Axminster TS250-2 modifications.
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Eric The Viking
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I've had great kindness shown to me recently by AndyT, who has helped me with a really awkward problem with my TS 200 rebuild. Until yesterday, the saw was dismantled into its components, almost completely. We were replacing the rise & fall pivot, so apart from a couple of nuts on one thread, all of the saw was taken apart.
So I know the insides of a TS200 very well indeed, and I very much doubt the TS 250 is very different. I realise access to the trunnion mounts might be, but they're really hard to get at anyway).
There are a few points from this I would mention:
1. if you can't get the blade properly parallel to a mitre slot something is wrong.
2. If you can't get the blade parallel to a mitre slot, using any home made sled will give disappointing results and/or issues like a risk of kickback. It will certainly reduce accuracy.
3. It should be possible to adjust the blade through 90 degrees in either direction. This is so you can set it exactly at 90 degrees. This is also important for accuracy, and it's one of the big reasons for having a TS in the first place. It's also why there is a 90 degree adjustment bolt on one side of the "trunnion" pivot system (IIRC, left side as you look at the front of the saw).
I strongly suggest you take one or both side panels off, so you can see, and find out why neither of these things are possible.
For alignment: There are sliding mountings, as I mentioned earlier. It is possible these are getting stuck on lumps in the table casting (underneath the table). The fix is not difficult but it does take time: you have to dismantle the saw so that you can get to the table and smooth off the pads the mountings slide on. There may be something else, but I can't imagine what. There is, or should be, far more adjustment than needed to get it aligned properly.
For 90 degrees: If it won't go square, something is stopping it from tilting. Find out what that is and fix it.
If you don't do this, you will always be frustrated, as the saw just won't work with the accuracy it is capable of.
E.
So I know the insides of a TS200 very well indeed, and I very much doubt the TS 250 is very different. I realise access to the trunnion mounts might be, but they're really hard to get at anyway).
There are a few points from this I would mention:
1. if you can't get the blade properly parallel to a mitre slot something is wrong.
2. If you can't get the blade parallel to a mitre slot, using any home made sled will give disappointing results and/or issues like a risk of kickback. It will certainly reduce accuracy.
3. It should be possible to adjust the blade through 90 degrees in either direction. This is so you can set it exactly at 90 degrees. This is also important for accuracy, and it's one of the big reasons for having a TS in the first place. It's also why there is a 90 degree adjustment bolt on one side of the "trunnion" pivot system (IIRC, left side as you look at the front of the saw).
I strongly suggest you take one or both side panels off, so you can see, and find out why neither of these things are possible.
For alignment: There are sliding mountings, as I mentioned earlier. It is possible these are getting stuck on lumps in the table casting (underneath the table). The fix is not difficult but it does take time: you have to dismantle the saw so that you can get to the table and smooth off the pads the mountings slide on. There may be something else, but I can't imagine what. There is, or should be, far more adjustment than needed to get it aligned properly.
For 90 degrees: If it won't go square, something is stopping it from tilting. Find out what that is and fix it.
If you don't do this, you will always be frustrated, as the saw just won't work with the accuracy it is capable of.
E.
I allways use the riving knife
The parts has arrived to the norwegian duty, so i hope to have them on monday.
I have bought the dust hood to put under the saw, and i can see that you have removed some of the part under the saw blade. Did you have to cut off the part?
The parts has arrived to the norwegian duty, so i hope to have them on monday.
I have bought the dust hood to put under the saw, and i can see that you have removed some of the part under the saw blade. Did you have to cut off the part?
I removed the shroud from the saw for fettling on the workbench, its held together with spot welds that are easily broken with a cold chisel, and the parts removed, once the side and joining piece are off its an easy job to straighten the remaining side to put back on the saw, do take note of where all the bolts go, as if I remember one or two of them go through multiple fittings.
Reason for removing:
The shroud around the saw blade is supposed to direct the dust to the very small inadequate extract port, by removing one side the dust is allowed to fall into the dust hood underneath and be extracted through the 100mm outlet, IMO its not a good idea to remove the shroud completely as some others have done, as this will expose the belt drive and motor to the debris created, in fact one of the bad write ups for this saw on the Axminster site said that he removed the whole shroud and then marked the saw down complaining that the belt keeps breaking. :roll:
Mike
7045
Reason for removing:
The shroud around the saw blade is supposed to direct the dust to the very small inadequate extract port, by removing one side the dust is allowed to fall into the dust hood underneath and be extracted through the 100mm outlet, IMO its not a good idea to remove the shroud completely as some others have done, as this will expose the belt drive and motor to the debris created, in fact one of the bad write ups for this saw on the Axminster site said that he removed the whole shroud and then marked the saw down complaining that the belt keeps breaking. :roll:
Mike
7045
This is what it looks like when modified:
I didn't bother removing the tube as it wasn't in the way of anything and it gave some support to the edge of the shield.
If you get a chance to take a picture of the complete unit that would enable a comparison to be made, and may prove useful.
Mike
7321
I didn't bother removing the tube as it wasn't in the way of anything and it gave some support to the edge of the shield.
If you get a chance to take a picture of the complete unit that would enable a comparison to be made, and may prove useful.
Mike
7321
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I did this to my Mk1 TS-200 the other weekend, well worth the effort!
It was a bit hairy trying to break off the shroud but prodigious use of the dremel and an old screwdriver saw it off. I removed the tube as well.
However yesterday I fitted a new ripping blade, this made some lovely long shavings which got stuck at the front of the saw preventing the extractor from removing them properly. I think some additional shrouding/deflector shield is required to funnel the shavings down towards the big dust hood thingy under the saw.
Well, that or just upgrade my extractor into something with more suck than an asthmatic with a cold.
Will
It was a bit hairy trying to break off the shroud but prodigious use of the dremel and an old screwdriver saw it off. I removed the tube as well.
However yesterday I fitted a new ripping blade, this made some lovely long shavings which got stuck at the front of the saw preventing the extractor from removing them properly. I think some additional shrouding/deflector shield is required to funnel the shavings down towards the big dust hood thingy under the saw.
Well, that or just upgrade my extractor into something with more suck than an asthmatic with a cold.
Will
I have the Axminster FM300BC : http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-ho ... eal-717658 and could not be happier, the way things are arranged internally the detritus has a cyclone action when entering the bag/filter area and looking at the striated layers in the bag gives me faith in the cyclone effect, but I have worked extensively on the overhead extraction, helped by the zero clearance insert, I also use it on my PT and Router Table to excellent effect.
Mike
Mike
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