MV/500 Main Table Won't Align Square

[ehbowen]

I noticed this when I first tried aligning the machine; see newbie post in "Beginning Woodworking". I've tried working with the problem, but it's affecting the work which I recently did (creating a rip fence extension with featherboard slot dado). I want to see what I can do to correct it.

To recap: I can't get my table/miter slots to run parallel to my blade. When first checked, it was over 1/8" out of true (from front side of blade to back side of blade). I loosened the trunnion bolts (all four), tapped the table as far counterclockwise as it would go, and there's still a noticeable difference (about 1/32"; maybe a little more).

The first thing which springs to mind is to take the table off and drill the trunnion support holes out oversize, about 1/32" or so. But is there a better way? Help appreciated.

Mark V/500; S/N 68527.

[reible]

Are you moving the table rotational so the front moves in one direction and the back the opposite direction?

Ed

[ehbowen]

Are you moving the table rotational so the front moves in one direction and the back the opposite direction?

Ed

Yes. I first tried the trick of keeping one bolt tight and loosening the other three, but that didn't give enough adjustment. I then loosened all four bolts, tapping the back of the table to the left and the front to the right. Still not enough, although that was what brought it down to (about) 1/32".

[JPG]

Have you had the mounting bolts completely out? Is it possible there is something(sawdust ...) in the trunion holes?

Lastly are the mounting tubes bent? Are the trunion mounts installed correctly?(not sure how that could happen)

[dusty]

You do have all of the locks secured, right? Are the trunnions (with the table off) parallel to one another? Asked another way: Do the trunnion bolts locate the corners of a parallelogram?

[ehbowen]

Have you had the mounting bolts completely out? Is it possible there is something(sawdust ...) in the trunion holes?

Lastly are the mounting tubes bent? Are the trunion mounts installed correctly?(not sure how that could happen)

Haven't had the mounting bolts out completely yet; will work on that tomorrow. I've had very little sleep!

[ehbowen]

You do have all of the locks secured, right? Are the trunnions (with the table off) parallel to one another? Asked another way: Do the trunnion bolts locate the corners of a parallelogram?

All locks were secured, yes. Haven't had the table completely off yet; that's next.

[chapmanruss]

I would suspect the two things JPG brought up. Are the mounting holes blocked by debris. If not I would also suspect a bent mounting tube.

[dusty]

Please explain! What am I missing? How would a debris obstructed mounting tube hole cause misalignment of the table.

Bent mounting tubes, really. I have had bent table tubes (not 500) but never a bent table tube. Those seem pretty stout.

[JPG]

If crud is in a bolt hole, it limits the possible positioning of the bolt within the hole
(limits table movement when bolts are 'loose' as when trying to align the table). Like that smaller hole in the 510 trunion mount.

Yes a bent table mounting tube is unlikely, but if tis bent this problem can occur.

Groping for causes here. Trunion could also(but quite unlikely) create this scenario.

Anything which causes the trunion holes to be displaced from 'typical' positions is suspect including the carriage(we be really far fetched with that!).