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EZ way to align saw base with blade

GoldenWreckedAngle | Posted in Tools for Home Building on March 2, 2005 09:32am

Heads up for anyone setting up their saw for the EZ Smart guide system. I discovered a problem on two of my saws that will wreck your anti-chip inserts and frustrate the heck out of you if you don’t correct it before you make your first cut.

As I was setting up my Bosh saw with the EZ Smart Base I discovered that the Bosh base was not parallel with the blade. The saw was brand spanking new. I had the same problem with a Rigid saw I initially set it up with right out of the box as well. Maybe I’m just lucky like that, or maybe circular saw manufacturers aren’t designing their product for precision cutting with a guide system these days. Either way, I recommend a quick check before you make that first cut and screw up the anti-chip inserts.

No problem if it’s off, it’s an EZ fix.

Here is how I tweaked mine back in line.

1) Using my dial calipers I checked the distance from the edge of the base to the blade at the back

2) I then checked the distance to the blade at the front

3) I super glued brass shims to the side of the base to correct for the difference. Thin brass sheets in various thicknesses can be found at most hobby stores for next to nothing.

4) I temporarily clamped the EZ base to the saw

5) and double checked myself to be sure I got it right

6) #6 Shows a close-up of the shims with the EZ Base clamped in place – the alignment was right on

7) I unclamped the base and added the double stick tape that comes with the guide for the final install

8) I stuck the EZ Base back in place, re-clamped for extra insurance, drilled for the EZ bolts and bolted it on for good. As you can see, the EZ clamps come in handy for more than just holding the guide in place.

Perfectamundo!

Another way to check the alignment, if you don’t have a dial caliper, is to cut a scrap of plywood slightly larger than your saw’s base, clamp your saw base to it and plunge cut as deep as you can. Mark a line down the side of your saw base then un-clamp and remove the saw. Measure from the cut to the line front and back to determine if it’s perfectly parallel and follow steps 3 through 8 from there if it’s not.

 

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Replies

  1. MikeSmith | Mar 02, 2005 10:09pm | #1

    kevin...

    WHAT'S THIS ?....View Image

    do you have your blade guard pinned ?

    thanks for the tips

    Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
    1. User avater
      GoldenWreckedAngle | Mar 02, 2005 11:30pm | #4

      LOL - Yup, but just for the picture - And I had my safety glasses, ear muffs and dust mask on!

      That blade is the 7 1/2" Makita I mentioned in the "May Not Be Smart But It Sure Would Be EZ" thread. This is a picture of how much tooth pokes through on a 2x4 cut with the bigger blade. If you look close in the second photo of the whole saw you can just see the tooth underneath the 2x.

      You can probably tell from the negative rake angle on the tooth that it's a chop saw blade. It's also not a thin kerf so it's less than ideal for ripping with the guide, but it does prove that the concept works.

      Now I just need a good source for 24mm (7 1/2") 40 tooth, thin kerf, all purpose blades with a 16mm (5/8") arbor. Nobody seems to be selling the larger metric blades in the good old USA, although all of my saws seem to be designed with enough clearance to run them.

      I may have to convert a few of my little, green, American fun tickets into Euoros and take a hit on the shipping. 

      1. MikeSmith | Mar 02, 2005 11:41pm | #5

        kevin.. where did you wind up getting the 7 1/2" blade from?.. i ordered  a PC blade...said it was  7 1/2 ...

        but when it got here it was a 7 1/4...

        then they told me .. PC doesn't make a 7 1/2

         Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

        1. User avater
          GoldenWreckedAngle | Mar 02, 2005 11:49pm | #7

          I ordered mine through the local Fastenal dealer http://www.fastenal.com. I was surprised to find out from the Frued rep, when I asked about 7 1/2" blades, that all of Freud's 7 1/4" blades are actually 7."

          I haven't physically measured any of my blades with a tape, I just went by what it said on the side. Must be figured like "2x4's" hu?

          If you haven't done so already, you might measure the actual diameter of the blade and see how it compares to the one you've been using. It might actually be bigger after all. If it is, let me know where you got it will you? 

          1. MikeSmith | Mar 03, 2005 12:31am | #9

            ordered the Makita  7 1/2 , 40 tooth from Tools -Plus  for  $39 + shipping ($6.50)

            what did you pay for yours ?

            all of my  7 1/4 blades measure  7 1/4Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

          2. User avater
            GoldenWreckedAngle | Mar 03, 2005 12:44am | #11

            Oh yea, the Makita blade cost a little over $35 through the local dealer - no shipping. 

          3. mikerooney | Mar 03, 2005 12:45am | #12

            I think I learned something today!

             

            There is nothing so over-engineered that it can't be more-over-engineered!

