Hello everyone, I pray that you are doing well and staying healthy.
The other day I decide to check the trunnion of my table saw. Like many of you, I have an old Craftsman 10” TS. I bought this saw in the summer of 2019. After buying it I did all the usual cleaning and inspection stuff including checking the TS blade alignment.
At the time I adjusted the trunnion as best I could. Well, now it’s time to see if it’s moved.
The first thing to do was get things set up. So, I made a quick and dirty holder for my digital calipers. This was a simple holder made from some scrap maple and a couple of screws.
Here you can see the holder. 
Using a marker, I marked a spot on the blade and zeroed the calipers at that point.
Once I checked the blade in the front position I rotated it to the rear position and checked again.
What do you think? Is 0.012” (about the thickness of 3-4 human hairs) enough to worry about? Especially when seasonal movement is often greater than that?
You can watch the process here if you want. If you do watch the video please leave a comment with your thoughts in the comment section.
Thank you for your time. Take care.
-- Doug
5 comments so far
splintergroup
home | projects | blog
4669 posts in 2231 days
#1 posted 01-25-2021 04:04 PM
12 mils is not bad and depending on what you build, it may actually be quite good.
It would bug me however as that could exacerbate sawblade marks on crosscuts and mess a tad with lengths when crosscutting on the right side of the blade.
Of course this is one of the more difficult errors to adjust out since it usually involves slotted bolt holes that like to move slightly when re tightened
HokieKen
home | projects | blog
16655 posts in 2147 days
#2 posted 01-25-2021 04:20 PM
.012 is probably fine. However, you want it to be wider at the back than at the front so your work doesn’t bind between the saw plate and the fence when you’re ripping.
-- I collect hobbies. There is no sense in limiting yourself (Don W) - - - - - - - - Kenny in SW VA
Notw
home | projects | blog
893 posts in 2762 days
#3 posted 01-25-2021 04:57 PM
my philosophy has always been if perfection is obtainable then go for it. If a simple adjustment can get you less the .012 then do it. I will usually adjust mine 1-3 times and if it isn’t perfect i live with it. chasing perfections is okay, letting perfection consume you and not getting any work done is not okay.
Ocelot
home | projects | blog
2874 posts in 3646 days
#4 posted 01-25-2021 05:57 PM
Does your saw have the adjustment screws that help make this adjustment? There are add-on s that do that if it doesn’t. 12 thousandths seems a lot to me. With a thin kerf blade, that’s 1/8 of the kerf.
-- I intended to be a woodworker, but turned into a tool and lumber collector.
Ocelot
home | projects | blog
2874 posts in 3646 days
#5 posted 01-25-2021 06:02 PM
Here’s a review of the PALS
https://www.lumberjocks.com/reviews/11625
-- I intended to be a woodworker, but turned into a tool and lumber collector.
Have your say...