# How do I adjust the blade on my table saw to be square?



## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

So, I got my table saw from my friend last week. I have been crazy busy this past week and plus we've had lots of rain and when it wasn't raining it was too hot to be outside. I got out early this morning to beat the heat. I worked on building a crss cut sled. When I was ripping a board for a runner I checked the board I was cutting and found the board to be off. . How do I adjust either the fence or the blade?


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## Zinderin (Jul 24, 2012)

It is the angle of the blade to your saw table … make sure the table is straight (now twisted, bowed, etc). Best way to do that is with a metal straight edge you trust or a long level with a true edge (you don't care if the table is level, you're checking for straight).

Once you know your table is straight then you need to get a good square and go to work on making sure your blade is aligned 90 degrees with your table … it should just be a matter of tuning in your bevel control.

Every saw is slightly different, so you need to refer to your manual from there.

Hope that helps.


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## japanesewoodworker (Jan 16, 2010)

I would look under the "table" to see if all the 'fasteners' are tight.

Then raise the blade 'as-high-as-it-will-go'.

Take a carpenter's square and make sure the miter slot is "square" to the blade. If it is NOT then loosen the fasteners and adjust to the "carpenters' square.

This 'should' help. If not correct everything that is "bad" with your table saw.


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## tierraverde (Dec 1, 2009)

Angie,
The above suggestions are vague unless you are familiar with square, perpendicular and parallel, as it pertains to machine tools.
Square to the table means 90 degrees (straight up) that the saw blade stands to the table. In order to accomplish that, you need a machinist's square or a good carpenters square, to set on the table and sight the square to the side of the blade, not having the carbide teeth interfere with the square.
The gauge reference for having the sawblade parallel to the fence is the slot for the miter fence. This is stationary and cannot be changed.
First adjust the fence to the slot by…...........
Oh never mind. It gets crazy from here.
If you want to come up to Libertyville, IL (ain't that far from you), my wife and I will have lunch waiting and I'll have a quick class on squaring power tools.


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## dnick (Nov 17, 2011)

This is a one step at a time thing. All of the comments above are part of the process. Did you find the cut not parallel, or not square ? There will be set screws you can adjust to set the fence parallel if the width varied, but you need to perform the steps noted above first. If you don't have a manual you can probably download one.


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## Sawkerf (Dec 31, 2009)

The first thing you need to check (and maybe adjust) is if the blade (at full height) is parallel with the miter slot. On a saw with two miter slots, I use the right one as my base reference. Sometimes, the miter slots aren't parallel with one another.

If adjustment is needed, you'll need to move the trunnion to dial it in. Your owners manual should tell you how to do that, but it usually involves loosening four bolts, adjusting the trunnion and blade, then tightening the bolts. Take your time with the tightening - the trunnion sometimes wants to move a bit as the bolts tighten up.

After that, you need to get your blade perpendicular to the table. Raise your blade to full height and use a good square. I usually use a draftsmans triangle.

The last adjustment sets the fence parallel to the blade. Again, see your owners manual. Some folks like to leave the fence a few thousandths wider at the back of the blade so the workpiece doesn't bind up as it passes between the blade and fence. I shoot for dead on parallel, but never leave the fence closer at the back than the front. I use a 24" level for this part. Having 24" between my measuring points shows errors more easily than only having 10" between them.

When all that is done, you're saw should be dialed in just right.


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

First things first. Tomorrow I will try and download a manual. I need to replace the blade so when I do that I will try some of the suggestions above.

The board I cut was about 6" wide. I Cut about 1/2" off. Then I took the board and put that cut edge on the fence, adjusted my fence and cut another 1/2" off. The board was about 14" long and I measured the width of it on both ends. It was almost 3/16" off. I thought that was pretty significant.

I got the table from a friend. He lives an hour away or I'd have him come over and check it out and help me out. I had to take the blade guard off. I was going to while I made my cc sled but I also had to because the rear of it was closer to the fence and it was causing the wood not to push through easily and was leaving burn marks on the wood. It's just a cheap blade. No carbide and maybe 40 tooth (???). I bought some new blades.

I also have used a square and the blade is square (90 degrees) to the table itself.

Thanks for the tips so far. LOL… and Jim….don't tempt me. I love visiting workshops and hanging out. You learn so much.

Here's a pic of my table saw.


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## Tomj (Nov 18, 2011)

Downloading the manual should be the best way. I've had one of these Craftsman potables like allot of people and usually you have to loosen the trunnion bolts with an allen/hex key which the manual will say is at the front and back of the motor just beneath the table top. Of course it's not always that simple. These trunnions which hold the motor assembly to the table have two bolts on each of them located on each side (front/back of table) that you adjust to move the blade left or right in order to align the blade with the miter slot and then the fence to the miter slot. Definitely read the manual and good luck.


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## Joshuah (Jan 10, 2011)

First thing I did when I got my new table saw I went onto the woodwhisperer. He has a great video on how to set up a new TS. A good watch and time well worth it.


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## boxcarmarty (Dec 9, 2011)

Angie, That fence should have an adjustment on the far side to parallel it with the blade. Make sure it is true so you don't have any resistance that could cause a kickback. Also it looks like you have the splitter on there. Make sure it is true as well. After adjusting those, recut your board and check it…..


