# Making the most of a budget table saw, mitre saw and bandsaw



## curtisrider (4 Jul 2016)

I have been on a bit of a mission trying to sort out my saws as i'm gradually doing smaller and finer stuff and becoming increasingly aware just how important a finely tuned saw is! I have three budget machines that I can't really justify replacing at the moment and I know with some tweaking that they will be perfectly good enough as a stepping stone until funds allow them to be replaced so please don't just reply with 'they are rubbish mate, sell your house and buy this'. I just want to get the most out of what I have got until funds allow and also my skills can justify better equipment.

I currently have the following machines and questions to suit:

1. Makita 2704







I bought one of these for a tenner as the motor was shot, £150 later for parts and I have rebuilt it back to its former glory. I know it's just a contractors saw (although their top end one at the time) and ideally I would have a proper workshop saw with a cast table but that doesn't fit my budget right now. I have ditched the old worn out Makita blade for a Freud 250mm 40T blade which has improved the cuts no end, it's fairly general purpose but I can always buy an extra blade with a finer cut if I need to later. I have also built a crosscut sled which has proved to be very useful, I will make an improved one at some point as this one is just from the limited scrap I had kicking about.





As you can see the riving knife is huge, I may have to make/adapt a slightly smaller one for when the sled is in use.

My main issue with this saw is the fence design, the current one works and holds fine but it is a bit of a swine to adjust accurately as the fence doesn't always sit parallel to the blade so you have to fiddle about with it which is not ideal when you are trying to do lots of quick cuts. 

So my questions for this saw are what sort of fence system would you recommend as a replacement (preferably DIY if possible) or how can I make the most of the current fence? Also the blade guard works fine but does not allow extraction, can I simply just add a port to it or is there an aftermarket guard I can fit in order to maintain safety and keep my workspace clean?

2. Woodwise 14" bandsaw





I bought this for £130 and it seems to have barely been used by the previous owner. This seems to be a fairly generic cast construction 14" bandsaw and looks like it shares parts with many others on the market. I have tuned it up as per some guides online which has improved the saw massively, I also have a selection of blades for difference purposes.

The gearing is quite low compared to others I have used and it is quite slow to cut due to this, should I look into upgrading the 2 speed set up to the multi speed setups that other saws seem to have? I also considered fitting a higher HP motor at the same time, I'm fairly sure I have one tucked away that will fit, I'll just need to make sure the current switch and wiring can handle it.

The fence on this is really appalling as it is very limited in its range and it can't be adjusted as it is to ensure it is paralell to the mitre slot. I have found the table size is too small when working with larger pieces. I want to at the very least fit a new fence but i'm not sure which design to use/make. I saw this on youtube and it seems to be a cheap and decent design that isn't going to be hard to make:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_fzKmbV14I

But that leaves me with a small table still, so I found this which is also another possibility as I have a spare mitre gauge kicking about:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCyzX6NBCFU

3. Evolution rage sliding compound saw 210mm






I know what you're all already thinking, why why why? I bought this when I was doing up my house and it was very useful for lots of the first fix tasks and manageable but not ideal for second fix. I have spent some time tweaking it out of the box to get it cutting straight and it's now as accurate as it can be, fortunately mine doesn't suffer the wobble that others seem to have which helps massively. I have got to the point where the blade is tired and drifts a bit as well as burning. I have bought a washer to take it from 25.4mm to 30mm opening up the range of blades that I can fit. I am thinking of ordering a Freud 216x30 48t blade, I have measured for clearance as this blade is overall 6mm larger in diameter (of course the 3mm increase in radius is what I have checked for when noting clearance), this should be a suitable blade for the majority of the jobs I do.

Is there much else I can do to get the best out of this until I can justify a better quality unit? I will keep this with a multipurpose blade on in the future as it is still a handy machine for jobs where fine accuracy isn't as important.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, I appreciate that I have bombarded you all with lots of questions here!


