MBS-300 Sliding table attachment

[kramer]

Hi,I have owned an MBS-300 table saw for a few years now and after the Melb Woodworking show purchased the sliding table for it.
I am having some problem getting it to cut totally square and whilst it is close i think it could be better.
( What kind of accuracy should i be aiming for?)
Does anybody have any tips that may help...am i suppossed to use any shims?? and if so do i use them between where the long bar bolts to the table saw or between where the fence bolts to its sliding table....i can get pretty good results doing the latter of these 2 but i'm not certain this is what im meant to be doing, so any other users experience would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance......

[MajorPanic]

I've got a saw very similar to the MBS-300. I've had it for about 8-9 years & I use shims to align the main bar (only shim the main bar!).
First off you need to make sure that the blade is EXACTLY parallel to the miter gauge slots in the table.
From there you can work on the arc of the sliding table (does it go up/down during it's full travel?)
Once you have the arc under control you can then work on the parallel travel of the sliding part. I used shims where ths bar mounts to the table.

Hope this helps

[kramer]

Thanks for the reply majorpanic...The advice is very useful as it reinforces what i was thinking, that shims should go between the main bar and the table an not between the fence and the sliding table.....ill need to recheck the arc of the swinging arm as well..once again thank you

[Groggy]

Thanks for the reply majorpanic...The advice is very useful as it reinforces what i was thinking, that shims should go between the main bar and the table an not between the fence and the sliding table.....ill need to recheck the arc of the swinging arm as well..once again thank youkramer, I have a TC-12 with the sliding table (same thing as the MBS unit). When I set up the machine I used a machinists level to get the saw level. Then I levelled the bar by tapping the sliding bar mounting blocks.

To ensure the travel of the bar was exactly parallel to the mitre slots, I cut a number of shims out of coke can material, then got a dial guage to measure the variance between the end of the fence and the mitre slot. I got lucky and found I had a maximum of about three thou, so I ditched the shims.

[Simomatra]

Hi Kramer

The way to go is as Groggy and the Major have said, it was aslow drawn out process for me. The guy who delivered the gear said to make sure the sliding table was parallel to the the blade first then get the height adjustmanet on the cams.

An accurate long straight edge and feeler gauges was what I used

Hope this is of some asistance as the supplied manual was useless

Cheers Sam

[kramer]

once again thanks to all for your help it is greatly appreciated....tho i do have one more question....where do i position the fence ..it how far away from the blade do i position the fence... as it is able to be moved along iwas wondering where you guys have positioned it..i am thinking to the left of the mitre slot and then allow a known offset which i can then add to the fence measurement...not sure if this is correct..but i guess thats why im asking......thanks again

[MajorPanic]

....where do i position the fence ..it how far away from the blade do i position the fence... as it is able to be moved along iwas wondering where you guys have positioned it..i am thinking to the left of the mitre slot and then allow a known offset which i can then add to the fence measurement...not sure if this is correct..but i guess thats why im asking......thanks again

I have my fence 2mm to the left of the blade.
Cut a piece of timber & measure it ACCURATLEY. Set the stop to the measurement. Insert the timber & adjust the fence so the teeth of the blade just make contact with the sawn face of the timber.
The fence should now be set! ;) :D :D