Thread: KS-12K progress report.

Two table inserts are provided. No mention of this is made in the documentation, but the second one I am guessing is for the dado blades. Maximum size is 6" blade with a width of 9/16". Wobble type blades are not recommended as they are too wide to fit on the saw arbor safely. At this stage I have only fitted the standard insert, and this needed to be filed back to fit in the slot. Have not checked the dado insert for size yet.

Can't say that I am impressed with the fitting of the blade guard and splitter. Fitting is straight forward - adjusting to line it up with the blade is a nightmare. I have tried for several hours now with no success. The splitter/guard mount has two slots about 25mm apart that slip over two bolts on adjustable brackets that slide on a rod that protrudes from the back of the machine. The only way to adjust the alignment is via selecting where in a group of 5 washers on the bolt you will slip the splitter/guard mount. No matter where I place the mount it remains at a slight angle to saw blade.

The blade is quite easy to fit/change and would not deter me from changing it on a regular basis for different types of blades.

With the combinatin blade (CMT 294-054-12M) fitted a crosscut test was carried out on a piece of 30mm x 25mm mountain ash. Nice clean cut.
Then carried out a rip cut on same size timber. Beautiful until the splitter got into the act. But before that, very smooth. Then ripped a piece of radiata pine, about 50mm thick. Another very smooth cut until the splitter was reached.

I will be installing the saw on a mobile base. This should be delivered by Wednesday.

Summary. I believe that is going to be a very good saw if I can sort out the splitter alignment problem.

Thanks for the comprehensive report. I'm sure your experiences will be drawn upon in the future by other owners. Keep us up to date with the splitter issue.

Still having no luck with the splitter.Have spent many hours with no success. A search of the net looking at other saws in the U.S and UK reveals that no other saw that I have located uses this type of support. I can almost get is set up right by introducing other (thinner) washers to fine tune the positioning. Can I assume that all other KS-12K users do not have this problem, and more importantly are using the splitter.

Bob

Bob

Mine was the same. Careful selection of a few washers to space the slitter and guard is required. You should really only have to it once.

I bought my tablesaw about 8 or so years ago. It was all I could afford, or justify, at the time. The Carba-tec was (and still is) great value-for-money. However the finish is not at good at the Deltas and Jets. You get what you pay for. So consider that the saw is still a bit of a kit, and that there are parts that require fine tuning, parts that the Jet would have fine tuned in the factory set up. The splitter is a case in point.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Bob,
I had the same problem with my splitter. Fine tuning with some washers fixed the problem. I am still not totally happy with it. Wayne Davies has sorted this out really well, check out his site http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/~waynedavy/. I intend doing his mod when I get some time.
Good luck with your new toy.
Regards Vasco

Vasco,
Thanks for reminding me it is a new TOY. I have a 4 year old grand son who comes into the workshop and asks,"Pa, how is your new toy".

Bob

PS He is not allowed in the shop when the TOYS are in use.

I removed the splitter on my saw, I found that even once you set it up correctly it moves after a while and that's worse that no splitter.
The number of times I was riping and the wood hit the splitter and wouldn't go further :mad: :mad:
What really inetersted me at the wood show was the splitter that attaches to the insert, sound's like a good idea and it won't move.

Cheers

Nic

Have now worked out why I am going round in circles. With the blade at max height, all can be lined up and works fine. Lower the blade to about 30mm above the table and the back end (nearest the splitter) has moved to the right by just over 1mm. Thus making it out of line with the splitter. No setup for this in the manual. Unless the forum has a suggestion, it looks like back to Carba-Tec.

Bob

Ah yes the KS 12 K. Looks good hey? 12" saw at sub $1K, next step up from a triton, should do the job expected very nicely don’t you think? Compact yet versatile. Sound familiar? Feel like you’ve got a lemon? Don’t despair, as you’re not alone! I too purchased this little beauty from Carba Tec thinking I had found the perfect compromise of size, price and features, but I was so wrong!

Yes, the arbour moves to the right when raising the blade then to the left when lowering the blade. This is exacerbated when you get to the stops. Why is this so? Because the castings flex.

Have you noticed how your adjustments change when you tighten the locking knobs?

Is your table flat? Mine resembles a banana! Can’t cut square if the table isn’t flat, not to mention the chatter.

Have you also noticed the groove cut in the spindle where the blade goes up against the inner flange? Well the blade drops into this groove so it doesn’t run true and is out of balance.

And the splitter? What a great piece of engineering that is!
About the only thing I like about this table saw is the fence, it clamps both front and back therefore no movement. I overlooked the fact that one of the bolt holes thread was stripped.

I have spent considerable time trying to tune this saw but I have only one remedy for it……..it’s going back to Carba-Tec and I’m upgrading! That is of course when they actually have stock!

Same old story, you only get what you pay for.

Well my KS-12K is back with Carba-Tec after contacting them re my above experience. Whilst I can not complain with the good intentions of the people I am dealing with, I don't believe they understand what they are getting into. They have contacted Brisbane for assistance, but they are not of much help at this stage. I am disappointed not only with the problem with the saw, but it was during an enquiry about another saw that it was suggested that I look at the KS-12K. Being the suspicious individual that I am, I can only wonder if recommendations are made on current stock levels. I really must stop thinking like this

Peter T, you mentioned the blade sliping into a grove on the spindle. My blade has a 30mmm hole, and the arbor is 5/8", causing me to use a bush. With the bush installed my blade did not appear to move. Is yours a similar situation. Also, what upgrade are you considering.

Hmmm... maybe I got a lemon,

I set mine up once and it's stayed that way.
However I will be changing the splitter to the design that Wayne Davy came up with when I have some time only because I think it's a better design.

Bob it is a good saw once it is set up right.

Himzo.

Ditto

No, that's is not quite truthful. Mine does need to be retuned. The sliding table is cutting 1mm out of square over a 3m length But it is 7 years since I last made any adsjustments. And to be fair, I have it on wheels and bump-push it around the workshop. Guess I also got a lemon. Damn!

Regards from Perth

Derek

I am encouraged by the positive feedback. Maybe Carba-Tec will swap mine out for a lemon also . Except for the movement described earlier as the blade is being raised/lowered, I would not have a problem. As mentioned in the earlier post, this movement affects the alignment with the splitter. Now we are all using our splitter arn't we

Bob

Now we are all using our splitter arn't we

Bob,

I am, It did take some stuffing around to get it right. As Derek said "carefull selection of a few washers".

I have to admit that I do most of my cutting with the blade fully up, but have had no problems when I needed to lower it either.

As I said I will be swapping this out for the rivving knife designed by Wayne, only because I feel it's a better design. I also will be wanting to replace the guard for one that has a DC attachment.

Himzo.