Tablesaw setup.

[garywayne]

Hi all, I have a Clarke 10" Table saw, (model no. CTS10PLM). I realize this is a cheap saw, but I was wondering if there is anything that I can do to improve it.
The fence is held in place with a cam clamp which is attached to a metal plate at the far end of the fence, which adds up to a lot of play in the fence. If the table had a flat underside I could clamp a straight edge to it with more accuracy and reliability.
The mitre gauge is a piece of flat aluminium bar, (which doesn't fit the groves properly), with a piece of plastic screwed to one end. I have secured a piece of wood to it to add length.
The saw blade adjustment is also inadequate.
I would appreciate any advice.
Thankyou.

 

[SammyQ]

Hiya! I have a clone of this, a Power Devil. It is basically a biscuit tin on steroids; the motor is direct drive (NO pulleys), p**s poor fence, etc, etc. Buttttt... Boy, can she cut! Two inch teak has no chance!

I'm in the process of fabicating a support frame to the underside and side of the table top such that I can run a metal tube fence (a la Beismeyer) from right to left at the front. If you have the same layout as I have, look at the right and left edges of the top and they should be substantial enough to be drilled and tappped. Mine is aluminium, so nae probs. I'm having a couple of problems with the weight warping the top, so it is under attention from messers Heath and Robinson at present. Proper piccies when I have reduced the a**e-out-of-the-trousers look of the thing.

There are oodles of Beismeyer afficianados out there, all welding up their lookalikes - try Google or Gigablast. If all else fails, PM me and I'll dig out some references.

Regards from Sunny Belfast, Sam

 

[Scott]

Hi Gary

Welcome to the forum.

If you make one centre punch mark close to the side of the mitre fence bar at each end it should distort the ali out enough to tighten it up in the slot.

I'm afraid I've never seen the saw so I'm not sure how the rest of it works.

 

[Chris Knight]

Gary,
Clarkes make some stuff which isn't too bad these days but I have to say the TS is not one of them. I used to have one but binned it as simply too inaccurate to do anything worthwhile with it, although I had spent money on a better blade and decided this had been wasted.

If you are dead set on improving the saw you have and don't mind clamping the fence, you could bolt a larger piece of 1/2 inch ply to the top with enough overhang to clamp a fence. You will give up this depth of cut of course. You also need to be able to raise the spinning blade into it from underneath which will require, temporary removal of the riving knife. It will need removing to use the mitre gauge too.

All in all, look for a new saw!

 

[frank]

garry my first saw was a clarke, once tuned up its not bad just noisy i made a few bits and bobs with it ,where do you live if its not to far i can call and help you tune it up,

 

[Knot Competent]

I also suffer with a Clarke table saw. The fence provided is too insecure to rely on, so I binned it. I use a nice straight piece of beech and two clamps as a fence, and found that by drilling through the top of the cast aluminium table table an inch or so in from the long edges and countersinking the holes I could secure a 3" x 1" batten underneath each edge. This makes clamping my fence much easier, and more importantly much less likely to slip. Obviously I drilled the holes between the "ribs" on the milled top so that the screw heads were well below where any wood would bear.

But I long for a cast iron topped table saw with a Biesmeyer fence, a retractable riving knife and an induction motor! One day....

Regards, John

 

[garywayne]

I would like to thank everyone for there response.

Sam, I am going to look into this tube fence thing, but it sounds like a lot of money to spend on such a cheep saw like this. Although the motor is 1400w, it's pretty naff. Thanks for the info.

Scott, Punched the ali. works a treat. Thanks.

Frank, I really appreciate the offer, but alas, I live in the south of Hampshire, near Portsmouth. It would have been a good opportunity to meet someone els into wood. Thanks for the thought.

John, I can secure a batten to the underside of the front edge, but the back edge is in line with the main body of the motor shell. I might be able to bolt a batten to the outside of the rear edge. I will let you know. This sounds most favorable for me. Thank you.

I have to sort out the workshop/dinning room first, no room to work.
Gary.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Gary.

I don't know the Clark saws, but if it's one of the smaller models (a la construction worker lug-about variety) I remember Norm made a unit years ago in which to fit such a saw along with a router and some storage and he made a simple custom fence that attached to the box being adjusted with a knob front and back running in slots. The saw itself was bolted into the whole unit so it was stable. The whole thing was made from MDF (spit spit - dust) and looked pretty good. Maybe you could find the plans on the NYW site and adapt for your needs?

BTW, I'm just 35 mins up the M3/A31.

 

[garywayne]

Hi Brian, great idea, had a look at Norms site, I believe all his project plans are there. Looking at the plan it will also give me more much needed table top area as well. The plans are £10.00 a pop from, www.brimarc.com I had better start saving.
Thanks. - Gary.

 

[Alf]

What about Ian's workstation in GWW...?

Cheers, Alf

 

[Adam]

You've beaten me too it, I thought that as well!

Adam

 

[dedee]

Can someone edit the link ink gary's post. should be www.brimarc.com

Andy

[Mod edit - done. Adam \/ ]

 

[garywayne]

O.K. Alf and Adam, forgive my ignorance, I take it GWW is Good Woodworker, of which I do have some issues, but not the one in question. Is there a way of getting a copy of the plans without having to order a back issue?

Many thanks, - Gary.