             

            The Cat in tha Hat!6 16 17 97 99   

             

                                                                

             

          4. User avater
            GoldenWreckedAngle | Mar 03, 2005 01:53am | #13

            Yup - they've even got table saws now that will stop instantly if the blade touches meat.

            Why I bought a magazine a few months ago that was nothing but a couple hundred pages of people showing off their jigs and homemade table saw accessories trying to make that good old work horse just a little better.

            And those cordless folks, couldn't be happy just torking away once they over engineered the hand held drill - Had to go and get impact involved!

            Some folks just can't leave well enough alone... must be something in builder's blood. :-)> 

        2. User avater
          GoldenWreckedAngle | Mar 03, 2005 12:37am | #10

          Any chance you ordered your blade from this link in the other thread?

          http://www.contractorstools.com/portercablesaws.html

          I noticed they had a couple of 7 1/4" blades mis-labled as 7 1/2" on their web site.

          Edit: oops, posted that before I saw your last message. Here's the blade I ordered through my local Fastenal dealer. http://www.tools-plus.com/abrasives-blades--circular-saw-blades--7-1-2--circular-saw-blades.html

          Edited 3/2/2005 4:41 pm ET by Golden Wrecked Angle

  2. User avater
    bobl | Mar 02, 2005 10:34pm | #2

    how far out were they?

     

    bobl          Volo, non valeo

    Baloney detecter

    1. User avater
      GoldenWreckedAngle | Mar 02, 2005 11:12pm | #3

      As I recall it was about .05" from the front to the back. Not a real problem for framing but way too much for a "table saw replacement." 

  3. User avater
    Luka | Mar 02, 2005 11:44pm | #6

    Or....

    You could have just clamped the EZ Base to your baseplate, lightly tapped on the side until your blade was aligned, then drilled and bolted right there...

    ; )

    The person you offend today, may have been your best friend tomorrow

    It is easy to be friends with someone you always agree with.

    1. User avater
      GoldenWreckedAngle | Mar 02, 2005 11:59pm | #8

      Sure, that would work too if you weren't using the double stick tape. I just felt better having it in there to keep things locked in place for the long haul.

      I don't know where Dino gets that stuff but I think you could stick a couple of bumpers together with it and have a successful tractor pull. Setting the base with that double stick is about as hairy as dropping a sheet of laminate over contact cement. It's not moving if you screw up. :-)> 

      1. User avater
        Luka | Mar 03, 2005 02:03am | #14

        Wouldn't 4 globs of lexel, or gorilla glue do just as well ?And you'd have working time that way...

        The person you offend today, may have been your best friend tomorrow It is easy to be friends with someone you always agree with.

        1. User avater
          GoldenWreckedAngle | Mar 03, 2005 02:21am | #15

          Gorilla needs a little moisture to cure doesn't it? I don't know about Lexel...

          It might work... I had the shims and double stick handy so I just did the obvious quick fix and shared it here in the hopes someone else might benifit from it.

          The main point is - don't just assume the base is square and slap the EZ Smart together like I did with my first set-up. Most guys here will probably be able to figure out how to do that without a lot of coaching. Whatever works... 

        2. dinothecarpenter | Mar 03, 2005 02:32am | #16

          Luka.

          The problem with glue is to find someone

          who is willing to package 4 or 8 globs of  that stuff.

          I use special glue before (forget the name now) and as you say it was the best way. Now we try to find a tape with slow initial bond to give you a second chance.

          We have to work with the best available. And Kevin is making the best out of this.

          As the numbers go up we will find a better method and the supplier who can provide the materials at the right price and quantities.

          If you know of anything that can help us, you know where to find us.

          Thanks for the tip. And keep them coming.

          YCF Dino

          1. User avater
            Luka | Mar 03, 2005 06:06am | #18

            Dino,I am pretty sure Lexel would do the job. But as you say, getting them to package it small enough to be useful is the problem.One suggestion...Marine "Goop".It seems an awful lot like Lexel, to me. But it stays good in the tube, forever !!I'll attach a picture of the tube of marine goop that I have had for the past 4 years.It was opened and used when I first got it. It's been used twice since then, to repair plastic water tanks on cars. Those repairs are perfect. They stand up to the underhood environment. Have never leaked. This stuff will stick equally to metal, glass, plastic, fabric, etc... The tube I have is 3.7 ounces.I would be willing to bet that since they already sell it in a tube like this, they will be willing to package it smaller as well. Say one ounce tubes ?This cost somewhere just under 6 dollars retail, 4 years ago.The only company name I can see on the tube is "Eclectic Products."One other thing...If someone has problems with little gaps between the sawplate and the EZ Plate, this stuff will fill up those gaps and everything will be solid, once cured.

            The person you offend today, may have been your best friend tomorrow It is easy to be friends with someone you always agree with.

