Thread: Help setting up table saw

I've had this table saw for over a year now, and have just gotten to setting it up. When I first received it, it was the first time I ever saw a table saw in my life, and I had no idea I even had to set it up, much less how to do it.

During this year, I've used it on a number of projects and it served me well, although I've definitely had issues with accuracy. Probably in part because of my lack of skill, but also because it was never properly set up.

So, the other day I bought a proper straight edge (after finally learning that a level is not good enough) and the iGage Digi-Align, which is a digital version of dial indicator (in photos below).

I've followed the instructions that came with the instrument to set everything up, and these are the measurements:

- Arbor runout: -0.003"
- Blade flatness: -0.002" - +0.003"
- Miter slot parallelness to the blade: -0.009" (left slot); -0.0085" (right slot)
- Fence: Here I took a number of measurements while sliding the fence left and right. All measurements from the left miter slot:
- 0.0085"
- 0.017"
- 0.0055"
- 0.0075"
- 0.013"
- you can see some of the measurements are considerably larger than others. There seems to be a spot along the fence track where this happens, but I can't see anything that's causing it. The table length front to back is 65cm.
- the fence also moves very slightly when locking
- Table itself: Unfortunately, this is where the biggest problem is, and it's hardest to fix. Including some photos for clarification. I don't have feeler gauges to measure precisely, but basically this is what I'm seeing:
- Left extension wing: has a belly going down in the middle (front to back), about paper thickness
- Main table, left of saw: has a belly going up, also along front to back, similarly about paper thickness. If I press the straight edge to one side, I get about double paper thickness space on the other. Right from the blade, the belly goes down. On the other axis, it seems to slant from right to left, a straight edge across the table left to right shows the drop on the left side of the blade that's quite big, probably ~1mm
- Right extension wing: Has a belly in the same shape as the main table so they are aligned, about paper thickness


Now, going from the directions supplied with the instrument, I need to align the table better to the blade (to get to 0.005"), and the fence is more or less ok. Does that sound correct?

With regard to the table, the manual just says that the table needs to be flat and if there is any warping it can't be adjusted but needs to be fixed first. It doesn't say how much is too much or how to "fix" it. Is my table too warped? What are my options?

During my work, I also noticed the riving knife seems to be a bit out of line with the blade, causing the stock to veer off to the left as I'm cutting. At lest I think it's the riving knife's fault. How is this set up?

For what it's worth, the table saw in question is Hafco ST254.


That's a lot of questions! Any help appreciated

Right side of extension wing seems fine:
IMG_20181023_190726.jpg
On the left side of it there's a bit of a belly going down:
IMG_20181023_190820.jpgIMG_20181023_190844.jpg
To the left of the blade there's a belly going up:
IMG_20181023_195508.jpgIMG_20181023_195543.jpgIMG_20181023_195605.jpg
And then the left side of the wing has it going down:
IMG_20181023_195609.jpg

Across the table, there's a fairly big slant:
IMG_20181023_195718.jpgIMG_20181023_195721.jpg

This is how I was measuring arbor runout and blade flatness:
IMG_20181023_200821.jpgIMG_20181023_201259.jpg