Scheppach HS105

[transatlantic]

So I bought one of these last week from FFX, and initially I was happy with it after being able to set it up and get it nice and level and square (after also discovering that the leg assembly did not have any fixings included).

On using it today, I've discovered that the top is not flat specifically on the right side between the blade and the mitre slot. It is flat front and back, but across the centre of the table (parallel to the axle), it has a bit of a "bulge". This has made checking the blade for 90° to the table problematic, especially as the insert plate isn't perfectly flush with the table either. The top is cast aluminium, and I'm not sure how to solve this, if at all.

I realise paying £229 for a table saw is expecting some fettling, but I don't how if I can fettle this issue.

How big of a bulge are we talking? how 'high' above the rest and over what size of area?

I have had good success in improving the flatness of my cheap surface planer by attaching Wet/Dry to some float glass (that I already had) and using circular motions to average things out. Obviously it won't be perfect, but it is much better than it was. This was easier in my case as I wast able to take the infeed table to the float glass (it's a very small planer).

The table has some thickness, you might be able to try it. Assuming we're only talking about fractions of a mm .. In your case, you might get better results by using some thick MDF and a roll of 180 grit paper. Maybe also with some steel tubing attaching to the MDF to keep it flat. But I suspect you won't want to do this due to voinding the warranty.

Have you also checked it's not something underneath pushing up too much that might be causing the buldge?

 

[chiokli]

So, across the axle, there is about a 1mm gap to the table on either side of the insert plate at the extent of the table left and right (not including the slide out extension). So if I lay the straight edge tight on the right side, there is a 2mm gap on the left edge of the table, and vice versa. Looking again, it is around where the insert plate goes. The very front edge and the very back edge of the main casting is good and flat, just where that cut out for the insert plate is where things go wonky. I did have a look underneath and can't see any obstructions that might be deforming the top, the entire structure is pretty much suspended from the top.

My main issue is the hassle of packaging it back up, paying £16 for a courier to return it to FFX and potentially getting another duff one, whilst all this time the good summer days are disappearing and my willingness to work out in the shed dwindles. I would not be above flattening the top, I've scraped steel flat before albeit in much smaller sizes. Just wondering if those are my options.

 

[custard]

My main issue is the hassle of packaging it back up, paying £16 for a courier to return it to FFX and potentially getting another duff one

Manufacturers and retailers seem to count on exactly this reaction. If only a small percentage of buyers are prepared to deal with the hassle of returns then they'll just keep making and selling crepe machinery.

Why not contact FFX and insist that they send the delivery courier back to drop off a replacement and collect the faulty one at the same time? I know FFX will do this, because they did it for me! And if the replacement is just as bad then it's simple, you're entitled to a full refund.

Incidentally, problems like you're experiencing are red warning flags of further problems lurking in wait. I'll give you just one example.

One of the basic tests you should conduct on any new saw is to raise the blade to the full extent, tilt it over to 45 degrees, then either rip or crosscut a thick piece of scrap (as thick as possible with the blade fitted). Check to see if there's any burning or scorch marks on one side of the cut. If there are then the trunnions are misaligned. On a lower priced saw it's very common that the trunnion alignment will be okay when the saw is in a vertical position, but thick stock on an angled cut often shows up the weaknesses in the engineering. Shimming out the problem, while still retaining accurate non-angled cuts, can be done, but it's a lengthy and quite technical procedure.

 

[Bill1950]

Hi guys ... New to the forum and seriously thinking of buying the Scheppach HS105 ( from Screwfix, primarily because of their unbeatable 30 day return policy with no questions asked).
Having read through this excellent thread, I am confident that this is a decent budget saw that can give precision with a little fettling.
Just a couple of questions if I may ...

Is it worth setting the saw up with the supplied blade or should I use a decent Freud blade from the off?

Can the riving knife be easily removed for rebate cutting?
I have read that the riving knife does not need to be removed and can be lowered beneath the blade ... If so, how far below the blade? In other words, how deep a rebate cam be cut with the riving knife lowered?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

 

[transatlantic]

Hi guys ... New to the forum and seriously thinking of buying the Scheppach HS105 ( from Screwfix, primarily because of their unbeatable 30 day return policy with no questions asked).
Having read through this excellent thread, I am confident that this is a decent budget saw that can give precision with a little fettling.
Just a couple of questions if I may ...

Is it worth setting the saw up with the supplied blade or should I use a decent Freud blade from the off?

Can the riving knife be easily removed for rebate cutting?
I have read that the riving knife does not need to be removed and can be lowered beneath the blade ... If so, how far below the blade? In other words, how deep a rebate cam be cut with the riving knife lowered?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

The riving knife can be lowered just below the blade, so you can make rebate cuts. I'm not sure I understand why you need it any lower?

