Thread: Tuning a tablesaw - how close is close enough?

If those reading are referenced to the table then as others have said, it’s fine. I mainly just use a square and it works out fine.

Originally Posted by Lappa

If those reading are referenced to the table then as others have said, it’s fine. I mainly just use a square and it works out fine.

Yeah, I see no gaps when using my square against the table and blade, but given it's so hard to set an accurate angle on this saw given the way you have to dial it in, I wasn't sure if I was being too pedantic, which based on the advice I'm receiving, it seems to be the case.

I suppose that happens when you spend every night watching woodworkers on YT dialling their professional saws into all kinds of angles with ease.

Originally Posted by Mark_K

I've done this. I've used the square against the table and the face of the blade to reference a 90, but figured a digital gauge in addition to that would be more accurate.

My issue was I couldn't dial the saw into exactly 90 on the gauge and was coming into at 89.95-89.97, and was wondering if that was going to be an issue.

Elan's method is the correct way to set the saw blade square to the table surface. The digital gauge can also be used IF referenced and zeroed to the table surface first.

As for the "89.95-89.97" I think you are being very pedantic chasing the last few 100th's of a degree. You are talking less than 0.2mm (0.05 degree) on a 200mm cut. Seeing that most table saws depth of cut is about 90mm its insignificant & I doubt that you can control the timber that accurately going through the saw anyway.

On another point, digital instruments have a minimum resolution of their sensors & unless you have purchased a very high end reference instrument its probably at its limits anyway.

plus, crank it to 90* then 45* a hundred times and see what the 90* measurement average comes back at then

Forget the digital gauge.

Take a piece of hardwood timber that has been through a thicknesser about 19 or 20 mm thick and about 75 to 100 mm wide. Use your miter gauge and cut the timber into a left piece and right piece.

Get down with your eyes level with the table. Roll the left piece 180° and slide it into contact with the right piece. How well do these pieces mate up? Your eyes will tell you if you are close enough.

If you are trying to apply metal working experience toward setting up wood working machines, don't. Wood working machines are not designed with the precision of metal working machines. Most woodworking machines are intended to be set up using the measuring tools that are commonly used in woodworking.

Originally Posted by rrich

Forget the digital gauge.

Take a piece of hardwood timber that has been through a thicknesser about 19 or 20 mm thick and about 75 to 100 mm wide. Use your miter gauge and cut the timber into a left piece and right piece.

Get down with your eyes level with the table. Roll the left piece 180° and slide it into contact with the right piece. How well do these pieces mate up? Your eyes will tell you if you are close enough.

If you are trying to apply metal working experience toward setting up wood working machines, don't. Wood working machines are not designed with the precision of metal working machines. Most woodworking machines are intended to be set up using the measuring tools that are commonly used in woodworking.

This is a technique I was thinking about doing (I didn't the other day as I was tuning my saw late the other night to be ready for work on Sat morning).

I'll give this a go and see how it turns out. If I see minimal/no gaps I'll be happy.