Need help with a table saw...

[rwsmith]

The blade seems to be fine.....

Don't use Dull blades, they will smoke while forcing a cut.

Do not let the teeth of the blade "Pull" the wood into the cut.

Use the correct style blade and teeth number for the wood and cut to be made.

Good luck.

Like I said, it cuts like butter for the first foot or so. Then it binds up, and if I continue it starts to smoke. I'm very new at this. It's something I should have learned long ago. But I'm having a ball making stuff I can use.

Here are some near-field monitor stands that I just made. They are designed to be sonically neutral and at a precise height to put the speakers right at ear height for mixing recorded music. I was very careful, but still some boo boos crept in. I was glad to work all day in the garage to get out of the mess with our 'house guests' and their animals. (Four big dogs, 2 cats and 9 puppies. Thank goodness the puppies are gettng homes)

PS: I don't like the gloss black, gonna get some satin finish paint.

 

[Goldstar225]

If it were me, I'd first measure from the mitre groove to the front and back of the blade, making sure that you're measuring to the correct blade tooth(blades have both, left and right angled teeth).
Once you've confirmed that they are parallel, then when you're setting up your fence for your next cut, do the same measurement from the blade to the fence. Generally, when moving and locking down your fence, the end of the fence (away from the locking clamp) is about 1/16" off, which is very common.
If that doesn't solve the problem, remove the knife. They say that is a safety feature, but it's kinda like using a dull knife, the more you force it, the more you're likely to get hurt. My riving knife is in a cabinet somewhere.

Please read this^^^^^

Measuring from the blade to the fence will help but you should first insure that the blade is parallel to the mitre slot. Raise the blade fully and mark a tooth at the front, take a measurement. Rotate the blade so the same tooth is at the rear, measure again. I use a digital caliper. Once you adjust the blade for minimal alignment error you can then use the mitre slot to check for deflection of the fence at the front and rear of the table. I used to forgo the riving knife but now keep it installed after two kickbacks from warped wood engaging the back of the blade.

setting up table saw - Google Search

 

[Timothy2700]

SOMETHING is out of alingment ! I'm betting that your fence is not locking down evenly. Take a tri-square, lock the fence, then put the handle of the tri-square in the miter slot and extend the blade until it is snug against the fence. The slide the tri-square along the miter slot all the way down the fence. It should stay the same measurement all the way to the other end. The fence should have an adjustment on it if it needs it. Also, raise the blade all the way up and check the measurement from the blade to the fence on both the front and rear of the blade it has to be exact ! And make sure that the riving knife is installed properly. I'm still betting that your fence is not squared with the blade.

Exactly what nodpete said as well as others…

1. Sawblade needs to align to the table miter slots. If not parallel then read the owners manual (down load if needed) on how to adjust the motor mounts or the table top (depends on your saw).

2. Then make sure the fence is aligned with the blade/table.

3. If above is good and you still get binding? The board you are trying to cut has internal stresses from the way it grew up in the wild, or how it was dried. The riving knife is there for that situation but the wood can still be feisty. Trying to complete the cut can be nasty and sometimes best to hit the ‘off’ switch mid-cut. Better safe than sorry.

If the wood is stressed as in 3) I’ll take the piece to the band saw and rip just outside the intended width. Then go back to the table saw to rip off the thin strip to final dimension (you’ve cut out the stress using the bandsaw).

Be safe.

 

[Onomea]

No experience with them myself, but do have a BIL, 79, experienced home carpenter, skilled renovator of his houses for decades, who, last year, cut off several fingers of his off hand. Rushed himself to the hospital. Tried to get the fingers reattached, but ultimately not successful.

I think, like firearms, table saws are very unforgiving of an instant's inattention.

Let's be careful out there.

 

[Alk8944]

If the blade of your saw is either worn or had insufficient "set" it will not cut a wide enough kerf to allow the blade to run freely without excessive friction! If the blade over-heats as a result of friction you will experience the binding issue you described as a result of the blade warping! When the blade cools it will flatten out and the next cuts will be without binding initially until the blade over-heats and warps again.

Buy a new carbide blade for your saw and see if you still have the same problem, I will bet it will be solved!

 

[taz666]

If the table can be adjusted via some bolts underside ... check that it aligns with the blade using the slots. Other than that the fence must be parallel to the blade. What can happen is the wood you're ripping will close on the cut .. or you're cutting a length of board that doesn't have a straight edge to the fence.

Make or buy some feather boards. Worse thing is a narrow ripping flying back off the saw. This is just like a spear. Worked in millwork/carp my whole life. See a lot of stuff happen. Best advise I can offer is if you're doing an operation on any stationary equipment and think it's not as safe as it could be ... stop and make it so. I'm a believer in clairvoyance when it comes to impending disaster.

Be safe.

 

[zeke]

If it were me, I'd first measure from the mitre groove to the front and back of the blade, making sure that you're measuring to the correct blade tooth(blades have both, left and right angled teeth).
Once you've confirmed that they are parallel, then when you're setting up your fence for your next cut, do the same measurement from the blade to the fence. Generally, when moving and locking down your fence, the end of the fence (away from the locking clamp) is about 1/16" off, which is very common.
If that doesn't solve the problem, remove the knife. They say that is a safety feature, but it's kinda like using a dull knife, the more you force it, the more you're likely to get hurt. My riving knife is in a cabinet somewhere.