I used the blade that came with it for a good few months. It does the job. I then upgraded to a Feud blade and the cut is SO much cleaner.

Having said that, I probably wouldn't cut rebates or grooves on a table saw, as the tooth pattern means you need to clean it up before gluing. Unless you invest in a flat tooth blade. I think the router table is the better tool for this kind of job.

Or did you mean doing the rebate in two cuts? it'll be fine for that.

 

[Bill1950]

Thanks for your reply. I need to trim a square section piece from one corner length ways.ie: a rebate cut and then flip the timber and a second rebate cut at 90 degrees to the first cut which will thus remove the scrap piece from the corner.
As for the riving knife question, I think I am slightly confused ( wouldn't be the first time lol) ... So with the knife in its lowered position just below the blade teeth, does it still rise and fall with the blade or is it locked down and thus you cut without a knife?

 

[transatlantic]

Thanks for your reply. I need to trim a square section piece from one corner length ways.ie: a rebate cut and then flip the timber and a second rebate cut at 90 degrees to the first cut which will thus remove the scrap piece from the corner.
As for the riving knife question, I think I am slightly confused ( wouldn't be the first time lol) ... So with the knife in its lowered position just below the blade teeth, does it still rise and fall with the blade or is it locked down and thus you cut without a knife?

The riving knife is attached to the same mechanism as the blade. So as the blade lowers/bevels so does the riving knife. So as long as it is configured slightly lower than the blade (a one off operation), then you're all set.

 

[PabloBigasso]

Hi folks, first post.

I've owned this saw for a few months now and found this thread really useful when making my buying decision and setting it up. I thought I'd share a few experiences of my own in case they are of further help.

Mine came with the blade almost bang on to the mitre slots and I've not needed really tight accuracy so far so I've not adjusted that yet but it's on my list.

The fence has some issues. I've not managed to tune it to be reliably parallel yet, need to fiddle some more to see if that's possible. If it's used to the right of the blade the mechanism where the locking lever closes is slightly proud of the rest of the fence on the left causing longer pieces to feed in at a slight angle. Haven't figured if there's a way to adjust this out so I either use the fence on the other side or set an additional MRC jig over the fence to bulk it out.

The riving knife was way out. I had to raise the blade all the way up, unmount the whole mechanism using the two Allen bolts then flatten down the alloy mounting bracket (the bit still in the table not on the knife mechanism) with a file and shim with a sliver of plastic sandwiched between the mechanism and the bracket lip closest to it. I also had to shim between the L-plate and the knife itself. You can then clamp straight battens around the blade and riving knife to finish setting it up.

The insert plate isn't very deep so making zero clearance inserts may be an issue. A few ways around this though.

The silver paint on the table wears quickly, there's quite a nice machined aluminium surface underneath but I guess the machining may cause some drag, we will see. I sanded out the paint in the mitre slots before making my own runners for MRC cross cut and mitre sleds because the supplied mitre gauge has too much slop for most work.

The supplied blade is OK, I've sharpened it up once when it started to slow down, will get a Freud blade before long.

Over all I've been fairly happy with it and managed to overcome most of its limitations and issues with some fiddling around.

However, in retrospect I suspect the Charnwood W616 may have been worth the little bit extra. Had I been aware of that model at the time I made my purchase I may still have avoided it due to the fence not clamping front and back but knowing what I do now it looks a fair bit better on most fronts

Hope this is useful.

 

[achmav]

Hi, first message for me too.
Also i am a happy owner of this table saw. It needs not a few initial adjustments, but now, with the addition of the Makita MLT100 soft start, i can say that it easily holds the comparison with more famous and expensive models.

 

[leigh120585]

Hi everyone,

I've had this saw for a while and to be fare for an ameture it has been great. I have replaced the blade to a friend 60t blade which has made a massive difference to the quality of the cut.
My only gripe in alignment, I can't seem to get square cuts. A always check the blade is 90 degree to the table. I think the blade is out of alignment with the slots.

Would anyone recommend a tool to help me align the blade to the slots?

Also any tips with the fence as when I set the thickness of cut I seem to have the fence tighter at the end and it feels that the material is pinching.

Thanks Leigh

 

[transatlantic]

Hi everyone,

I've had this saw for a while and to be fare for an ameture it has been great. I have replaced the blade to a friend 60t blade which has made a massive difference to the quality of the cut.
My only gripe in alignment, I can't seem to get square cuts. A always check the blade is 90 degree to the table. I think the blade is out of alignment with the slots.

Would anyone recommend a tool to help me align the blade to the slots?

Also any tips with the fence as when I set the thickness of cut I seem to have the fence tighter at the end and it feels that the material is pinching.

