Thread: Just bought a MJ2325B 2nd hand and need some help

I have an MJ2325B , boughtnew from Carba-Tec, and I've had no problem with either height or angle adjustment. Perhaps a silly question, but have you checked that the height adjustment lock/wedge lever has been flicked to the left, that is disengaged? My blade rises to a height of 73mm at 90º. That's not the 77mm, which I seem to recall is claimed for the MJ2325b, but then my current blade is not the full 254mm - it's more like 252mm. I agree the Manual that comes with the MJ2325B is next to totally useless and gives no detail of the workings inside the cabinet, nor any detail about maintenance or adjustments.

I'm not certain, but I think there's a removable inspection/maintenance hatch cover on the right hand side of the cabinet, just behind and above the Angle adjustment wheel. If so, this would allow a good visual inspection of the full height/angle adjustment mechanism, which may reveal the problem and allow correction.

My major problem with the MJ2325B is the 'sloppy' fence alignment mechanism. While I very much like the micro adjustor on the fence, for moving the fence ± an mm or less, The fence lock mechanism does not pull the fence into parallel alignment with the blade. It can often measure up to a 2mm difference between the front and rear ends of the fence after the lock is engaged. the only remedy is to continually make measurements, and fine adjustments, at the front and the rear of the Table to get the fence acceptably close to parallel with the blade. I reckon that when the rest of the machine is reasonably good in every other way for its price, it's extremely frustrating to be forced to deal with this bit of sloppy design. I mean, what's a fence for, other than to be and to stay, after proper adjustment, parallel with the blade?

John

Hi John I have the same saw and was also frustrated with the fence being continually out of adjustment. So I built a copy of the bessemer style fence works a treat, just do search for details a few people have already done it before me very easy

Originally Posted by Jerryj

Hi John I have the same saw and was also frustrated with the fence being continually out of adjustment. So I built a copy of the style fence works a treat, just do search for details a few people have already done it before me very easy

G'day Jerry,
For approx $395 Carba-Tec can supply an after-market Biesemeyer style fence, but they say it would probably require drilling extra/new holes into the cast iron table top, and that sounds like a precision Engineers job to me. I was a little disappointed by the fuzzy vagueness of advice from the Staff at Carba-Tec about whether or not this after-market Biesemeyer fence would truly and accuratley fit the MJ2325B, and how exactly to proceed. I like the sound of your idea to build my own Biesemeyer fence, but an hour or so of searching in this Forum has not given me any joy. Any hints or clues on what key search words to use, other than "MJ2325B, Biesemeyer, Fence etc"? However, if this Biesemeyer clone involves welding or other metalwork shaping & cutting, then sadly it's not for me. Making sawdust and shavings is already at the extreme limit of my abilities! )

Thanks,
John

Hi John I am sure fitting the after market fence would be easy just go to carba tec and look at the saw with this type of fence they just bolt on no problem. I do not know how to post a link but do a search in table sawa & combinations for "jerry built fence clone" I have copied other peoples ideas, and yes welding and drilling is involved but not much, Cheers Jerry

Jerry built fence clone

"I also have the C'tec MJ2523B and up until now have only used it mainly for ripping, the height had never been to full as I only cut with the gullets showing, however, as some would know my RAS is still out of operation and I have made a sled for the MJ2523B and have been using it for a while - I did run into 1 little problem - the height raising wheel became very stiff at approx 3/4 height to the point it wouldn't budge. As I was now using a sled which decreased my height by approx 15mm I need all the height I could get.

To cut to the chase - the worm gear wheel had "rust welded" itself to the spacer behind it and onto the shaft on which it was supposed to rotate which then locked up onto the axle lock nut.

- took a bit to find the cause [especially on your hands and knees under the cast iron top, leaning into the cabinet and around the motor] - but once pulled apart and cleaned, greased it now works like it should have from new. The rusty bits appear to have been a "factory option" as the unit has done little work, never been exposed to water etc and this was the only place where there appears to be rust."

The above is a copy of a reply of mine from another thread - since then the RAS is back in order and the height problem I had has not resurfaced.

Originally Posted by Bob38S

"I also have the C'tec MJ2523B and up until now have only used it mainly for ripping, the height had never been to full as I only cut with the gullets showing, however, as some would know my RAS is still out of operation and I have made a sled for the MJ2523B and have been using it for a while - I did run into 1 little problem - the height raising wheel became very stiff at approx 3/4 height to the point it wouldn't budge. As I was now using a sled which decreased my height by approx 15mm I need all the height I could get.

To cut to the chase - the worm gear wheel had "rust welded" itself to the spacer behind it and onto the shaft on which it was supposed to rotate which then locked up onto the axle lock nut.

- took a bit to find the cause [especially on your hands and knees under the cast iron top, leaning into the cabinet and around the motor] - but once pulled apart and cleaned, greased it now works like it should have from new. The rusty bits appear to have been a "factory option" as the unit has done little work, never been exposed to water etc and this was the only place where there appears to be rust."

The above is a copy of a reply of mine from another thread - since then the RAS is back in order and the height problem I had has not resurfaced.

that was exactly what happened to mine but even after cleaning and greasing I had no joy, I have a new wormwheel on order from Carbatec which might come sometime in January.
If you look at the date of my original post and the date of this post then add 1 month you'll get an idea of how long it takes to get parts for your machine from Carbatec.

Originally Posted by missionaryman

that was exactly what happened to mine but even after cleaning and greasing I had no joy, I have a new wormwheel on order from Carbatec which might come sometime in January.
If you look at the date of my original post and the date of this post then add 1 month you'll get an idea of how long it takes to get parts for your machine from Carbatec.

