the slot is on the wrong side of the bolt.
I can make it worse front and back, but not better. One correction: The back of the blade is closer to the fence on the right, so I have toe in to pinch a board.


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## Ziibimakwa (11 mo ago)

sailingfree- please let me know if you found a workaround for this. I am currently experiencing the same issue with my Craftsman 315. Although I'm toeing in, not out.
Thanks


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## sailingfree (11 mo ago)

My crummy original fence is so sloppy that I have to adjust it to be parallel to the blade anyway.
My blade is still out of parallel to the slots in the table by a 3/64th or so, so that is what I live with. I just align the fence to the blade.

So it only works well when I use the fence for guidance, and keep the workpiece up against the fence as I cut it. With both parallel, there is no binding. But I can not use the miter, with no fence, as the saw will bind.

To think about all this, draw a picture of the blade way off, like 30 degrees, with the fence parallel to it. you will see how what I said above plays out.


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## wingless (Feb 8, 2019)

That 113.27520 table saw is very cool.

Could the OP please post some images for us to enjoy?


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