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## curtisrider (5 Jul 2016)

A Freud 216mm blade is now in my mitre saw  Just like on my table saw I am very impressed, the cuts are silky smooth.





For those who are interested, you need a 25.4-30mm adaptor which cost a couple of quid and then you need to bend a small piece of black painted steel steel at the back of the saw as that is the only thing that can potentially rub, the rest has enough clearance. 









The difference between the Freud and a fresh Evolution blade is massive, I could never get smooth cuts before and I've had a few of the evolution blades now. At least my mitre saw is kind of useful now for lots of jobs rather than rough work, I checked out the Dewalt DWS773-GB that Screwfix have on offer for £200 but that has just as much play as the Evolution which was very disappointing! I guess at that price its still a low budget saw though.


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## MattRoberts (5 Jul 2016)

Regarding the tablesaw fence, check out John Heisz' video on YouTube : ibuildit.ca

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk


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## curtisrider (6 Jul 2016)

Excellent, thanks Matt. I had seen that one already and quite liked it. I can work with wood or metal, so I don't mind fabricating a steel version if it will be better.


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## MattRoberts (6 Jul 2016)

Ah, then check out Jeremy Schmidt - he used a threaded rod to create a really nice and super accurate fence  

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## curtisrider (6 Jul 2016)

Excellent, thank you for your help! I like the threaded bar idea, I have some at my other workshop so will have to give that a try at some point.

I have devised a hybrid of a few designs using whatever steel I have knocking about and a toggle clamp. I can always improve it later if needs be and that learning curve will help me make a new one for the Makita. So far it looks like this:





I realised I had one more job to do on the Evolution and noticed the fence was VERY bent, it's not had an impact but i'm very sure it wasn't like that before... I ended up chopping it in half and setting each side up independently, at least that is straight again!


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## MattRoberts (6 Jul 2016)

curtisrider":2w7t90xd said:


> I have devised a hybrid of a few designs using whatever steel I have knocking about and a toggle clamp. I can always improve it later if needs be and that learning curve will help me make a new one for the Makita. So far it looks like this:




Nice work - presumably it wouldn't be too difficult to turn that toggle clamp into a cam for extra locking rigidity (unless it's fine as it is?). Askwoodman on YouTube also designed a fence using angle iron, might be worth a look. He went on to get them produced and sells them as aftermarket fences in the US / Canada. In fact, I've just looked, and his video #977 (and previous ones) is about enclosing a job site saw in an enclosure and adding a fence, so might be worth a look for your situation


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## curtisrider (6 Jul 2016)

The toggle is really solid, I don't think it's necessary currently to replace it with anything else right now but that would be simple enough. I'm liking how easy this is to set up and how much extra room I have now! The old guide rail was too short and limited in it's depth and in the way when trying to do freehand cuts. This photo shows a comparison of the old fence depth position vs the new:





I've hit a few snags with my version so far. The allen bolts securing the angle section are protruding and interfere with the toggle, this is easily resolved with countersunk bolts which I will order. The other issue is the large angle section sits flush with the table and therefore the smaller angle section for the fence is protruding causing issues when feeding stuff in and a nuisance when the mitre gauge is needed as the angle has to be removed...this is a quick job though so maybe not something to worry about seeing as I have 2 other potential saws to use for that!





I can lower the large angle section rail, but that means drilling new mountings into the table to prevent the smaller angle section from interfering with the bolts which is something I was trying to avoid as I will struggle to do that accurately as it wont fit in my pillar drill. I'll see if I can think of an alternative to doing this. Once that is sorted then I can add some wood to the fence to increase its height and allow more support when ripping down larger pieces.


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## ColeyS1 (6 Jul 2016)

That toggle clamp fence is very impressive ! 

Coley


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## MattRoberts (6 Jul 2016)

Can't you elongate the holes in the large angle, to allow it to drop the required depth, whilst retaining the existing holes in the table?

I wish I was this proficient with metal work!


