Table Saw setup #1: Some assembly required

I debated with the purchase of a “real” woodworker’s table saw for some time. My original purchase a couple years ago was the Bosch 4100. I had never used a table saw prior to that purchase so there was a lot of time spent reading the owner’s manual. I have greatly enjoyed the projects made with this little workhorse of a saw. Easy to change blades and simple to use a dado set. The work surface is small and, thus at times have felt limited by the capacity. The Powermatic sale in November finally pushed me to “allow” my husband to buy the PM1000 for me (i.e., Christmas present, birthday present, Valentines, and so forth, for the next foreseeable future).

The boxes arrived on a pallet a few weeks ago. Credit my husband with being the main brawn to get the boxes to the shop. We have been working together to get the mobile stand set up and the saw put together. NOT done yet – definitely “some assembly required.”

Unfortunately, for our mobile stand, we had a corner unit in which the threads were not functional resulting in the loss of much of a Saturday to get a warrantied replacement. Then I mis-measured the saw base dimensions so I had to redo the mobile base configuration after we found the saw did not fit. Since I ordered the 52 inch fence, also needed the extension bracket. WELL…here comes the next major oops. I had assembled the mobile base for the TS and we were able to lift it in place. I didn’t realize that for the extension bar, I would need to replace one of the size pieces with a different side piece with a bracket for the extension bar to be inserted into. Realized this only when I opened the box with the mobile base extension. Wouldn’t have been that big of a deal EXCEPT we had just spent about 2 hours getting the saw on the base and the extension wings installed and level on the saw and then another hour getting the rails in place. At that point, the weight of the saw was such that I could no longer lift “my half” back out of the mobile base.

Two choices – un-assemble the rails and wings OR prop up the saw so I could slide the end of the mobile base out and replace the side bar. We did the latter. My husband lifted a side of the saw and I slid some wood to support the saw until it was off the mobile base. Was able to pull apart the base, replace the side bar, and reassemble. Reversed the steps to remove the wood holding up the saw and re-set it in the mobile base. WEW. Then we were able to get the extension table installed on the saw and that’s where we are at with it right now. Next will be to work on the fence assembly…and whatever the upcoming pages in the owner’s manual have in store.

My guess is that I may be trying too hard for “perfect” in terms of leveling the wings and so forth. I figure the setup is key to future performance so am trying to get it all as “right” as possible. Feel a bit overwhelmed with the setup, but hoping that once we are done that I’ll get comfortable with this saw, as I have become with my dear Bosch. Hopefully will have a blog update with a fully functioning PM 1000!!