Hey everyone! I just got my very first table saw, the Skil 10 inch jobsite model, and I'm diving into woodworking as a complete newbie. I'm currently trying to calibrate it, but I feel like I'm making the whole process way more complicated than it needs to be. I've checked the blade alignment with the table, fence, and miter slots, and it seems pretty square, but I keep second-guessing myself and my measuring skills.
Part of me can't believe that the saw could be almost perfect out of the box, and I really want to make sure everything is square to avoid kickback or binding, which I'm quite nervous about. I know this shouldn't be overly complicated, and I suspect I'm just overthinking it. So, are there any specific cuts or methods I can use to verify that everything is indeed aligned correctly? Thanks for any tips or advice you can share!
2 Answers
Using an alignment gauge can really help you out here. It's a handy tool for checking the alignment of your saw and even for getting your fence lined up perfectly. I thought my Milwaukee jobsite saw was aligned, but it turned out to be off quite a bit! You might want to invest in one of those to get everything aligned just right.
I have the same saw, and I found that it was pretty close to true when I first set it up. Here are the steps I took to make sure everything was aligned: 1. Align the blade to the miter slots. 2. Adjust the fence so it is parallel to the miter slots. 3. Make sure the blade is at a perfect 90 degrees to the table. 4. Set the throat plate flush with the table. 5. Align the riving knife with the blade. Make sure to look these up for detailed guidance if needed!
What do you think is the best tool for this calibration? Would a framing square do, or is one of those dedicated gauges better?
I’m thinking this might be the way to go. It seems a bit much for my lower-end job site saw, but it would definitely give me peace of mind!