Fettling an Axminster TS-200 Tablesaw

[wizer]

Following on from the cross cut sled thread. I'm going to take the TS200 back to basics and (hopefully) get everything aligned and running true. Then I can build the sled knowing everything is set up right.

I thought I'd document it here for both help and to help others who may have this saw.

I'm going to spend the next few weeks getting this saw sorted. I can't afford to buy a new one and I'm not sure I could fit a bigger saw in my workshop anyway, so I'm going to do as much as I can to get this fixed up and running true. Here's a list of what I'd like to do:

Clean underside **Done
Lube
Align Blade to Slots *Done
Make some sort of cover for the lateral adjusting screw.
Fix AM Fence and align
'Invent' a way to quickly remove and replace Guard
Make a dust hopper for the underside of the saw and plug all the holes in the frame.
Bump Start Switch
ZCI
Make a rolling cabinet which incorporates a router table (Like PaulR did a couple of yrs ago)
Push Sticks
Sleds
Feather Boards

Then I'll realise I can't live with it, sell it at a great loss and buy something else (repeat ad infinitum)

So today I cleaned up the workshop a bit and started taking bits off the saw. I took off the fence rails and the side panels. Then hoovered it out as much as could, before taking to it with the airline. It still needs cleaning, but any loose dust has been removed.

I then made a 'jig' to hold the dial guage in the mitre slot. With one tooth marked I set the plunger on it and then rotated the wheel towards the back and took a reading on the same tooth.

Front Reading = 0:

Back Reading = -75:

Now. I must admit that I'm not sure how to read the dial gauge. Is each division 0.01mm ? 25 divisions = 0.25mm Is that a lot?.

If my guesses are right, is this enough to worry about?

Should I check runout on the arbor\nut?

Cheers

 

[Shultzy]

wizer, if it's reading 75 then its 75 x 0.01 mm which is 0.75mm = 29.5 thou

I don't know if that's acceptable, but if you can adjust the blade have a go and see if you can get the reading smaller.

 

[wizer]

No the dial indicator goes backwards to 75, so it's actually moving 25 divisions

 

[Shultzy]

That's about 10 thou then, I would have thought that was acceptable. If you keep the gauge at the front of the blade and rotate the blade that should show if there is any twist in the blade.

 

[jimi43]

Hi Tom

When I did mine I marked the field of the blade (not a tooth) as a datum with a pencil marke and then I measured the distance at the front, moved the dial gauge on the sled to the back and then aligned that spot and adjusted the blade carriage to be the same at both locations.

This sets the mitre gauge parallel with the blade irrespective of any bow in the blade.

On a Scheppach TS2010 this was a difficult job...on the Axminster it can't be any more difficult!

Cheers mate

Jim

 

[studders]

cross cut sled thread.

Try saying that when you've had a few. :shock:

I think you need to repeat the process on several (three-ish) points around the blade to get a more accurate overall picture of blade/arbor run out.
If it's all within the above tolerances I'd be quite satisfied.

 

[Benchwayze]

cross cut sled thread.

Try saying that when you've had a few. :shock:

I think you need to repeat the process on several (three-ish) points around the blade to get a more accurate overall picture of blade/arbor run out.
If it's all within the above tolerances I'd be quite satisfied.

Definitely... Although I just use a bit of copper earthing-wire, blu-tacked to the mitre-gauge, and a set of feelers from my car tool-kit. (I have an old car!)

As long as I can't 'eyeball' any serious discrepancies I'm happy.
John

 

[TrimTheKing]

Tom

Have you seen the Wood Whisperer thread on this subject? It's ridiculously easy to follow (pretty much what you have done) and the way I did mine.

With yours the way it is, can you not just loosen all but the back left bolt holding the table one (back left as you stand in normal cutting position), then tickle the table until the dial guage reads okay? Obviously this depends on how your table fixes to the base...

This is how I did mine and got it bang on in about 10 mins.

I am at home today so give me a bell if you want to talk it through.

 

[jimi43]

Some work that way and the course setup on mine was like that with a fine adjustment possible on the back of the whole sub-carriage assembly.

You should be able to get zero different pretty easily Tom.

Good luck mate...I bet you find you have a much nicer tool after all this effort!

Cheers mate

Jim

 

[wizer]

Hi Guys

This morning I checked the entire blade and it's all about the same. The back of the blade appears to be angled 10 thou away from the slot. I'm not yet sure if I am going to fettle it as I'm not sure exactly how to do it. On this saw it's not as easy as most, in that the motor is fixed to the underside of the table. There was a thread on here where someone explained how to do it but I'm useless with the search function and haven't been able to find it. I was out today, so tomorrow I want to get in there and work out how to do it. It will need a bit of a clean first too. I'm wondering if it might be easier to somehow get the saw upside down to make this easier?

 

[TrimTheKing]

Quit your whining man and get on with it!

Seriously though, take us a pic of the underside where the table meets the case. If it's anything like mine then it's simply 4 bolts that you loosen the nut, tappy tappy on the table with a hammer until it lines up with the slot/blade as you want and tighten again.

Can't imagine that the motor being stuck to the table should make much difference, but I wait to be proved wrong...

 

[wizer]

It's a hard thing to photograph.

See? :lol:

Of course, the manual is as pointless as Katie Price

 

[9fingers]

Save time Tom and buy this one

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/post ... tml#451320

Invite your mates round to move it. Have fun fixing it and it will last you out!

If you still want to play with the TS200 then just slacken off the motor mounting bolts and tap with a rubber mallet to get the blade/slot alignment spot on.

Bob

 

[studders]

Of course, the manual is as pointless as Katie Price

That's rather unfair....





I'm sure the Manual can't be that bad.

 

[wizer]

Cheers Bob, once I've wizered the TS200, I may well be in the market for a saw like that I'll have a play tomorrow and see how I get on with it.

 

[TrimTheKing]

Are they the fixings where the table meets case or where motor meets table?

 

[Digit]

I'm with Jim on the setting to the blade rather than the teeth Tom, but ten thou on a 10 inch blade is b****g all, to be blunt I'm not that sure that a blade is likely to be any better than that, they seem to 'dish' with usage, after all Tom, that is why the teeth are made wider than the blade in the first place!

Roy.

 

[jimi43]

Dishing of blades is usually a fault caused by overtightening of the retaining nut. It does not have to be tightened up mega-tight as this can distort the blade field.

Jim

 

[wizer]

Are they the fixings where the table meets case or where motor meets table?

I'm really not sure yet. This is all I have to go on:

To clarify, I'm not taking a reading from the brazed tooth, but just below it. This morning I took the reading from just below the kickback cutouts and the reading was roughly the same all around. I realise that 10thou is a tiny amount, but if I can get it closer and it's relatively simple to do, then I'll give it a go. The better I get each step, the better the overall result will be. I'm doing this for my own satisfaction and not because I think I haveto.

 

[jimi43]

I would say that the bolts "77" mount the whole bed to the base and the saw assembly is mounted to the base therefore you need to slightly loosen the mounting bolts "77" and tap the correct corner until it is square...

A key would help though Tom

Jim