Blade Guard Alignment Issue

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John4337
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Blade Guard Alignment Issue

Post by John4337 »

I was making my first cuts on thin stick today and experiences some binding, found this. the guard splitter is fine with the blade height high, but low it is out of alignment, is there a fix, or just replace. I put a little pressure on it, but it goes right back.

Thanks

John
blade guard 1.jpg
blade guard 1.jpg (190.53 KiB) Viewed 838 times
blade guard 2.jpg
blade guard 2.jpg (233.78 KiB) Viewed 838 times
John4337
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Re: Blade Guard Alignment Issue

Post by John4337 »

As an update, I got the clear guard off ( they hid that allen screw pretty good) and have managed to bend it a bit closer. how is everyone else. Is 'pretty close' the norm?
DLB
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Re: Blade Guard Alignment Issue

Post by DLB »

If this is a 510 and on version(?), there is a 'stop screw' alignment for the lower saw guard. Not exactly precise because you have to remove the lower saw guard to get to it. It is located just below where the guard mounts to the quill. I feel like this should work assuming everything is straight.

- David
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Re: Blade Guard Alignment Issue

Post by John4337 »

DLB wrote: Sat Feb 26, 2022 4:47 pm If this is a 510 and on version(?), there is a 'stop screw' alignment for the lower saw guard. Not exactly precise because you have to remove the lower saw guard to get to it. It is located just below where the guard mounts to the quill. I feel like this should work assuming everything is straight.

- David
My goof, should have specified that it’s a 510. I’ll look for that adjustment, thanks
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JPG
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Re: Blade Guard Alignment Issue

Post by JPG »

Original ? was regarding it varying with table height adjustment. Gotta ask if table is square to the blade.
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bainin
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Re: Blade Guard Alignment Issue

Post by bainin »

Sometimes the whole lower saw guard doesnt mount evenly on the shaft-it has a bit of play for it to slip on.
Make sure when it is being mounted, it is snug against the mounting surface.

b
John4337
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Re: Blade Guard Alignment Issue

Post by John4337 »

JPG wrote: Sat Feb 26, 2022 6:46 pm Original ? was regarding it varying with table height adjustment. Gotta ask if table is square to the blade.
It really seems the riving knife was bent. With the table low, for a thicker cut, it wasn’t an issue and I didn’t notice it. I was trying to cut some thin stock and the knife was far enough out that the stock caught on it. I’ve managed to bend it sort of back, but it still doesn’t line up exactly with the blade.
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JPG
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Re: Blade Guard Alignment Issue

Post by JPG »

That alignment is the purpose of the adjustment described above.
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Goldie(Bought New SN 377425)/4" jointer/6" beltsander/12" planer/stripsander/bandsaw/powerstation /Scroll saw/Jig saw /Craftsman 10" ras/Craftsman 6" thicknessplaner/ Dayton10"tablesaw(restoredfromneighborstrashpile)/ Mark VII restoration in 'progress'/ 10
E[/size](SN E3779) restoration in progress, a 510 on the back burner and a growing pile of items to be eventually returned to useful life. - aka Red Grange
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dusty
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Re: Blade Guard Alignment Issue

Post by dusty »

John4337 wrote: Sat Feb 26, 2022 10:50 pm
JPG wrote: Sat Feb 26, 2022 6:46 pm Original ? was regarding it varying with table height adjustment. Gotta ask if table is square to the blade.
It really seems the riving knife was bent. With the table low, for a thicker cut, it wasn’t an issue and I didn’t notice it. I was trying to cut some thin stock and the knife was far enough out that the stock caught on it. I’ve managed to bend it sort of back, but it still doesn’t line up exactly with the blade.
I think you might be saying that the misalignment between blade and riving knife varies as a function of depth of cut and that really should not be. However, you may also have a lower saw guard that needs to be adjusted. Blade position is fixed but the position (left/right) of the lower saw guard is adjustable just for this reason.
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algale
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Re: Blade Guard Alignment Issue

Post by algale »

Two separate issues.

First, it is possible the riving knife part of the upper saw guard could get bent or twisted, in which case getting the riving knife properly aligned to the blade will be impossible until the riving knife is straightened/flattened/replaced.

Second, even with a straight/flat riving knife, care needs to be taken to ensure the adjustment screw on the back of the lower saw guard is adjusted so the riving knife is co-planar with the blade.

If all your blades are of the same thickness, this is a one-and-done adjustment. But if your blades are of different thicknesses, you will need to make adjustments each time you switch between blades of different thicknesses. This is one reason I switched to using only Shopsmith-branded saw blades (rip, cross cut, combo) and stopped using my Forest WWII combo blade.
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