If you don’t know how to align Table Saw Blade, read this blog very carefully because you can easily align the Bable Saw Blade after reading this blog.
How To Align Table Saw Blade?
Table saws are great tools for high-accuracy joints. However, the most common frequent cause of joint failure is misaligned table saw blades. It is possible to align a table saw blade by eye if it is only slightly out. However, more typically, the table saw will require some form of adjustment to get accurate results.
A table saw is a great way to make straight cuts on large boards, but it can’t be used to crosscut wood that has already been cut into smaller pieces with a miter box or circular saw. The cast-iron trunnion assembly provides support and alignment, so the motor shaft runs precisely parallel with blades at 90-degree angles in both directions when in use.
Cast iron weights are heavy, thus making it is located to help counterbalance the importance of the blade. The trunnion assembly is fastened to a steel motor plate mounted to facilitate belt changes and proper alignment easily. Read more here How to clean a table saw blade.
Steps for Aligning Table Saw Blade:
Remove saw blade guard assembly hooking it on a motor plate or mounting hardware. This may be awkward depending on your model, but get used to doing this several times to get it right. You will save yourself time later when making multiple cuts with clean setup steps. I find that inserting my left hand into the front opening then pulling outwards while my right-hand does the same, but from underneath works best for me considering I am right-handed.
At this point, you can unplug the saw and remove the nut that holds the blade in place with a 5/16-inch socket wrench and wobble extension.
Remove blade, insert small straightedge into gullet against the side of teeth, then sight across the edge to see if it is genuinely straight or not. If alignment is needed, use adjustment screws underneath the motor plate secured with 1/4-20 nuts. You will adjust one screw at a time by placing your feeler gauge at an approximate opening between neighboring teeth from a straight edge.
Note:
For fine adjustments, I found using tweezers to hold the screw while tightening the nut made things easier for me considering how awkward it was to get a hand in position compared to the final look when finished.
If the blade is severely misaligned, remove the motor plate by removing bolts on both sides of the trunnion assembly with a 1/4-inch wrench. Read more here How to change blade without a wrench.
Locate a small set screw located in the center of adjustment screws, referring to the owner’s manual for location if you are unsure where it is. This will be done while the motor plate is removed. Use a 5/64 Allen wrench (usually included in the owner manual) and turn clockwise until tight, then counter-clockwise about 1/2 to 3/4 of a turn.
Note:
This “feels” wrong, but I assure you it works fine considering an Allen wrench can only go so far before stripping occurs, which doesn’t matter because your blade alignment will still be off.
Replace motor plate on trunnion assembly and reattach mounting hardware securing 1/4-20 nuts.
Using the same straightedge placed against the gullet of the blade, check to make sure there is no longer any adjustment needed by adjusting the set screw. If still misaligned, repeat steps 3-5 until so.
Note:
If your blade is severely misaligned, you may have to remove the motor plate again.
Reinstall saw blade guard assembly making sure hook portion engages top edge of the motor plate or mounting hardware, which should take a good amount of pressure if correctly aligned. At this point, I only put hand pressure because I find it’s easier, but once it’s secure, go ahead and tighten down screws that hold the armrest in place.
Test for alignment by making sure the blade runs parallel with the fence when the fence is adjusted to your desired set, of course. Read more here How to change craftsman table saw blade.
If still misaligned, consider sending in or taking it to a service center if you can’t fix problems yourself, or do what I did and make a post on one of the many DIY sites asking for help from someone who knows what they are doing.
Conclusion
The table saw blade is the most important part of aligning your tool. It can be challenging to find a straight line, but if you use these tools and follow our steps closely, it should become much more accessible. With time and practice, this process will feel natural for you! We hope that this article has helped you understand how to correctly align your table saw blade so that you are ready to start making perfect cuts every single time.
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