Table Saw 101 - Help!

[javeryh]

I cannot make a square cut on my table saw to save my life.  Every panel I rip wants to move away from the fence by about 1/32" as I push the piece through.  I try to be very precise but it's just not working like I want it to.  Also, does anyone have any recommendations on what to use to keep the surface slick? 

[ScottS]

How do you know the piece wants to move away from the fence by 1/32"? Are you actually seeing this gap and measuring it? While the saw is cutting  Or are you measuring a 1/32" difference in the width after the cut has been made? If it's the latter, then I'll suggest you need to align the fence, miter slot, and blade to make sure they're all parallel to each other. If it's the former, then you may need to to push the piece against the fence at the same time you're pushing it through the blade. This often isn't obvious on shows like The New Yankee Workshop, but it's important both for accuracy and safety.

Tell us more about the problem: how wide are the pieces you're trying to cut? Are you using the fence? The miter gauge? Both? Tell us about your push stick, if you're using one.

FYI, most people use wax to keep the surface slick. There are other, more expensive, products you can buy but wax seems to work pretty well.

[javeryh]

I can see the wood move away from the fence as I'm pushing it through - I have been pushing against the fence as well as pressing down to hold the piece flat to the table but it's like I'm being forced to allow the wood to drift towards the blade and away from the fence.  I get the 1/32" measurement because that is approximately how much the cut deviates from the perpendicular line I draw on the piece.

I'm generally not using the mitre gauge for these cuts because I'm making a bookcase with 15"x32" sides which are fairly large so I'm using the fence exclusively.  I have a radial saw that will cut up to 12" in width so I do my crosscutting/mitre cuts there with no troubles at all.  I haven't been using a pushstick because I have no idea how I would hold the piece down as well as tight to the fence if I used the pushstick.  I'm paranoid though so my hands are nowhere near the blade and I check and recheck everything before even turning the saw on.

Norm makes it look so easy when he uses his table saw!  Getting my tools to cut things reliably square would really make my life easier.

[ChadTower]

Norm uses a board secured to the inside of the fence, with just enough clearance for the workpiece, to keep the piece from moving vertically.

[fixedpigs]

featherboards are your friends...!

[ScottS]

I can see the wood move away from the fence as I'm pushing it through - I have been pushing against the fence as well as pressing down to hold the piece flat to the table but it's like I'm being forced to allow the wood to drift towards the blade and away from the fence.  I get the 1/32" measurement because that is approximately how much the cut deviates from the perpendicular line I draw on the piece.

So, based on what you've just said, I'm wondering if you really have a problem...

Forgive me is this is entirely too basic, but: the only thing a rip cut does is ensure that the edge of the wood against the fence is parallel to the edge cut by the saw blade. If the edge against the fence isn't straight, even this may not happen! If the line you've drawn isn't referenced on either the fence edge or the cut edge, then it's entirely possible that the line isn't accurate!

I'd forget about the line and check to see if the fence is parallel to the blade. Check at both the front and back of the blade. If the fence and blade aren't parallel, adjust the fence so that it becomes parallel. To check the accuracy, grab a piece of scrap wood. Rip a bit of wood off one side, then flip the board 180 degrees (putting the edge you just cut against the fence) and rip a bit of wood off the opposite side. Then measure the width between the two cut edges at various points along the board. At this point, all the measurements should be identical. If they're not, you've still got a problem.

The other thing you might need to check for is deflection at the back of the fence. Perhaps you're pushing the wood against the fence too much and that's throwing it out of alignment. What type of saw are you using (benchtop, contractor's, cabinet)? What sort of fence does it have? Benchtop saws are notorious for having flimsy fences that deflect easily.

[javeryh]

Thanks Scott.  I think I will forget about the line I keep drawing on the work piece - I want to be able to trust my saw to make a square cut and get it to where I just make a tick mark on the work piece or better yet use the ruler on the bottom of the fence slide to measure things.

I'm using a Craftsman 10" Table Saw -
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=SEARS&sid=I0093600100004900085&pid=00922104000

It's pretty solid everywhere but the fence which seems a little flimsy - is it possible to replace it or install something a little more solid? 

I will try ripping a piece of scrap wood but in theory if everything is set up properly then once I turn the piece around to run it through on the other side I shouldn't be removing any more material, right?

[ChadTower]

You don't make the whole cut twice... you cut some from one side, then some from the other, and then measure for comparison.  To make sure the line is dead straight.

[ScottS]

I will try ripping a piece of scrap wood but in theory if everything is set up properly then once I turn the piece around to run it through on the other side I shouldn't be removing any more material, right?

I would make one cut and take, say, 1/8" off the first edge. Then move the fence over, and take an 1/8" cut off the opposite edge. Ideally, you want to remove material from the entire length of the board on both cuts. In theory, this should cause you to have two edges that are perfectly straight and parallel to each other.

If you look at the width indicated by the fence after the second cut, you can then compare it to the actual width of the board. Hopefully, they two widths are identical! If not, there's probably a way to adjust the pointer for the fence to make it match the actual width.

FYI, the Craftsman saw you linked to has received some pretty decent reviews from what I remember. At $265 it's an absolute steal and probably should be posted in the price watch thread! I don't remember reading any specific complaints about the fence. If it seems like it doesn't lock down solidly, you might look at your owner's manual and see if there's any way to adjust it. You could also buy a replacement fence (e.g. Biesemeyer), though it's probably not necessary.

[fixedpigs]

FYI, the Craftsman saw you linked to has received some pretty decent reviews from what I remember. At $265 it's an absolute steal and probably should be posted in the price watch thread!

i believe this is online only...and there is no local pick up...$215 shipping makes it not such a steal...

[ScottS]

i believe this is online only...and there is no local pick up...$215 shipping makes it not such a steal...

Ah, you're right. I just assumed you could pick it up locally like virtually everything else they sell... 

[NiteWalker]

I'm using a Craftsman 10" Table Saw -
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=SEARS&sid=I0093600100004900085&pid=00922104000

It's pretty solid everywhere but the fence which seems a little flimsy - is it possible to replace it or install something a little more solid? 

That's a very nice saw. For the fence, it can be replaced. If you don't want to spend a ton on a bies fence ( a great fence btw), the Delta T2 fence is great for the money. It's the fence on my tablesaw and it always locks down parallel to the blade. Adjusting it is easy, and the scale is very accurate as well once set correctly.

The real issue may be with alignment though. The general procedure is to align the blades 45 and 90 blade tilt stops first, making sure that when the blade wheel hits the stop on the inside of the saw the blade is a true 90 degrees to the table.

Next you'd want to align the blade so it's parallel to the left miter slot. Then align the fence so it's parallel to the blade. All your cuts after should be good. Also, make sure a splitter is in place. It keeps the blade from touching the back of the cut piece and avoids kickback. Aligned properly the splitter can also act as a featherboard keeping the stock against the fence.

If you haven't already done so, take a good long look at Kelly Mehler's The Tablesaw Book and it's companion video. Both are excellent and cheap tablesaw resources.