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## curtisrider (6 Jul 2016)

Cheers chaps, I drilled the holes a little higher and removed 1.5mm from the fence angle section and it clears perfectly so now it works really well! Annoyingly my blade is wandering, the fence is parallel to the mitre slot but it wanders very easily even though I have it set up as per instruction on multiple youtube videos  not sure what is going on there but i'll have another tinker with it at some point.


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## Bodgers (27 Jul 2016)

No advice to give, but I love that bandsaw - looks like a really solid cast iron old school saw. I wish I could have found something like that for a reasonable price.

I have the same Freud 216 blade in my Dewalt mitre saw - it is excellent. Good way to upgrade a cheap mitre saw.




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## curtisrider (27 Jul 2016)

It looks good but actually it is just cheap tat  It does the job but i'll be looking to upgrade it as soon as I can. I'm a little spoilt as I use a really nice £2500 Scheppach at school which is just a pleasure in comparision!


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## Claymore (3 Aug 2016)

I know someone who's got kit that makes Norm Abraham look daft yet doesn't make anything worth keeping, unlike a young lad in the village who uses 99% secondhand cheap kit who drives a new Toyota pickup paid for by all the great wooden tables he makes and very unusual wooden bicycles which he sells at fairs etc. 
No point having all the gear if its just for showing off better to spend less and actually use them.


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## curtisrider (3 Aug 2016)

I'm not sure if that was a dig or not but I'm not looking to upgrade the bandsaw just for my viewing pleasure, it's because it really is a terribly saw that has poor quality castings making it unnecessarily difficult for any work that requires any real accuracy without the seemingly constant need for tweaking to keep it true. Nearly all my tools have been secondhand/free/broken things I have brought back to life e.g the Makita saw above I got for a tenner, rebuilt the motor and switch so it has cost me very little for a very capable saw (if a little frustrating when it comes to the fence but that is fine). I know the saying is a bad workman blames his tools, however a bad workman also doesn't take the time to set up what he has got properly, hence wanting to get the most out of the tools i have.


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## scosteve (3 Aug 2016)

I don't think it was a dig at you, more a compliment & bit of a dig to the all the gear no idea brigade 

Your post has a lot of views so I am sure a lot of others has the same wants

Very handy keep it up


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## Claymore (3 Aug 2016)

curtisrider":2z1saytt said:


> I'm not sure if that was a dig or not but I'm not looking to upgrade the bandsaw just for my viewing pleasure, it's because it really is a terribly saw that has poor quality castings making it unnecessarily difficult for any work that requires any real accuracy without the seemingly constant need for tweaking to keep it true. Nearly all my tools have been secondhand/free/broken things I have brought back to life e.g the Makita saw above I got for a tenner, rebuilt the motor and switch so it has cost me very little for a very capable saw (if a little frustrating when it comes to the fence but that is fine). I know the saying is a bad workman blames his tools, however a bad workman also doesn't take the time to set up what he has got properly, hence wanting to get the most out of the tools i have.




Noooooooooo definitely NOT a dig at ya :shock:  ......... quite the opposite if anything, I am all for anyone making using their own creations, I was trying to state that you don't need £££££££££££££££££££££££££££££ to create excellent work. I think people learn more about their work by actually seeing how the kit works and is built, if anything goes wrong then you are more likely to be able to sort it out without having to splash the cash.

I apologise if I offended you and as many know on here I'm the last person to make digs at anyone...... the whole idea of these forums is to keep it fun and also great place to learn.
Cheers

Brian


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## curtisrider (4 Aug 2016)

Apologies Claymore, It's amazing how you can read something in a completely different tone to how it is meant to come across! I don't tend to post up the stuff I make as the internet net can be fiercely critical rather than supportive at times, hence feeling the need for disclaimer about the awareness of how I know the tools I have aren't amazing. I wasn't to sure whether to post up about my workshop build, it's only had one response so i'm guessing people aren't interested.

I have just acquired a few more table saws for bargainous prices so I will post them up soon and see which you guys think I should sell on and which I should keep (one has a cast top and I think may be better than my Makita contractor saw but I haven't had time to try it properly yet).


