Shopsmith Forums

I have just been on another forum where they were discussing the fact that a saw blade "hits" the ZCI on start up and shut down. It is reported that this occurs even on a ZCI that was just cut on that table saw while using that blade.

Is this abnormal? My freshly cut ZCIs all "sing" when the ZCI is new.

I realize that with the Shopsmith, ZCI performance is a bit different than with a quality table saw that sports a fixed arbor. The headstock moves, the carriage moves and the quill moves. All of those contribute to "contact between the blade and a ZCI" and eventually to an enlarged kerf cut in the ZCI.

I am curious. With your very best saw blade mounted, how much runout do you measure?

Maybe even more interesting would be a discussion on how we Shopsmith owners set up to measure runout.

I would be inclined to suspect that the blade is slightly warped and centrifugal force causes it to straighten ever so slightly when running at full speed. So, slight rub at slow, no rub at speed and rub again at slow. I would use a strobe light to confirm but I don't have access to one anymore. Other out of balance conditions of the shaft or motor bearings may cause a similar condition.
Bill V