Fettling an Axminster TS-200 Tablesaw

[wizer]

'here we go then.

Today I needed to cut the cover panels for the side, base and back of the saw. The base will eventually become part of the hopper. But until I work out how to do it, it's just a piece of 18mm ply. The side replaces the fabricated one that came with the saw. By cutting off the corner of the motor assembly, I can now fit a flat 12mm ply panel. Similarly, with the blade cowl in the trash can, the large hole in the back that allowed the dust port to move, can now be covered with a piece of 12mm ply.

To cut these panels I needed the saw setup. I put the rails back on and checked the blade for square. Normally, I use the wixey angle gauge, which I can get to 90.1:

That's fine by me, but I thought I'd check it with an engineer's square (yes, I know the square is battered)

While I was here, I thought if it could get to 45 ok.

It's hard to see in the pic, but the wixey shows 45, but the engineers mitre seems to be touching at the top and bottom, but not in the middle. I'll do more extensive tests on that later when I properly commission the saw.

Next was to true up the fence itself.

Using the same jig in the same slot, I took a reading off the front

and the back

So the fence is 20 divisions or 0.2mm away from the back of the blade.

Before I made any adjustments I checked if the fence was square to the table

It's hard to see in the pic, but there was about a 1-2mm gap (must get some feeler gauges) at the bottom of the fence, meaning it was leaning in.

So I looked in the manual to see how the fence adjusted. Silly me, why would the manual have that sort of information?! :roll: :x All has is a picture of the adjusting screw at the back of the fence.

Again, hard to see, but it's a slotted screw on the back of the fence. One big problem with this... I can't move it! Now, I freely admit I'm a rather weedy geek, but I'm surprised that I can't turn it, even a bit. Being that the fence is just 0.2 away from the back of the blade, I decided this is absolutely fine and so left it. I did find it odd that there is only adjustment on one side, the screw on the other side is blanked off. Inside the bearings are the same. The side that is adjust able on the outside, had a slotted screw. The other is blank

There is no other form of adjustment on the underside. Unlike a Beismier style fence, where you have at least 6 points of adjustability.

I was on my own to work out how to adjust squareness to the table. But I guessed it would have something to do with the two screws in the top of the fence

But... I couldn't shift these either :shock: . Must have spinich and shreddies for brekky tomorrow :roll:

I gave up pretty quickly. The panels did not require precision.

Lastly I needed to affix the tape measure. This was also doomed to fail. Why?

Because this fence was meant for a bandsaw, who's fence is generally on the other side. So it only went up to about 300mm on the right! I'll be tapping up Mr Maskery for a proper one :roll:

So I just got on with cutting the panels. I will come back to setting everything up later when I have finished everything else.

Cutting the ply panels was really enjoyable! I know that's probably an odd thing to say. But the way the saw was setup before I was always reluctant to use it. The only thing that's really different is the tiny adjustment on the blade alignment and the new fence. At the moment I'm using a tape measure to set the fence, but it's much easier to do with this fence. You can get it near, but a little pressure on the locking handle, then tap it to the right measurement. Let's just say that before was no where near that simple!

The back panel needed a notch cut out to allow the rear fixing for the motor assembly to pass through. Very quick and simple.

I couldn't fit them as I had no bolts of the right size and as I'm not driving yet, I'll have to wait for the wife to run me down to Toolstation in the morning.

I finished up by re-sawing a chunk of unknown reddy hardwood to use as ZCI plates.

Long post for not a lot of work, I know. But there you go.

Tomorrow I have hospital appointments all day. Thursday I'll be back at it. Fixing the panels and then fiddling with the design of the hopper. I may also have a go at the ZCI's if I get time.

I remembered today that it's my wedding anniversary in two weeks and I was supposed to be making my wife a jewellery box :shock: So I might have to delay making the rolling cabinet and at least have a go at the box.

 

[studders]

I personally think they are a great saw for the price and have never had a problem once it was setup correctly.

I've been faffing about for ages now... get it - don't get it, but I think you're right, for a small w/shop, which mine is, and for the price, it would be hard to find better. Soon as funds allow I'm going to get one, so long as the price doesn't leap up again which was another thing that stopped me buying earlier.

 

[studders]

Either that fence is a lot bigger than it seems in the pics on the Axi site or the table saw is a lot smaller than I thought. :shock:

The pic on Axi's site appears to have chopped the end off the fence, so it looks very short. Which is what's put me off buying it .....

Just had another look and you're dead right, the pic is very misleading, to Axminsters detriment. :?

 

[stuartpaul]

I would take it off, tw@t it about with a hammer until straight and stick it back in.

6 pages before there's a technical phrase that means something to me!!

Good going Tom, - interested in your ZCI adventures.

 

[woodsworth]

This has become a bit of a marathon thread. I expect to be seeing a jewelry box thread with pictures. Either that or a dog house thread.