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## dnick (Nov 17, 2011)

3/16" on a 14" cut is more than significant. You said you were cutting a runner. Do you mean for the miter gauge slot? I urge you, if it's within your budget to use an Incra adjustable miter runner, or something like it,you should do it. I used a wood runner on a couple of jigs, & everytime the weather was humid or damp, I could'nt use the thing because the runner expanded. If you can swing it, that miter slot runner (not wood) will save you a lot of frustration. Good luck to you.


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## Tenfingers58 (Jan 25, 2011)

I agree that wood runners have their problems with humidity, but to me Incra wants too much money. You can make runners out of plastic or metal, and they won't have the swelling problems that wood does.

If you don't have someone nearby to cut them for you, Rockler used to sell plastic (UHMW) already cut. They may still, I don't know they closed the store near me and I like to deal with real stores not the internet.

If you can source the plastic, you can trim it to width on your router table. Put the fence the required distance behind the cutter, and push the piece from left to right so you are not "climb cutting". Use push sticks to keep your fingers safe.

It's hard to use your tools if your fingers aren't attached


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## toeachhisown (Eddie) (Mar 30, 2011)

welcome to lumberjocks , this may help 





this is good too


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## toolie (Mar 16, 2011)

eddie….....i just can't take that guy charlie whatever-his-name-is and that "awe shucks" down home good ole boy act of his. and joshuah, if you're talikng about the cabinet saw tune up on the WW website, that saw has very little in common with the direct drive saw of the OP. in terms of principles, try this video series:

http://www.newwoodworker.com/basic/tsalign.html

i have one of the saws like the OP's that i use for onsite work when friends need a hand. i learned long ago not to trust any one else's tools but my own. it can be made serviceable but the method of performing the adjustments has little in common with a traditional contractor, hybrid or cabinet saw.

IMHO, the OP should learn what types of adjustments are critical to the safe and accuarate operation of her saw and then consult the owners manual for how to effect those adjustments. good luck.


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

I posted this on another thread as well but I thought I'd share it here too. I finally got my TS adjusted. Easier than i anticipated. DH got home and put my new blade on. Did some test cuts and it's great!

So here's a new question for you. The TS cuts SOOOOOOO much better. Not just straight… but just cuts through the wood so nice. It's great. I thought the old blade was maybe really old and not very many teeth. But when I took it off it said it was an Irwin and 80T. But it doesn't have any carbide on it.

Here's what it looked like….



























So… is this blade ready for the garbage dump or does it need to be cleaned up and sharpened?


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## higtron (Jan 26, 2011)

yes


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

Yes to dump or yes to clean up?


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## tierraverde (Dec 1, 2009)

Dump it and don't look back. It's junk.
ALWAYS use a carbide blade.
I doubt they even sell blades that are not carbide tipped today.


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## Blackie_ (Jul 10, 2011)

Angie sorry I'm late to the party but looks like you got things on the right track, as for as this picture of your blade goes, I'd say it looks well used, you can get by with a 60T that's what I use and stay within your budget you'll do just fine, you don't really need an 80 theeth, the way it works is the more teeth you have on a blade the finer the cut and finish but a slower feed rate the fewer teeth are considered rip or carpenter blades meaning a rougher cut but they cut faster.


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

I have no attachment to that blade. I thought it was junk. But before I threw it away I wanted to make ure. I bought two replacement blades for my TS. Both carbide. One is 60 and the other is 24. It was a package deal Irwin I have the 60 on and unlike the way it cuts. Makes a huge difference.

Its almost 11:15 here and I've been out working on my sled. Need to get some wax today and I'm almost done. The next one I build will go so much faster. Learned a lot making it. But it's already HOT HOT HOT here. It's 85 now and supposed to get to 95. But even in the shade it's burning me up. We have a very humid heat here in the Ohio Valley. Ugh!


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## toolie (Mar 16, 2011)

angie…..i'd keep that old non-carbide irwin blade for when you might have to cut into some questionable material and don't want to risk one of your better blades. just my $.02.


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## tierraverde (Dec 1, 2009)

I wouldn't keep it. Blades like that have a tendency to bind, burn and create havoc.
It's like a dull knife…......much more dangerous than a sharp one.
You can buy crappy blades that are at least sharp for $10.00
Don't risk it.


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## BLarge (Aug 29, 2011)

Angie,

Keep that blade, hang it on the wall, you have won worst looking TS blade ever award… LOL

Get some fresh steel on that arbor, you and you TS will be in love with each other…. Smooch-smooch


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

BLarge… Lol. I just may do that.

I did buy a second blade for stand by. Or stuff I didn't want to use my good blade on.

That old blade did burn the wood. I got my TS home, wa super excited and it was horrible.


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## lumberjoe (Mar 30, 2012)

I made a clock for my shop using the 40 tooth crap blade that came with my table saw. It looks pretty cool


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## Tenfingers58 (Jan 25, 2011)

Angie,

I'd keep it, clean and sharpen it. Then see how it cuts. If it cuts OK you have a spare to cut questionable materials. If not then you know it was the blade and not the saw. I have a non carbide tipped blade that I use occasionally to cut a thinner slot than I can cut with my "narrow kerf" blade. I don't use it much, but it's there when I need it.

Most of the time it does "clock duty", it hangs on the wall with a battery powered clock movement in it. Always ready to be taken down and used if needed.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

It is junk, get good blade, it is worth it, after all the blade is what actually cuts the wood.


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