Used to use an inexpensive table saw quite a bit, and never depended on the "settings" shown. As others said, measure front of blade to fence then rear of blade to fence at table elevation using same type/angle tooth after the fence is locked down. Use a plastic drafting angle to ensure the blade is 90 degrees to table, while ensuring your actually up against the flat of the saw blade. Same for other common angles. If your smoking, your rubbing.

 

[yaktamer]

I stopped using a table saw in junior high wood shop after a flying board almost killed a kid one day and I almost lost a thumb the next. After that, every time I tried to use one, anxiety struck, and I stopped.

Guess how many times I forgot to take the chuck key out of the lathe in junior high metal shop.

 

[Imissedagain]

Met a carpenter who just set up his shop with new quality power tools including a table saw.
Next time I met him was six years later.
"Guess the blade broke on your table saw without the blade guard", said I.
Scar that looked like a triple chip carbide blade ran up his arm and across his face.

 

[rwsmith]

It happens no matter...

.....

3. If above is good and you still get binding? The board you are trying to cut has internal stresses from the way it grew up in the wild, or how it was dried. The riving knife is there for that situation but the wood can still be feisty. Trying to complete the cut can be nasty and sometimes best to hit the ‘off’ switch mid-cut. Better safe than sorry.

If the wood is stressed as in 3) I’ll take the piece to the band saw and rip just outside the intended width. Then go back to the table saw to rip off the thin strip to final dimension (you’ve cut out the stress using the bandsaw).

Be safe.

It happens no matter what stock I use and I have a LOT of different stock from leftover projects.

Thanks, if I do encounter this problem I'll knnow what to do.

 

[rwsmith]

About....

Guess how many times I forgot to take the chuck key out of the lathe in junior high metal shop.

About ONCE?

 

[taz666]

To produce a straight edge on a board needing to be ripped fabricating a ripping fixture is a real time saver. The rip fixture is similar to the cutoff fixture you made .. it's just longer and narrower. It rides the table slot not against the fence.

Use it on the left side of the blade and your rip fence can be set for the subsequent cuts. Nice that a jointer isn't needed to produce a straight edge. This is just like "straight line ripped" from the mill.

 

[Bruce51]

All wood has a curved side and a bowed side. No wood is going to cut straight because the curve or the bow will exert pressure on the blade and fence.

I always cut the bowed side until I have a straight edge, The cut straight edge goes against the fence. After that there is no binding of the blade caused by the curvature of the wood.

You lose some wood but get good clean rips as there is no binding.

Just my $.02

Bruce

 

[rwsmith]

I made a crosscut sled....

To produce a straight edge on a board needing to be ripped fabricating a ripping fixture is a real time saver. The rip fixture is similar to the cutoff fixture you made .. it's just longer and narrower. It rides the table slot not against the fence.

Use it on the left side of the blade and your rip fence can be set for the subsequent cuts. Nice that a jointer isn't needed to produce a straight edge. This is just like "straight line ripped" from the mill.

....that rides in the slides, but I need to look up the ripping fixture and make one.

Is that the thing that clamps in the miter slot with a featherboard that guides the left edge of the board to cut thin strips????

 

[rwsmith]

Well, I checked the squarality of the saw......

It was my Dad's saw. Knowing my Dad, everything would be 'squar' unless it got knocked around in transport. And it is. I checked both the saw and the fence all the way up and down with a combination square in the miter slot. See pics.

PS: I got a snack and since I had the combination square and everything all set up, I went back out and checked the blade and fence again different ways. I don't know how I could make anything more square.

I'm just a tad disappointed because the obvious has been checked and except for possible wood bowing as mentioned before I've got to find the root of the problem:confused

Oh, the first pic is my homemade crosscut sled that rides in the miter slots so, no fence needed.

Brain flash I wonder if I've got the saw blade set too high for what I'm cutting??????????????

 

[GreyOwl]

That blade looks like a plywood blade so if you are cutting anything other than plywood, it is the wrong blade. Get a quality carbide combination blade and it will make a world of difference. Again only about a 1/4” of the blade should be above the wood being cut.

 

[zeke]

If you're ripping longer wood, you need either a helper or an outfeed table that supports the wood. The weight of the outfeed will affect what you're attempting at the table, and is indeed dangerous. When i set a width of cut, am not using a steel square and a table slot. Only a tape rule with finer measurements with end butted up against bottom of fence and inside measurement graduations against edge of chisel tooth (front and back of blade). This checks what actually matters most.

If you can't get the fence aligned doing this, there is likely underside adjustments to square up the table top. Don't presume anything, and if you don't have one that model's owner's manual is likely available on the net.

 

[Bald1]

Gotta be, fence not square, dull blade or crooked board. I’ve run into this ripping 1” pine boards. Home Depot sells some 1” pine that looks like a hockey stick

 

[taz666]

Looks like a regular steel toothed blade you have there. All gummed up and probably relieved of it's temper. Rule of thumb with saw blades and teeth count/spacing is no more than (3) in the cut. Any more than that produces extra heat/friction. Break down and get a decent carbide rip blade.

Me, I'd down size that cut off fixture you have there. Needs only ride in one slot for 90 degree cuts. Again with the extra friction.

Money for only one decent saw blade? ... get a carbide "planer" style blade.

 

[rwsmith]

I've cut mostly plywood....

That blade looks like a plywood blade so if you are cutting anything other than plywood, it is the wrong blade. Get a quality carbide combination blade and it will make a world of difference. Again only about a 1/4” of the blade should be above the wood being cut.

I've cut mostly plywood and I've got some other blades, I'll check what type they are and get what I need.

And Okee Dokee on the saw height. THANKS!