 

[wizer]

This has become a bit of a marathon thread..

Yes, partly because of my tendency to ramble and partly because I'm only managing 2hours a day in the workshop. So there tends to be a couple of posts from me each day plus responses. When it's all finished, I'll add an index to the first post.

Either that or a dog house thread.

Much more likely. I have a reputation to keep up!

 

[wizer]

Guys, what are your thoughts on fitting a face to the fence? Either hardwood or something like phenolic? Is there any point?

 

[9fingers]

I'd leave it as bare anodised ali. It should be low friction.
Once the anodising starts to wear (it is pretty hard though) it might mark the wood and can be clad.

Also cladding it will lose your tee slot and despite your dislike of short fences, you can use it to add one for batch cross-cutting to length and accurate shoulder cutting of tenons. I find the latter method far superior to a bandsaw.

Bob

 

[wizer]

that's sorted that then

Thanks Bob

 

[stoatyboy]

marathon thread or not I'm finding it fascinating - can't wait to see the hopper and hear how well the dust extraction works

and is that the beginnings of your router table on the right there in the fourth pic? Hope we're going to get the full story on that as well ?!

keep 'em coming please

Cheers

 

[woodsworth]

true enough. I think this is the best example of turning a sow's ear into a silk purse? is that the saying. Fascinating stuff.

 

[wizer]

and is that the beginnings of your router table on the right there in the fourth pic? Hope we're going to get the full story on that as well ?!

That's actually the old 'temporary' one. It's just a piece of worktop with an insert, nothing special. I will be building a new one within this process.

 

[TrimTheKing]

I would take it off, tw@t it about with a hammer until straight and stick it back in.

6 pages before there's a technical phrase that means something to me!!

Good going Tom, - interested in your ZCI adventures.

I think that is one of my literary gems, I thank you for the compliment

 

[wizer]

Panels on. Pretty it aint:

I started thinking about plugging all the holes but I'm wondering if it's worth the bother? For example the back has this hole

Which could be covered like this

But is it worth it? The whole frame has a gap all around and the front will be tricky to plug the moving handle.

Any thoughts?

 

[Green]

are you fitting a moustache to your tablesaw?

 

[Mr Ed]

I used duct tape for most of the awkward sealing jobs on mine, including the moving handle. If I want to cut a bevel I'll just peel it off and then use a new bit after.

I do think its worth sealing all you can just to avoid losing all the suck from the system.

Ed

 

[wizer]

are you fitting a moustache to your tablesaw?

I will call it Mein Fuhrer when I've finished.

 

[jimi43]

I think this thread will go down in history too!!!

Some brilliant stuff here which can be used by others for other jobs. It is great how you can adapt ideas others suggest for jobs you have been pondering about for ages.

I had a look at a virgin TS200 the other day in Sittingbourne and it is really quite compact but one step above most small saws. Really nice feel to it. I noted that the riving knife does rotate in a planetary motion around the blade to keep it at the same level with the blade so that bit was important Tom!! I guess it becomes less important without the guard but still....probably necessary.

I can't wait to see how the hopper idea works....I already have the spanner in my hand ready to turn the Scheppach upside down AGAIN!!!

Jim

 

[wizer]

I can't wait to see how the hopper idea works....I already have the spanner in my hand ready to turn the Scheppach upside down AGAIN!!!

hehe that's funny as I nearly gave up on that idea today! I think I'm trying to over engineer it with not much of a clue about engineering. Finally, I realised that I'm never going to get all the dust and just a hopper from the bottom panel will have to do.

So next onto figuring out the compound angles and how to cut them on the SCMS.

 

[big soft moose]

Some brilliant stuff here which can be used by others for other jobs. It is great how you can adapt ideas others suggest for jobs you have been pondering about for ages.

I can't wait to see how the hopper idea works....I already have the spanner in my hand ready to turn the Scheppach upside down AGAIN!!!

i was looking at the work TS200 today and i think it wont be too long before we join tom in the "lets butcher the ts200 " club

for a start the sliding table is definitely coming off - the slide fell off three times today and for breaking down sheet material it is neither use nor ornament.

and secondly the crappy crown guard is definitely going - not only is the extration from it awful, it also keeps jamming against the work piece as its fed in - i'm binning it and replacing it with a suva stile guard

and thirdly we need to improve the below table dust extraction as there was mdf dust all over the blinking place today - i think we'll be going with a hopper approach too.

fourthly the extension table isnt flipping level with the top of the saw - theres about 2mm difference - so thats getting taken off and replaced with a fold down torsion box construction a la steve maskery - we may aslo put fold down torsion boxes on the left and outfeed as well

and finally the crappy leg stand is going and being replaced with a mdf/ply box stand on wheels.

arrrgh rant over

when we get round to doing all this i'll start a seperate wip thread - it wont be for a while tho as we have to build a stand for the cnc router first , and a mitresaw station for the new scms