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## Phil Pascoe (4 Aug 2016)

Looking at your new fence - I think the consensus is that it is best to have it ending at or just beyond the blade, and not go the width of the table. I admit to rarely cutting veneers, but I can't remember the last time I used a fence at all - I find it more accurate without.


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## devonwoody (4 Aug 2016)

My experience with a bandsaw fence is that it does not necessarily need to be parallel to the mitre slot but needs to track the cutting angle of the blade action.


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## YorkshireMartin (6 Aug 2016)

How is that evolution mitre saw for accuracy now? The one I have pushes the left hand top half of the fence out when you tighten it so it will never cut truly square. Had to relegate it to rough cutting and metal.


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## Eric The Viking (7 Aug 2016)

curtisrider":2ll0mmgg said:


> The other issue is the large angle section sits flush with the table and therefore the smaller angle section for the fence is protruding causing issues when feeding stuff in and a nuisance when the mitre gauge is needed as the angle has to be removed...this is a quick job though so maybe not something to worry about seeing as I have 2 other potential saws to use for that!



That bandsaw fence, I think is really nice. 

Might you adapt the bolt holes to be slots instead, so you only need to loosen the bolts slightly and lift the "Track" off to use the mitre sled? My old SIP is very secondhand: at some point in its life someone did that to its rail (I think because you have to remove its rail to change blades). There is, or should be, relatively little pressure on the fence, so the rail doesn't have a lot of force on it, so slots (with washers) shouldn't be a nuisance. Failing that, might you simply cut a slot in the angle to take the mitre sled's bar? I doubt it would have much effect on the fence arrangements. Although it would weaken the angle a bit, that probably doesn't matter much.

Personally I wouldn't countersink the bolts (if I understood your post on this, you're intend to countersink the bolts on the angle/rail), as it removes the ease of adjustment, if you need it. Slots + washers would be a lot better for this. If you find there is a fence setting where they get in the way (there almost certainly will be), consider just using a piece of straight board as an auxiliary fence so that you don't have to lock it in the 'nuisance' position.

Regarding tracking, etc. You do need to do this with every blade change, but it becomes a quick routine. If you're starting with the wheels in good order (tyres, bearings, etc.), and coplanar with each other (in line), and at right angles to the mitre slot, then it should be fairly easy to get it to track accurately. You can correct for drift - Steve Maskery has an excellent bandsaw DVD which I learned from - but if it's set up right you can eliminate drift for all practical purposes. 

I feel your pain regarding that mitre fence - mine on an Elektra Beckum was similarly bent, although not as bad. It's a very similar design too, and I think part of the problem is that the castings are machined before the metal has "settled", and/or the machining operations allow the metal to get too hot. I still haven't fixed mine completely, but I vastly improved it with a big hammer! I can't split it, because there aren't enough mountings to hold each side independently (and your setup must now be horrid!).

Nice work though!

E.


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## curtisrider (7 Aug 2016)

phil.p":1vjlzd7j said:


> Looking at your new fence - I think the consensus is that it is best to have it ending at or just beyond the blade, and not go the width of the table. I admit to rarely cutting veneers, but I can't remember the last time I used a fence at all - I find it more accurate without.



I did notice some bandsaws have short fences, is there a reason for that?


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## curtisrider (7 Aug 2016)

devonwoody":c2238nhn said:


> My experience with a bandsaw fence is that it does not necessarily need to be parallel to the mitre slot but needs to track the cutting angle of the blade action.



So adjust it according to the amount the wood drifts to one side do you mean?


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## curtisrider (7 Aug 2016)

YorkshireMartin":3dhm9wbf said:


> How is that evolution mitre saw for accuracy now? The one I have pushes the left hand top half of the fence out when you tighten it so it will never cut truly square. Had to relegate it to rough cutting and metal.



It's very good! The Freud blade seems to deflect less than the standard Evolution one and all the cuts so far have been spot on. My brother is borrowing it at the moment to do a complete wooden floor, skirting and architrave for his new build place so I'll see how he gets on with it, initial impressions were very positive.


