Help delta 16 scroll saw problem bad misalignment first time

[tantrum13063]

Just bought a delta 16 scroll saw. Don’t know what I’m buying but I bought it as looking nice quality and useful. I see centre cap missing but can make one of those. My question is why would the alignment be so bad top and bottom looking from the front it’s ten to fifteen mil adrift. Took the arm off and it’s ok not bent I don’t think but can’t get my head round it. If I can find a way of putting a picture in I will.
Any help would be greatly appreciated and can’t wait to get wood making and getting deeper into the forum.

Andrew

 

[AES]

Not sure what you mean by "centre cap" sorry. Do you mean the insert which goes into the table where the blade goes up and down?

Re alignment, when you sit/stand "in front" of the machine (as if you're going to cut something) where the blade goes through the table it should be at exactly 90 degrees. If it isn't, then you should adjust the table swivel until it is at 90 degrees.

The easiest way to check this is to take a fairly substantial "block" (say at least 1 inch square) and cut half way into it. Then stop the saw, remove the block, then try and push the cut onto the blade from BEHIND. If the table/blade IS square then the cut should slide neatly onto the blade with no resistance at all. If it does then OK, the table/blade IS square. If not, re-adjust the table, make a new cut, and try again until it is square.

I'm assuming here that the amount of table movement needed to achieve this is quite small. If it's a large amount of table tilt you need to get this, then something else is wrong. Start by checking the blade holders are correctly seated and aligned with the upper and lower arms.

If those OK, then it sounds unlikely but perhaps your machine has been dropped (example) and maybe the table trunnions are bent. Sounds unlikely though.

BTW, you are very lucky to have got a Delta machine. I've never ever even seen one, and they seem to be as rare as hens teeth in Europe but have a very good reputation in the US.

HTH

 

[donwatson]

As AES says above, that is the best way to check for the blade being square to the table but please, when backing the block out ''''keep it flat on the table''''', do NOT lift it off the table before sliding it round to the back of the blade.
Don W

 

[AES]

Good point, thanks! The idea is to check the 90 degree angle is dead on, NOT to "fiddle" the result!!

 

[tantrum13063]

Thanks guys I’m trying to work out how to upload a picture. It’s very out. 10 mil plus off 90 is crazy over the length of a 4 inch blade. I’d have to turn tilt it a lot and I can’t see that sort of workspace precise enough. I will definitely post a picture later.

I really appreciate your time and experience

 

[tantrum13063]

Hopefully it’s uploaded a picture. In fact it’s not straight from front to back either

 

[Irish Rover]

Are you certain your table is level?

 

[AES]

Sorry, not trying to be "difficult", but I can't see the blade (where it goes through the table) in your pic. That, and within large limits, ONLY that, is what matters

 

[loftyhermes]

Looking at that picture I think the table is not set square to the blade. Put a blade in and tension it, then set the table so it's square to the blade. there's a bolt under one side that's the 90° stop, this may need adjusting, the picture is from the 40-560 manual, page 14.

 

[AES]

Thanks for posting that pic loftyhermes. I assume you actually have a Delta saw? I've read great things about them but never even seen one! They seem to be as rare as hens teeth in Europe.

That should help the OP much better than I could

 

[loftyhermes]

AES, I have three, two 40-560 type 2's and one 40-540. The 560's are 2 speed and the 540 is variable speed apart from that they are identical.

 

[Irish Rover]

Don't suppose you've got a spare Delta blade changing tool knocking around that you would sell?

 

[loftyhermes]

Don't suppose you've got a spare Delta blade changing tool knocking around that you would sell?

No I don't, sorry.

 

[AES]

@loftyhermes: You wrote, QUOTE: AES, I have three, two 40-560 type 2's and one 40-540. The 560's are 2 speed and the 540 is variable speed apart from that they are identical. UNQUOTE:

Thanks for that. Are they as good as I`'ve read on US scrolling sites? Just as a matter of interest, when I went looking for a new scroll saw, about 5-6 years ago now, I couldn't find a single dealer anywhere in Europe , so where did you get yours please? As said above, they seem to be as rare as rocking horse manure over this side of the Atlantic. Apart from pix I've never managed to even see one in the flesh.

 

[loftyhermes]

@loftyhermes: You wrote, QUOTE: AES, I have three, two 40-560 type 2's and one 40-540. The 560's are 2 speed and the 540 is variable speed apart from that they are identical. UNQUOTE:

Thanks for that. Are they as good as I`'ve read on US scrolling sites? Just as a matter of interest, when I went looking for a new scroll saw, about 5-6 years ago now, I couldn't find a single dealer anywhere in Europe , so where did you get yours please? As said above, they seem to be as rare as rocking horse manure over this side of the Atlantic. Apart from pix I've never managed to even see one in the flesh.

They're bloody brilliant mate, by far the easiest and quickest blade change system ever made IMHO, the first one I bought new in 1994 or 5 from a woodworking show that used to held near Leamington Spa, I think that Delta stopped selling over here not long after this, the others, one bought off of a member on here the others off ebay, I did have 4 but sold one to a friend. They do keep popping up on ebay, just looked and there's 3 on now.

 

[bob531]

I had one years ago, i bought it new from Axminster. Mine developed a crack in the arm casting.

 

[tantrum13063]

I’ve got a bit lost in the thread having a sort of dyslexia. The table is square and it’s 90 degrees. The blade isn’t on the saw as it was so wonky. I’ve changed the bottom blade holder round 180 degrees which gives me a few mm. I will try it today once the blades arrive. I was kind of hoping to use jewellers piercing saw blades which I am used to using with the metal casting I play around with. We will see if it works and thank you. I may shim out the top bar a little just to get it 90 degrees.

 

[loftyhermes]

You put the blade on and tension it then set the table with a square (or credit card if you haven't a small square), to the blade, that's the only way to know the table is 90° to the blade.

 

[tantrum13063]

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[AES]

Right, I can see the blade now, thanks.

Just as loftyhermes says, the only way to check for blade "squareness" is with the blade in and fully tightened to the tension you would normally use. (Sorry, I don't know, but IF you're a 1st time scroll saw user, a good rule of thumb is to just tweek the blade and it should go "ping". Apparently it's supposed to be the middle C music note, but I'm not sure what that is ;-)!) Just go for a good "musical "ping", not a non-musical "thunk".

Now to your problem. It MAY be just the camera/lens/pic distortion, but from your pic, the table is well away from horizontal when compared with the background in your pic. But that does NOT matter, honest! What DOES matter is that with your credit card resting on the table, the blade is also well out of square - it's miles out, just as you say!

So what you do is simply adjust the angle of your table until it IS square to the blade. Just as you've done, measure it with your credit card, and keep doing it until the table/blade IS square, all the time making sure that the edge of your credit card stays flat on the cutting table.

If that means that your table ends up being not level in comparison with the room, that doesn't matter at all! The ONLY thing that matters is having a 90 degree angle between the table and the blade at the point where the blade goes through the hole in the table. That's all. Forget anything else.

If you want to do a double check against your credit card method then you cut half way into a block of wood, just as I (and someone else, I forget who, sorry) described in posts right at the start of this thread.

HTH