SIP 01332 - fence issues

[Petey83]

Took delivery if my new table saw today - a SIP 01332

Now maybe I'm just unlucky, maybe I've done something wrong or maybe I just expect to much for my £1200 but the fence is absolutely awful.

You have to grab the actual fence as opposed to the locking handle if you want to move it and even then it does not move in square not does it seem to lock down square...... I've checked and beoynd being able to adjust the fence tightness on locking and the actual squarness of the fence to the blade there is no way to adjust how it runs on the rails or to help it lock square.

Seems no better than the fence on my Bosch site saw that was a third of the price......

 

[DBT85]

Is it one that locks front and back or just on the front rail? The ones I've used that lock on both I find need to be kind of pushed toward the table before locking to make sure it slides square rather than at an angle as the rear contact drags.

Lots of people on here with the same saw as you though in its various brandings so I'm sure someone can be more specific!

 

[Lons]

I've had that saw for years and find the fence slides well on mine, I can push it with a finger on the clamp edge. I did take some time to adjust it and regularly treat the bars with ptfe spray which might help. That said I haven't compared it against better quality or aftermarket products so my experience is limited or your standards are much higher than mine.

Two things come to mind, are the bars perfectly parallel to each other and is there any wind when you sight across them, the latter can happen I think if the saw isn't levelled properly or the extension tables not correctly set up. Could also be faulty of course.

 

[Petey83]

So the extension tables were leveled using an engineers straight edge so I'm happy with them.

The fence was levelled on the rails using 1mm Packers under each end. I guess there is a possibility that the rear rails is slightly higher but I don't see how that would make the fence moves so badly.

If I grab the fence itself, push forward on it and then move it then it moves ok but try and move it at the rail with one hand and it'll skew and catch. In terms of locking square I'm pretty sure it's not but I need to adjust the table as the mitre slots are not perfectly aligned (another thing that seems unclear in the instructions)

I guess all said I'm disappointed for what I got for the money. The cast iron is nice and we'll finished but the fence is worse than the one found in the DeWalt site saws that are £500 cheaper, the arbor is not reducing ring friendly and the instructions are shocking.

Perhaps I'm just hacked off with it and need to relax now and go back to it tomorrow.

 

[RogerS]

Duff fences come from manufacturers of every hue. The table-saw fence on my Hammer C3-31 combi is in the Not Fit for Purpose category. You line it up on the mark but then as you tighten it up, it shifts. When you take it off and put it on the planer, you have to pull hard at the top to adjust it square.

Good luck with sorting yours out.

 

[Lons]

Sounds is if you know what you're doing and have set it up correctly. The saw is just a clone available under several different labels and as Roger says maybe you have a duff fence.

Have you 'phoned SIP to see what they have to say Pete or contacted the retailer if it wasn't bought direct, perhaps worth saying it isn't fit for purpose and if they can't solve the fence issues you'll reject the saw.

 

[Petey83]

No not called anyone yet as it only arrived today and I've spent this evening putting it together.

Losening off the rear fence / rail clamp and spraying the rails with some PTFE spray has helped it move smother but it still does not move in paraelle front and back.

I've also had to shim it on one side to get it square in the 90 degree to the table.

I don't think it's a faulty fence, I just think it's garbage by design. I'm sure many are happy with there saws but for me I expected more for the money or cost.

The instructions are beoynd pointless and miss a number of key things like aligning the blade to the mitre slots.

I'll have another go at setting the fence up tomorrow once I've figured out how to align the blade to the mitre slots.

 

[Flat Pat]

I just bought an axminster 216 and your description sounds exactly like the fence on mine! Wonder if they’re the same kind of design? I’m gutted but the pice was half of yours.

 

[Westwood]

Sorry to hear you've got problems - don't think this is typical as I've heard reasonable things about it to date.
Yes you can make your own or buy Incra or Biesemeyer type ones etc, but I felt the standard fence was ok to start with.
I have the same saw but no fence as yet - hoping to buy the fence and both rails in a secondhand deal but waiting to hear from the seller.
Just taking my first steps to refurb one of these.
Several say there are loads of these about but you could have fooled me. Only seen two reviews on line and one of those is by a makers agent.
When you 've calmed down, may post a pic or better still, a video of the fence moving. others more experienced than me should be able to spot whether yours is duff and needs replacing. I have the "manual" and like your instructions, its not much to write home about.
Fraid I can't help with your fence , but very interested to see this get resolved and read other owners' views....

 

[Petey83]

Well it seems I'm just not meant to have a table saw!!

Finished building the saw tonight, calibrated it all and made 6 test cuts before it killed itself as I tried to start it up for cut number 7!

16amo supply fitted by a proper sparks so know it's not that. Tested using a voltage stick and can see power getting to the NVR, can see power leaving the NVR when green button pressed and can see power reaching the large fuse outboard of the motor so assumption is motor has killed itself!!

Can't be bothered anymore, may as well just get a site saw again and save the money towards a nicer PT or something

 

[Westwood]

Woah I wouldn't give up that quickly, particularly if I'd just paid what you stated .
Making a few test cuts is perfectly reasonable - you can't confirm whether the saw works satisfactorily until you've done that.
So unless you've done anything way off piste, maybe this is one to return to the suppliers and get them to resolve the issue fully or perhaps supply you with a SIP 1332 which does work properly. Its a reasonable saw and it should be working from the off

 

[Petey83]

Whilst I know it's not all SIPs fault this will now be the second cast iron topped made in China table saw I've had to unpack, assemble, have break and then return within 10 days. The Lumberjack blew 2 fuses and needed returning and now the SIP seems to have blown it's motor.

I'm trying to take my hobby into a small business and I don't get how it's so hard to get a decent table saw.

 

[Lons]

This is an old thread so I don't know how up to date it is but on the first page it says 9 owners of the SIP 01332 and 4 have the bigger 12" version forum-users-table-saws-t527-630.html
Maybe time to look at some of the big old s/h saws?

 

[Petey83]

I've now doubt many are happy with their saws. I stand my my comments around the fence, I think it's disappointingly basic and would benefit from more adjustment / fine tuning options.

The motor issue may well be dumb luck but it's just become frustrating

 

[Lons]

It's a lot of money Pete and too much to pay for something you're not happy with so hopefully you can get a refund.

 

[Petey83]

Issue I have is what do I replace with.

I need a 10" saw.... The iTech and axy sa s are clones of this and out if stock for 6 weeks plus apparently.

The Laguna Fusion F2 looks decent but is £600 more and that's really beyond what I can afford or justify as a hobby user even if I do start selling the odd bit on Etsy.

That leaves the new DeWalt 10" site saw which is about the only site saw with a decent fence that locks square reliablly. That means back to a brushed motor and alu top which were things I was hoping to upgrade past - especially the brushed motor due to it being a home workshop. It's also comically expensive IMO for what it is - especially compared to the DW745 it replaces.

I could start looking second hand but that comes with its own hassles.

I've spoken to the retailer and am awaiting their response after they've spoken to SIP

 

[Petey83]

Update

SIP are suggesting a faulty NVR so there is a replacement in the post.

I spent some over lunch aligning the blade to the slots so at least that's fine if the new switch works.

I still find the fence frustrating to use but it does lock square now after some setting up. I've found using the micro adjust for the last little nudge onto the width you want to be the best way of ensuring the fence sets square.