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## curtisrider (7 Aug 2016)

Eric The Viking":2s3rwe23 said:


> That bandsaw fence, I think is really nice.
> 
> Might you adapt the bolt holes to be slots instead, so you only need to loosen the bolts slightly and lift the "Track" off to use the mitre sled? My old SIP is very secondhand: at some point in its life someone did that to its rail (I think because you have to remove its rail to change blades). There is, or should be, relatively little pressure on the fence, so the rail doesn't have a lot of force on it, so slots (with washers) shouldn't be a nuisance. Failing that, might you simply cut a slot in the angle to take the mitre sled's bar? I doubt it would have much effect on the fence arrangements. Although it would weaken the angle a bit, that probably doesn't matter much.
> 
> ...



I've got countersunk bolts in there now and it has been absolutely fine. I will chop out a small bit for the mitre rail when the new trunnions arrive (I broke them moving the bandsaw to my workshop), I think that will work a treat. Breaking the trunnions was a blessing in disguise, as now I know why my mitre slot wasn't parallel with the blades cut, there's quite a lot of adjustment there!

The fence on the mitre saw is surprisingly easy to set up now it's in 2 pieces. I set up the non motor side first so it's 90 to the blade, then use a straight edge to align the other side with it, check again with a square and it's all good to go!


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## Phil Pascoe (7 Aug 2016)

curtisrider":2520qq13 said:


> phil.p":2520qq13 said:
> 
> 
> > Looking at your new fence - I think the consensus is that it is best to have it ending at or just beyond the blade, and not go the width of the table. I admit to rarely cutting veneers, but I can't remember the last time I used a fence at all - I find it more accurate without.
> ...



Yes, it's so that if you release any hidden tension in the wood and the cut opens up, the inside piece doesn't have anything to push against , so won't push your cut off line.


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## devonwoody (8 Aug 2016)

curtisrider":2e8wy2r3 said:


> devonwoody":2e8wy2r3 said:
> 
> 
> > My experience with a bandsaw fence is that it does not necessarily need to be parallel to the mitre slot but needs to track the cutting angle of the blade action.
> ...



That as always been my experience, (plus two true wood faces under and side face)


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## Eric The Viking (8 Aug 2016)

phil.p":1smsuat7 said:


> curtisrider":1smsuat7 said:
> 
> 
> > I did notice some bandsaws have short fences, is there a reason for that?
> ...



It makes sense - big bandsaws for planking felled timber usually don't have any sort of fence at all. They simply rely on the carriage movement to be straight (either carrying the saw or the trunk, depending on design). I think they also have relatively little set on the teeth too, meaning they'd tend to follow any timber movement rather than cut straight, so it can't be a huge problem, otherwise they'd do it a different way.

In the past I've clamped the fence on mine at both ends, as the rail isn't very strong and that stops it bending, but I've also had problems when trying to get straight cuts through twisty-grain timber. You've made me think about alternative approaches.

E.


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## devonwoody (8 Aug 2016)

Eric The Viking":ntejmfd3 said:


> phil.p":ntejmfd3 said:
> 
> 
> > curtisrider":ntejmfd3 said:
> ...


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## delboy47 (9 Aug 2016)

Not wishing to hijack the thread but as there has been mention of the Evolution SCMS, I bought one some time ago when my previous saw gave up the ghost. In terms of accuracy and finish of cuts it seems fine for what I do anyway, but my problem is kickback. I seem to be getting this so much that I am now wary of using the saw. I even sometimes get it when simply "chopping" smaller stock that does not require the sliding action.

Before I finally decide to get shot of it and replace with something else, have any other users of this saw had similar experiences? My previous mitre saw wasn't sliding but I never experienced any kickback with that. I now basically hold my breath and close my eyes and stand off to one side. That doesn't help though.

Any comments/help gratefully received.

Thanks guys.


