Shopsmith Forums

Hi all,

I just acquired a Mark V, model 500 and I love this machine! I've found (after performing all of the alignments with the miter gauge and sanding disk) that when I do a crosscut, the backend of the cut drags against the latter part of the cut. What could cause this?

Thanks in advance.
Pete

Does the cross cut read at the angle at which you had set the miter gauge? i.e. Is your cut at 90° if that's the angle you wanted?
The board against the miter gauge might be moving towards the blade just a bit as the cut is being completed. You might try attaching some sand paper to the face of the gauge or, making and attaching a wooden auxiliary face to the gauge.

Gene Howe wrote:Does the cross cut read at the angle at which you had set the miter gauge? i.e. Is your cut at 90° if that's the angle you wanted?
The board against the miter gauge might be moving towards the blade just a bit as the cut is being completed. You might try attaching some sand paper to the face of the gauge or, making and attaching a wooden auxiliary face to the gauge.

Yes, the angle is correct, I use the squeeze clamp and it does it every time. I've even used the opposite miter gauge on the other side of the blade.

Thanks for your reply.
Pete

I would re check that the mitre slots are parallel to the blade. Have all locks tight while you do the check.

rocklaw wrote:Hi all,

I just acquired a Mark V, model 500 and I love this machine! I've found (after performing all of the alignments with the miter gauge and sanding disk) that when I do a crosscut, the backend of the cut drags against the latter part of the cut. What could cause this?

Thanks in advance.
Pete

I do not see the table alignment mentioned.

See last post by RPD!

The proper sequence of alignment adjustments is:

Align TABLE to the blade. i.e. Miter slots parallel to the blade.

THEN miter gauge angle to the slots.

Lastly, rip fence parallel to the slots.

JPG wrote:

rocklaw wrote:Hi all,

I just acquired a Mark V, model 500 and I love this machine! I've found (after performing all of the alignments with the miter gauge and sanding disk) that when I do a crosscut, the backend of the cut drags against the latter part of the cut. What could cause this?

Thanks in advance.
Pete

I do not see the table alignment mentioned.

See last post by RPD!

The proper sequence of alignment adjustments is:

Align TABLE to the blade. i.e. Miter slots parallel to the blade.

THEN miter gauge angle to the slots.

Lastly, rip fence parallel to the slots.

Thanks. So I should align the table to the saw blade and not the sanding disk as per the instructions?

Pete

rocklaw wrote:

JPG wrote:

rocklaw wrote:Hi all,

I just acquired a Mark V, model 500 and I love this machine! I've found (after performing all of the alignments with the miter gauge and sanding disk) that when I do a crosscut, the backend of the cut drags against the latter part of the cut. What could cause this?

Thanks in advance.
Pete

I do not see the table alignment mentioned.

See last post by RPD!

The proper sequence of alignment adjustments is:

Align TABLE to the blade. i.e. Miter slots parallel to the blade.

THEN miter gauge angle to the slots.

Lastly, rip fence parallel to the slots.

Thanks. So I should align the table to the saw blade and not the sanding disk as per the instructions?

Pete

What you are actually doing is aligning the miter slots horizontally perpendicular to the quill axis of rotation.

The saw blade and/or sanding disk is used to provide a surface perpendicular to the axis as a reference. Either will do if used correctly. A saw blade may be warped so that must be taken in to account. Sanding disks tend to be 'flatter', but that needs to be verified.

Hi Pete;

Once the table/blade/slot/miter gage alignments are correct, there are still a couple of other issues that might cause the work piece to bind against the blade as it exits the cut. The first, and more likely, is that the splitter is not parallel to the blade. If the splitter is at even a very small an angle to the blade it can force the end of the workpiece sideways, which moves it towards the blade on one side of the cut and away from it on the other. The way to check it is to move the anti-kickback pawls up and out of the way...I use a pencil between the pawls and the top of the splitter until the alignment is finished...then, take a straight edge like the blade of a combination square and lay it flat on the table, snug against the blade. You have to make sure the straight edge is against the body of the blade and not the tips of the teeth. Then keeping the straight edge against the blade, slide it towards the splitter and then align the face of the splitter against the edge of the straight edge. Do this for both sides of the blade. The splitter should now be in line with the blade. You might have to do a little shimming at the base of the splitter, where it slides, to get this alignment. I know on my 500 I check this frequently, since I am always taking the guard on and off.

The other possibility that comes to mind is that your workpiece might be "case hardened", which is a form of incomplete curing. You might try cutting a piece from a different board and see if that makes any difference.

Hope some of this is helpful.

make sure your table doesn't move during the cut ? I like a good coat of wax on the table and the fence and the miter gauge slots , also,, the sanding disc may not be true , spin it and check the measurement in several places when you align it ? JMO

Also makes sure ALL your locks are engaged! Table height, table tilt, carriage, headstock, & quill.