My TS-200 fettling and saw/RT bench build thread...

[RobertMP]

Changed thread title to make a bit more sense
changed it again now to include making a stand for it.

................

I've taken the saw apart and cleaned out the accumulated sawdust.

Then I removed the internal blade guard

blade has seen better days

The black strip that moves (rotates it about the blade axis) the riving knife bracket was a little bent but is straight now.

I didn't fancy destroying the original blade guard so i made a flat plate version from sheet aluminium. I had some threaded bushes so i used a couple of those as spacers and superglued them against vibration. then a bit of black spray so it looks the part

Now this is where it gets interesting.... When the blade is in the fully lowered position the riving knife bracket stops the travel before the adjusting thread on the handwheel bottoms out. That means the little black strip is in compression when you hit resistance on the handwheel. Continue winding to try and get the blade flush or just below flush and the black strip bends. You can see the hole near centre of the picture has travelled past the end of the banana slot below it when the handwheel reaches the end of its thread.

here's the same hole from the other side

Closer look

What I'm thinking is if I can extend the movement slot a little, the blade will lower under flush easily and the black strip that rotates the riving knife bracket cannot get bent again.

Not an easy spot to work in though. Worth the effort?

Edit... Oh and I found the 'problem' as described in the ebay listing - the belt was loose and slipping so i tightened it I could turn the blade mount whilst holding the motor stopped before but can't now.

 

[RogerS]

Make sure that the belt isn't too tight otherwise you'll knacker your bearings. Might be worth fitting a new belt as if it was loose then it will have probably been slipping which results in polishing of the belt which then makes it slip which polishes it......

Well, I think that's what Bob (9fingers) taught me

 

[RobertMP]

It's not super tight now. Just enough to grip. There was fine sawdust in the belt grooves which couldn't be helping either.

 

[OPJ]

I think you generally want 10-12mm deflection on drive belts like this? Someone else will know for certain.

 

[jimi43]

Woooo!

Wizer-Vu! :lol:

I hope Axminster is watching...what with Tom's excellent re-engineering and now some seriously nice metalwork customisation from you Robert...well...someone in China is gonna grab your ideas!

Ultimately this should result in a machine that works right out of the factory the way it should...

Now...about that dust hopper! :wink:

Jim

 

[big soft moose]

tom (and us but i didnt document it) had the same problem with that black rod getting bent out of shape.

I cant remember how (or if) tom resolved his but we did what you are thinking about and extended the slot - we used a grinder in a flexible shaft on a dremel to allow access to the otherwise awkward spot (It only needs extending by a few mm to allow flush.

dust hopper wise there are two routes - the elegant one which i think tom took and which ed did to his 419 (which is now mine) is to use compound mitres to make a four sided hopper with a 4" tube fitting on the bottom.

the quick and dirty route, which we took, is to mount the saw in a plywood stand with a box below it , then cut a hole in the side of the box to fit a hose mounting.

The former looks nicer but comparing DE performance between my 419 and the work ts200 i dont think it matters which you do from the point of view of effectiveness (which ever you do its a good idea to seal joins with silicon sealant.

 

[RobertMP]

I think you generally want 10-12mm deflection on drive belts like this? Someone else will know for certain.

The pulleys are only about 5 or 6 inches centres so I doubt it should be that much. It was about 8 - 10mm pushing on one side but it then had little grip. now it is about 3 - 4mm and it does grip.

Plan is to get the raising and lowering working right then look at making a hopper and closing some of the openings. better order a new blade too.

Thin kerf and make a new riving knife? like the idea of a thin cut and less waste per cut.

 

[RobertMP]

(It only needs extending by a few mm to allow flush.

problem is the direction it needs extending in is towards the fold in the bracket - which means relieving some of the upstand to give the nyloc nut somewhere to go....

 

[big soft moose]

(It only needs extending by a few mm to allow flush.

problem is the direction it needs extending in is towards the fold in the bracket - which means relieving some of the upstand to give the nyloc nut somewhere to go....

we didnt take thart much off - if you took away say half the distance between the existing slot and the fold that ought to be sufficient to allow it to go flush without you needing to relive the upstand.

that said quality control on these saws is variable to say the least and they arent all identical so you might need to remove more metal than we did to get the same result.

 

[RobertMP]

So I was thinking about making the banana slot in the main bracket longer because the black link plate was too long and decided it would be easier to make a shorter link plate. So I found a bit of stainless that was about the right width (couldn't find any steel the right size) and cut it to length and drilled 2 6mm holes on centres that were 2mm closer than the original.

Fitted it and the height adjustment now travels to the end of its thread with a nice positive stop

Fitted my flat plate belt guard and noticed that the top edge is parallel with the table surface - which it wasn't before!