Ouch!

Would not have thought that it took that long. Just check out the new part to ensure it didn't come over as deck cargo on a submarine.

Re the fence - mine is not all that brilliant but not that bad. I have found it useful to draw a Nikko pen line from the front to the back in line with the blade. When setting the fence I just check the distance front and back with an accurate steel ruler from the Nikko line to the fence to avoid problems. As this works quite well for me I may one day actually scratch a line on the cast iron top.

Hope it helps.

Let us know how you get on.

Regards,
Bob

I finally got my new worm wheel and fitted it and it all worked great for about 2 times, then the wheel got hard to turn and slipped again and now once again I need another worm wheel.
It's all freshly lubed with high quality grease, every individual component is moving freely but there must be something somewhere in its internal workings that"s either too tight or dry and needs lubing.
Does anyone know if there is a proper manual out for this machine anywhere that I can download? as usual the carbatec one is a was of paper?

You're not having a good run there MM.

Perhaps you should have a look at the Grizzly site, they have manuals for all their machnery and they are good. I'm sure you'll find the equivalent, or close, to your saw there.

Originally Posted by missionaryman

I finally got my new worm wheel and fitted it and it all worked great for about 2 times, then the wheel got hard to turn and slipped again and now once again I need another worm wheel.
It's all freshly lubed with high quality grease, every individual component is moving freely but there must be something somewhere in its internal workings that"s either too tight or dry and needs lubing.
Does anyone know if there is a proper manual out for this machine anywhere that I can download? as usual the carbatec one is a was of paper?

MM, I agree that the MJ2325B Manual is a total waste of paper and ink, made worse in my case as I'm sight-impaired and those who have tried to read me the manual cannot explain any of the diagrams that may or may not exist. Feeling through the opening in the front end of my MJ2325B I can feel that the lateral worm drive is totally dry, and thus worthy of a good Lube. But, none of my non woodworking family or friends can tell me how to get in there to access the full inner workings. A felow sight-impaired woodworker reckons that somewhere on the MJ2325B there is an inspection/maintenance hatch that can be relatively easily removed to gain internal access. Feeling around the base of the machine cabinet, it feels to me as if, from the front end of the machine, it may be on the right hand side of the cabinet, near to the angle adjustment wheel, and held in place by 6 screws. Can you tell me if this is correct? there's an exactly similar panel on the left hand side, but I don't imagine you could access much from this side.
Also, I wonder if you can tell me how to locate the arbour/trunion nuts, which I'm told are numbered D66 in the Manual, so that I may correctly align to parallel the blade to the mitre slot. My talking Mitutoyo Vernier tells me the blade is presently at 0.41mm from parallel. I'm guessing that they are accessed from this same inspection/maintenance panel on the right hand side of the cabinet. I certainly cannot feel any likely candidates as arbour/trunion nuts from the top blade surround plate.
Thanks,
John

BIG SHED: thanks I've had a look at Grizzly and they don't seem to have a similar machine, they're only full cabinet saw looks like a TSC-10HB, which I rally should have bought and maybe one day will

DADO: there are 2 identical inspection doors on either side of the machine held with 6 screws, the one on the right of the machine will allow access to the worm gear and worm wheel - give everything pertaining to those two a good lube and from the left you can get to the locking nut for the worm wheel, make sure it's not tight or your height adjustment will be unnecessarily tight and probably eventually fail.
As to the trunnions - I cant help you without a proper manual and knee re-constructions so I can get right in there, my knees dislocate when I kneel down too far.

Sorry to hear that you are still having problems - I can empathise re the waste of paper manual - often wonder how under duty of care and H&S how they can get away with providing so little. When I have approached companies in the past it seems to be a bit of a joke and justified with the response that this is what "they" all do.

Just running on memory - when you replaced the worm wheel did you also "fix" the locknut and spacer as it is sounding like the original problem is still there if it has again stuffed a worm wheel. To access the spacer and locknut it is done from the LHS of the machine as you view it from the front. You can get to the wheel from the RHS but to get to the back of it you need to get in through the LHS. I found that I had to "hold the motor up on a block of wood and an old car jack to remove and refit wheel. You are correct that there are inspection panels on both sides of the machine - it is easier to see and work on if both are removed.

Dado - With regards the blade to the mitre slots - D66 [there are 2 of these] are in fact blocks/plates which fasten the blade carriage to the underside of the top of the table - loosen slightly and tap the fixing [block of wood and mallet] until where you want it and then tighten - don't loosen too much as it may then move when you tighten it up. I had help form one of the forumites who also made a video of it and it should be in the video section - unfortunately, I have not been able to view it on my computer but from his instructions I managed to fix mine. Not an easy task as I have had a spinal problem and wear 1/2 reading glasses which obviously are used for looking down and not up.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Bob

There is an inspection panel that can be removed on both sides of the cabinet. They are held in place by six, philip head screws. This allows for complete inspection of the inside workings of the machine. My blade does rise to 77mm and is the blade that came with the saw from Carba-tec.
I also had problems with the fence and took it (the fence) back to Carba-tec and one of the guys there spent about half an hour adjusting the fence via the 4 grub screws near the handle of the fence. It is now much better aligned to the blade and does not move out when I lock the fence in position. If you play around with the adjustment, you should be able to align it to the blade.

If I had to find fault with the saw, it would be the fence that lets it down in my opinion.
I must admit that I tried the same TS in Carba-tec showroom and that fence was pretty much spot on. Good luck with yours.