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## Eric The Viking (9 Aug 2016)

You should have a blade that has negative rake teeth. It sounds as though the wrong type has been fitted - it shouldn't depend on the brand of saw at all.

At least, that's where I'd start to look for the problem.

Does it have hold-down clamps? They certainly help, too.


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## scosteve (10 Aug 2016)

Prob a good idea to take apart and rebuild to make sure that looks OK, at least to the point it was when purchased. If new blade doesn't sort it I would.

Mines used a fair bit for old cheap decking/flooring/pallets etc with nails and junk and the blades still flying through anything I throw at it, 2 maybe 3 years. Set it up straight and mine stays straight but it doesn't like being adjusted.

Never thought about trying a decent wood blade till this thread

Best of luck

Steve


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## Steve Maskery (11 Aug 2016)

That fence looks pretty much identical to the one I show in one of DVDs. It is an excellent design (not all mine, unfortunately, although I did change one or two bits from the original to make it easier to make).
As regards long v short fences, it's not so critical on a BS as on a TS, but Phil's point on the kerf opening up does stand. But I wouldn't want to cut veneers with a short fence. As with the TS it's horses for courses, some tasks are best done with a short fence others with a long one.


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## delboy47 (29 Aug 2016)

Thanks for the comments Gents. The blade looks like zero rake angle to me but I think I will first try a new negative rake wood blade and see how that performs and go from there.
Cheers
Del


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## Freddyjersey2016 (2 Nov 2016)

I upgraded an old mitre saw & my portable circular saw with Axminster tools Axcaliber Contract blades - not expensive and do the job for me.


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## AJB Temple (2 Nov 2016)

Curtis rider I say well done to you both for upgrading your tools and sharing it on here. I guess there is a point of diminishing returns where working on the tool stops you working on your projects. Thanks for sharing.


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## curtisrider (2 Nov 2016)

Cheers fellas, it's funny this topic got bumped up as I finally got a chance a few nights a go to set up the 12" contractor saw I bought! It was massively out of alignment when I received it and rattled a worrying amount! I aligned it all, set up the stops, fitted a new mains wire, got a couple of new blades (original is off to be sharpened so I should be well equipped), built in an Axminster big mouth dust shroud and fitted a new belt (one of those ones made of links VS a standard v belt). I'm a little confused why mine can take 12" blades, it seems a copy of all the 10" contractor saws they have in the states yet clearly states it has a 12" capacity, I can even fit a dado blade if I wished.

The difference is amazing, it's so quiet compared to how it was when I bought it and also compared to the brushed Makita I rebuilt which is still going nicely, I let my brother have it as I don't need it now. Cuts are smooth and most importantly straight! Even the fence that came with it is surprisingly good! I have nearly finished making a sled for it too and I have a few other bits in mind to make.


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## curtisrider (4 Nov 2016)

My Evolution saw died, the motor casing melted near a brush holder and the saw guard was starting to not retract which is a shame. Fortunately I can use it for parts for my dads identical saw so all is not lost. This left me with a problem as I needed a replacement saw but did not have enough money to buy the new larger one I wanted. A quick look through Gumtree resulted in me finding very little available apart from one very overpriced Einhell saw (£150!) that was 10minutes away. Usually I wouldn't bother clicking on something like that but fortunately I did and the guy wanted to swap for a flip saw/table saw.... I had a nearly new Scheppach HS100S table saw I bought from B&Q for £50 on clearance as it needed some parts for the base (10 minute job to maker and fit!) which was not required and so I gave him a call and offered him a swap, he agreed and we arranged for me to go over so we could check the saws out. The Einhell was not in the condition stated, the blade was loose, the brush holder cap missing (something else was wedged in to hold it), laser broken, adjustment lever snapped and the sliders were rusty. It was all fine apart from that and everything worked well enough for me to agree the swap as I figured it was effectively £50 and i could fix the issues quickly and cheaply.