So I started looking at the riving knife. It has been butchered to let it drop lower by having the slot extended.
This is the original position

And here it is lowered. Now I don't like the look of this. There is enough wiggle in the slot to clear the blade but only just. The other problem is the top edge - which now has only the leading radius at higher level and the rest of the top edge is no longer parallel to the table surface.... at least I think it's a problem! I've found some 2mm steel plate and am thinking of making a new knife.

Whilst the blade was back on I thought I'd check if it was set parallel to the table slots. I marked one tooth and measured the distance with my digital caliper... set the display to zero and rotated the blade so the tooth was back down to table level the other 'end'.... The difference was 1.15mm!! Double checked as it was so far out and got the same result. So another job for the list.

 

[jimi43]

I love the way you are approaching this project Robert.

You are changing the cheap but vital parts so that they work within the design constraints of the entire saw....very impressive and cheap!

Brilliant!

Jim

 

[wizer]

God I wish you'd done your one first. The difference between my thread and this is that you seem to have an inching of what you're doing. :lol: You should go into business supplying upgrade kits for these saws. I'd buy one!!

 

[RobertMP]

^ lol. The metalworking and mechanism is easy enough but I don't have any experience of tablesaws.

Anyway back to the riving knife. I drew it up in sketchup using a downloaded blade outline. changed the mounting hole to a slot so the bolt does not need removing - just slackening. Seem like a good idea?

Printed it full size on paper and cut it out with scissors. The top edge of the knife is 4mm below the blade crown in its lowest position.

Now if I want the knife higher I could either do this or put the original one back on in its supplied position.

Would the increased clearance between knife and blade be a problem in the 'high' position?
planning on grinding a feather (taper) on the leading edge of the knife.

 

[wizer]

Robert, looks good to me. Make two while you're at it... :lol:

 

[Chems]

Seems like a good idea, the reality is that you'll rarely be cutting material to the max of your blade. I know its a smaller blade but with my 10" I have very rarely ever needed that full 70mm cut height so your solution seems sound enough.

 

[RobertMP]

Well I've made one (but I have enough steel for another if it works out well in use).

Needs a new shim to go under it about .7 thick so that is a job for tomorrow. got plenty of thinner sheet steel.
Not enough movement in the slot to let it touch the blade even if you don't look when mounting the knife so pleased with that.

Slipped the crown guard on. Just needs the nut tightened a bit to keep it there. easy on and off.

So get the knife aligned and bolted on tomorrow then try and get the blade in line with the table...

 

[big soft moose]

looks good, i think the original owner of yours must have modified (read bodged and buggered) that riving knife because ours doesnt drop as close to the blade.

so far we are pretty much on par except that i havent bothered to put a guard back on the belt - it doesnt seem likely that anything will drop through and foul it especialy once the ZCI is inplace.

talking of which are you making a ZCI for yours - if you are i'd be interested in seeing your aproach - we are thinking mdf and just rise the saw through it under power

 

[RobertMP]

A zero clearance insert is probably on the list of 'to do's ' but a fair way down

I have some 3mm polycarbonate which might be an alternative to MDF.

I was thinking my flat plate would help deflect the sawdust downwards as much as actually guard the belt?

Got a couple of ideas for other improvements while I'm at it... and when I get to it. long way to go yet.

I've emailed the seller asking about the mitre gauge but had no reply.... just like when I bought it! Anyone know if there is an aftermarket mitre gauge that would fit and how much it would cost? I'll phone the seller and try to get the original sent if a new one is silly money.

 

[big soft moose]

I've emailed the seller asking about the mitre gauge but had no reply.... just like when I bought it! Anyone know if there is an aftermarket mitre gauge that would fit and how much it would cost? I'll phone the seller and try to get the original sent if a new one is silly money.

be aware that the slots in the top of the ts200 are not standard sized so most aftermarket guages wont fit (unless you modify ither the slot or more probably the rod)

axminster do this but again i wouldnt guarantee that it fits a ts200.

It might be worth contacting axminster both to ask them about the above and also to see if they can supply a replacement standard ts200 mitre guage - its not offered on their website but their customer service is pretty good so its worth a try

 

[wizer]

I've done the ZCI on mine. Shame I've got ten ton of crap all over the top of the saw or I could show you.

I did it out of hardwood. Thicknessed to about 3mm then I routed a rebate on the router table to allow for the fixing plate to mate to it.

Crap description, I'm aware. I'll be in the workshop tomorrow (taking delivery of my lovely new toy, er tool. So I'll try to get some pics. I must admit, I winged it and got lucky. It works perfect.