          2. dinothecarpenter | Mar 03, 2005 07:11am | #19

            Luka. We try before with 10 manufactures of special adhesives and we lost our time. The VHB tape is the answer but we need to locate the right manufacture.

            The Foam have few benefits. Very High Bond is one. Clean and EZ to apply. And one surprise benefit that you can only see under a microscope. Better cuts.

            Works like a shock absorbent? The motor vibration don't transfer to the guide rail. No big deal but why not?

            Do you know that they assemble the truck bodies with VHB? In Chicago Airport the 500 lbs glass ceiling panels are "secure" with only VHB Tape. I like that stuff. I use to install kitchens with it. You know, ALL  the details. Moldings,toe kick covers, fillers etc. 

            And the price is good.

            You good with this stuff. See if you can find the right VHB tape. They must make a slow initial intact.

            Thanks Lukas.

          3. User avater
            GoldenWreckedAngle | Mar 03, 2005 08:19am | #20

            I don't think the instant bond is really a problem. The tape works great! 

          4. dinothecarpenter | Mar 03, 2005 03:45pm | #21

            K. Is good but we need it to be more forgiving. You take your time and you fix the problems. Others don't. I'm sure that some people don't even bother with instructions and even if they realize that something is wrong they say is fine.

            I will use your recommendations and method in the instruction manual. Even your pictures.

            Thanks Kevin.    

          5. User avater
            GoldenWreckedAngle | Mar 03, 2005 07:08pm | #22

            Hey Dino - What is the arbor size on Festool Saws? Will this Festool blade work in a standard saw?

            http://www.festool-usa.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProdID=490517&id=3&tab=spec

            I couldn't find the arbor size but the diameter is right. I don't know where I started using 24mm as the desired blade diameter, brain damage I guess. 24mm is the funky 7/8" arbor size on the 7 1/2" metric blade I found at Lowes.

            What I need are 190mm blades with 16mm arbors or 24mm to 16mm arbor reduction bushings so I can adapt the $6.95 40 tooth GMC blades I found at Lowes. 

          6. dinothecarpenter | Mar 04, 2005 04:44pm | #23

            Hey kevin.

            this is what we got back from our Australian Distributor.

            Our stock Code TX-23-533718 Reducing Bush 25.4 - 16mm These are in stock. $2:00 per unit Precision ground.

            In AU they use US and EU tools. Now we need to find the right blades.

            The reducing bushing is right? 24 mm or 25.4 ?

          7. User avater
            GoldenWreckedAngle | Mar 04, 2005 05:38pm | #24

            Sorry but the 25.4mm to 16mm is a 1" to 5/8" reducer bushing. I bought a couple of those locally but they are too big for the arbor hole in the Aussie Made 7 1/2" GMC blades I found at the big box.

            The blade is stamped 7 1/2" diameter with a 7/8" arbor. I've never seen anything like it but I can buy all we want for less than $7.00/ea if we can find, or make, a suitable adapter bushing.

            I'll post a picture of the blade when I get back home tonight.

              

          8. User avater
            GoldenWreckedAngle | Mar 08, 2005 12:46am | #27

            My memory failed again - here's the 7 1/2" blade I found at lowes for $6.95. It's a miter saw blade but it has a more positive rake angle than the Makita.

            View Image

            Note the 15/16" arbor, not 7/8" as I posted earlier. It's obviously a metric blade with ASE fraction stamps for the US market.

            It's not a thin kerf either so binding on rips might be a problem. 

  4. Piffin | Mar 03, 2005 04:30am | #17

    That is a peeve I have with all the swivle foot saws. They are almost always off. One reason I prefer a drop foot saw. They are seldom off and some can be adjusted for this.

     

     

    Welcome to the
    Taunton University of
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    Excellence is its own reward!

    1. User avater
      GoldenWreckedAngle | Mar 04, 2005 06:21pm | #25

      Good point piffin - I have a Milwakee drop foot saw that needs a switch. I thought about repairing it for use with the guide but decided against it because it has a lot of slop in it until you lock the base down.

      I think that would be a problem trying to plunge cut with the guide. You really need the EZ base fully seated on the guide before you swivel the blade into the wood. I don't think a drop foot would be accurate enough on the plunge.

      Man, that is great saw for framing though! And you're right about the base alignment. Mine's been beat to death for years and it's still aligned dead on.

      I think Dewalt has a rear swivel saw with a parallel base adjustment. They must have been thinking of shooting board fans when they added that feature. I wish a few decent saw manufacturers would implement it. 

      1. dinothecarpenter | Mar 04, 2005 08:59pm | #26

        Good point Piffin and  Kevin.

        But you can lock the depth and insert the antichips while the blade ir running.

        The best way is to insert the antichip 1/2 and push the saw against another piece of wood. In this case the wood forces the antichip in and you don't have to hold it.

        But i can see that the drop foot saw it will not be the best for plunch cuts.

         

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