Table saw top out of true

[old_picker]

The benchtop table saw I recently purchased has a problem and am wondering if any one might care to comment. The issue I have is with the aluminium table being curved from front to back the full length of the table. It is around the 14 thou mark at its worse and is a reasonably consistent curve from end to end. I looked at another one [same model] hoping for an exchange but it was worse. To get a good flat top in the price range I need to go to a much larger unit with a ground cast iron top.. It would grab a huge chunk of floor space in my rather small workshop and also impossibly heavy. I have looked at many saws and out of all of them I thought this porter cable all round had overall the best features, quality and suited better than any others. Except of course for the warped top.


I make electric guitars here and need very accurate cuts especially when cutting scarf joints for necks, mitre cuts, and ripping small stock.

A table saw is not a tool I would use frequently and a bandsaw would get more all round use but gives nowhere near the accuracy of a table saw. Ideally I need both but I get one saw only this year.

I would appreciate a bit of advice or comment from anyone to help me decide wether to keep it with its warped top, go for a bigger unit or get a bandsaw. Other guitar makers reckon go for a band saw but I felt a table saw would be a lot more accurate for ripping short boards and making jigs etc. A decent 14" band saw would prolly be used more all round and is a much safer tool. I have heard some pretty scary stuff about tablesaws.

[Wongo]

Sorry to hear about your problem mate. I was surprised because Portable Cable is a reliable brand. Do you want to give Makita and Bosch a go? I think the Makita is around $1200 and the Bosch is under $1000.

Good luck mate.

[dazzler]

Hi oldpicker

Can you afford to lose some cutting depth?

If so what about a piece of 19 or 25mm MDF. As long as its dead flat, and you can sort through the pack to get a good one, you could use it.

encase it with hardwood edges, fiish it danish oil to seal, or even put lamipanel on both sides, and place it over the top when you need the really flat surface.:)

Sort of a router top for the saw.:confused:

And you will have a built in zero clearance insert?:D

Gosh Im clever sometimes:p

dazzler

[Wongo]

And how is the fence going to work when the table surface is 2cm higher, clever click?:D

[durwood]

how much thickness has the table got?

If taking the 14 thou off it would still leave you with a top that wasn't so weak it was going to just dip again when you put any pressure on it why not check out getting it machined flat.

A engine reconditioner or machine shop could mill it flat in a couple of minutes. Have had several things done but I have a mate close by who does this stuff.

A reasonable business should not charge you much to do it. could be cheapest way out as you obviously have thought about other possibilities.

[dazzler]

And how is the fence going to work when the table surface is 2cm higher, clever click?:D



With a home built fence that runs in some of these;

http://www.woodworksupplies.com.au/category1_1.htm

Sheeeeeeeesh! Do I gotta do the lot!;)

cheers

dazzler

[Wongo]

Mate he paid $900 for a new saw and you are offering him the Triton fix.

The point is he shouldn’t have to fix it. Anyway, he got his money back.

[old_picker]

how much thickness has the table got?

If taking the 14 thou off it would still leave you with a top that wasn't so weak it was going to just dip again when you put any pressure on it why not check out getting it machined flat.

A engine reconditioner or machine shop could mill it flat in a couple of minutes. Have had several things done but I have a mate close by who does this stuff.

A reasonable business should not charge you much to do it. could be cheapest way out as you obviously have thought about other possibilities.

It is a fairly light top and i figure that is why it has warped on both machines I looked at. I would imagine machining it could open up a real can of worms. The porter cable spec is the same as delta BTW 15 thou.


I think the Makita is around $1200 and the Bosch is under $1000.

I looked at Makita and thought it was cheesy. The fence didnt lock down on the outfeed side either. I can't really stretch to a 1200.00 bosch.

At this stage I am tossing up wether to keep it or exchange it for a decent 14" band saw.

[woodbe]

So which bandsaw are you going to buy?

I think a jointer is considered pretty hazardous too. Any machine can be dangerous, but the edge velocity of the exposed tablesaw blade commands respect.

woodbe.

[Wongo]

2 more

DeWalt $999
Elektra Beckum $890

http://www.justtools.com.au/category83_1.htm

[old_picker]

one of these 3:

http://www.carbatec.com.au/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=180_320_490_520
http://www.carbatec.com.au/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=180_320_490_19176
http://www.carbatec.com.au/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=180_320_490_19205

If i go that path. I may well keep the tablesaw.

[MICKYG]

rayc,

Have you thought about cutting all your pockets for picups and neck pockets with a few templates and a good router, I have made a few for this very purpose out of clear acrylic scrap and is easy to do. You would expect a new tablesaw to be up to scratch, but 14 thou is not a lot in the wood work world but I understand you dilemma.


Regards Mike

[AlexS]

Is it possible to put shims under the table at appropriate places and pull it into plane? Just a thought.

[old_picker]

rayc,
but 14 thou is not a lot in the wood work world but I understand you dilemma.

got a router and templates and tolerances there are pretty small. With the table saw I guess I am expecting too much from a machine designed essentially as a framing saw.



Is it possible to put shims under the table at appropriate places and pull it into plane?
This is a possibility although at 1st glance it isn't as easy as it looks. Like someone else said at $900 I feel that it shouldn't need it. If the saw is to stay I will look at that more closely.

[China]

Old Picker
Take it back and tell them it's NBG, get your money back they used aluminuim for one reason it's cheaper for them to work with. Then go out and buy a "decent" bandsaw I know a lute maker, the only saw in his shop for the last 20 years has been a bandsaw set up properly a bandsaw will cut quite nicely

[China]

P S
Woodfast's new bandsaw is about to be released ( made in China ) but they assure me it is of good quality might be worth a look