https://www.gumtree.com/p/power-saws/einhell-sliding-compound-saw/1191172045

The Einhell was in a sorry state so I pulled it apart, regreased the pivots, soldered a new battery box onto the laser as the original had a broken switch, cleaned the sliders as well as I could without removing too much material, cleaned and tightened the blade, cleaned the armature and fixed the brush holder the best I could (the tape stops it popping out!) and set all the stops and fence up so everything was running true. Fortunately it came with a very nice Trend blade that is still plenty sharp enough to provide smooth cuts which was an added bonus! The Einhell has a 250mm blade vs the 210mm on the Evo and long siders allowing wider boards to be cut, perfect! It all works beautifully now, the cuts are true and since cleaning the armature it runs faster and slightly quieter, there is no noticeable play in any of the moving parts unlike some of the other cheaper SCMS I have tried out. I cut a bunch of feather edge for a barn i'm refurbishing and it was a pleasure to use. 

The size difference!











Sliders are now smooth but visually look awful, unsure as to why they haven't been chromed like others?






AA battery holder and switch to replace the broken AAA holder






Trend blade






At work:






Very chuffed!

This is the 12" table saw I have been banging on about that I got for £40:











I can't seem to find anything about my particular saw however it does seem to be a clone of the US contractor saws.


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## Eric The Viking (4 Nov 2016)

That Trend blade in your SCMS is very similar to (actually, I think the same as) the one I have in my own SCMS. Be careful - it is NOT negative rake. My saw is a different construction to yours - it doesn't have slide and tilt-at-the-end, but I still get kickback if I'm careless. It does produce excellent cuts if sharp, but it's really the wrong design for the purpose. They can be sharpened several times, and having it very sharp is one thing that will reduce the risk (but only a bit).

Just sayin'

E.

PS: the table saw looks like an absolute steal! :mrgreen:


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## curtisrider (4 Nov 2016)

Cheers Eric, I wasn't aware it was incorrect! Do you have a suggestion for a blade that may be suitable and of a similar type?


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## Eric The Viking (4 Nov 2016)

curtisrider":1f4f9znu said:


> Cheers Eric, I wasn't aware it was incorrect! Do you have a suggestion for a blade that may be suitable and of a similar type?



 Er no. I use the same one as you, but I do take a deep breath each time and work VERY carefully. 

I guess anything 250mm with neg rake would fit (30mm bore?). I'd go for Freud if they have something suitable. I've fitted a few to Elu/DW SCMS in the past, and have one for my tablesaw, and they cut very nicely indeed.

As an aside, that is a heavy blade - the saw plate is quite thick. That gives it a lot of mass, meaning that, when sharp, it probably cuts quite cleanly, but it's also got a lot of kinetic energy. My saw doesn't have a brake, and I experimented a few years ago, with a view to fitting one, using light bulbs to dump the power into. It's easily capable of instantly blowing old 60W bulbs, and one reason I shelved the project was simply the difficulty of handling the energy pulse reliably. I could brake the blade, in theory, rather well, but I'd get through rather a lot of light bulbs and relays rather too fast. I was looking at electronic switching, but that brings different problems. 

The KE has a big bearing on kickback: if it occurs, any kickback is likely to be more severe with that blade than something lighter or smaller diameter.

E.


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## curtisrider (5 Nov 2016)

I didn't notice any signs of kick back but i'll be wary and get saving for a new blade. The Einhell has an electric brake anyway which is a nice safety feature!

I collected a Dewalt 712 10" sliding mitre saw today for £50, it has a slow motor and the guards doesn't work properly, fortunately I have figured out the issue for both and they are free/easy fixes so should have it up and running when I get back to the workshop! It came with yet another one of these Trend blades though, typical!


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## PeteHB (8 Nov 2016)

Hi do you mind telling me where you got the washer for the Evolution saw blade change please.


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## curtisrider (9 Nov 2016)

Here:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30mm-25-4...921812?hash=item41b5ad83d4:g:MX4AAOSwyQtViQdn


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## PeteHB (9 Nov 2016)

Thanks


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