Thanks Leigh

Few points

- When checking the blade is 90 to the table, make sure you're referencing off the aluminium table, not the steel table insert.
- I haven't actually tried aligning the blade to the slots as mine seemed ok, but you build a jig like this (many variants)

- As for the cut feeling tighter at the end, that could be a few things. First, is the fence aligned to the blade? (align it to the mitre slot, and then align the blade to the mitre slot), secondly, is the riving knife aligned to the blade? it could be tilting to one side.

 

[Thornlv]

Hi, first message for me too.
Also i am a happy owner of this table saw. It needs not a few initial adjustments, but now, with the addition of the Makita MLT100 soft start, i can say that it easily holds the comparison with more famous and expensive models.

Was this an easy upgrade to perform and where did you get it from.?

 

[FatmanG]

Evening all,
I have just bought a 2nd hand hs105 off ebay and i do not have any power at all. I think the motor has gone. I looked to see if the rap clarke saw i bought 1st had the same powered motor but the hs105 is 2000w and the clarke is 600w. I have contacted scheppach to see how much a replacement motor would be but as yet i have not heard anything. I was wondering if any of the genius' that use this forum could offer me some advice on what to do. Can the motor be repaired could i do it? any advice on where to get a new motor. A user of this forum once told me when i bought something off him that buying cheap tools is a false economy. Never a truer word spoken. I now have 2 table saws one doesn't work andf the other doesn't have a fence and i should never f bought in the 1st place but i was so keen to get woodworking I bought a shed load of complete pony. I really hope i can get this saw working but honestly guys i haven't the foggiest where to blinking start.
Glenn

 

[Trevanion]

Well Mr.Fatman, it's rare that a motor completely dies but there could be a few things wrong...

The first obvious one, is it plugged in? Now I kind of mean that as a joke but are you certain there is power getting to the unit? It wouldn't be the first time a cable has broken internally not causing power to get to where it needs to go. Secondly, if the cable from the socket to the machine is fine, could it be the start switch? I think on some Scheppach machines the failure of the start switch is actually a common fault. Thirdly, if the switch is fine, with the belts off the saw arbour and motor try turning the machine on, does the motor hum but not move/moves very slowly? If that's the case the motor capacitor has gone and it's a simple and cheap fix to replace.

 

[FatmanG]

Mr Trevanion, I thank you for your reply. I am very worse for ware ATM but I shall try all your suggestions in the morning. Funny but my wife also asked me if I checked the fuse lol it must be my rotund stature that makes her think I'm a bit daft lol. Seriously I shall check and report back. Once again muchus gratias senor.

 

[transatlantic]

I would try tbe suggestions above, but don't bother spending more money replacing the motor, its not worth it.

How much did you buy it for? And have you not complained to the seller?

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[FatmanG]

I got it cheap to be fair. No can't complain sold as untested. Is it not worth repairing? The table and fence seems decent quality, it won't get a lot of use so I don't need an expensive saw just one that cuts square. I am a hand tool person really but being disabled I get tired and sometimes I don't have the umph to use the handsaw hence why it won't get lots of use. My preference would be to repair it unless there's a strong argument not to
Fatman

 

[Trevanion]

Actually, now that you mention fuse that might actually be the problem. You say the motor is 2000w/2Kw which is just about the maximum that can be run on a 13 amp supply in ideal conditions without blowing the fuse, if that is indeed the case you'll need to put it on a 16amp blue plug and socket to allow it to pull more amps on startup.

I've had to run a 1.5KW motor on a 16amp plug simply because it kept blowing fuses, but then I also have a machine that runs at 2.2KW on a 13 amp plug just fine! :?

 

[transatlantic]

Actually, now that you mention fuse that might actually be the problem. You say the motor is 2000w/2Kw which is just about the maximum that can be run on a 13 amp supply in ideal conditions without blowing the fuse, if that is indeed the case you'll need to put it on a 16amp blue plug and socket to allow it to pull more amps on startup.

I've had to run a 1.5KW motor on a 16amp plug simply because it kept blowing fuses, but then I also have a machine that runs at 2.2KW on a 13 amp plug just fine! :?

I think you're jumping the gun a bit here. I and many members have this saw without it blowing fuses. You should not need to change the plug to another higher rated than what it came with, ... if its pulling too much current that would suggest something else is wrong.

Your problem with the 1500w motor was probably because that motor has a very high startup current draw, and then drops down. Does it specify its startup current?



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[transatlantic]

I got it cheap to be fair. No can't complain sold as untested. Is it not worth repairing? The table and fence seems decent quality, it won't get a lot of use so I don't need an expensive saw just one that cuts square. I am a hand tool person really but being disabled I get tired and sometimes I don't have the umph to use the handsaw hence why it won't get lots of use. My preference would be to repair it unless there's a strong argument not to
Fatman

Its an OK saw. I don't think its worth repairing unless its only going to be cheap components.

I certainly wouldn't replace the motor and I very much doubt they'll even sell you one as a spare part.

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