Crafter's Station, Questionable Performance

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 6:43 pm

For those who do not know what a Crafter's Station is, it is similar to a Power Station. It differs primarily in that it has been equipped to accept a saw arbor and it has a table. In fact, it uses the same table arrangement as does the 510.

When I cut a board, any board, any cut - the kerf is slightly wider than the kerf that is cut by the same blade when mounted (using the same arbor) on the Mark V.

There is no quill on the Crafter's Station.

What malfunction am I dealing with? How do I fix this?

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/faq/ ... tation.htm

ldh · Post by **ldh** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 6:49 pm

Align table miter slot to blade and fence to miter slot.
ldh

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 8:10 pm

I have done that, idh. But I might have to go back and try those again. I thought I got these alignments set as accurately on the Crafter's Station as I do on the Mark V. When I did this, before tearing it down to diagnose this problem, I had the miter slots and blade adjusted to within .003". It could be gotten closer but I knew I was going to tear it down so I did not.

I was suspecting a bearing on the shaft in the transmission box; the shaft that the arbor is mounted on. I mounted the chuck with a drill bit installed and turned it on. I expected to see the tip of the drill bit traveling in a small circle. It does not. It is a "point" in space.

I think this tells me I have no run out in that bearing assembly; meaning that the blade does not wobble thus creating the wider kerf.

If someone things I have my head screwed on wrong here, please say so.

ldh · Post by **ldh** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 8:19 pm

How much difference do you have in the kerf between the two saws?
ldh

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 9:22 pm

About 1/16" I think. I'll recut tomorrow and answer for certain. A lot more than I would expect. Actually, comparing two good table saws would expect no difference.

The problem is definitetly on the Crafter's Station. When I rotate the arbor by hand with the blade in its' own kerf on the Mark V, the blade equals the kerf width.

On the Crafter's Station, in some positions I see a gap between the blade tips and the kerf (like the blade is wobbling).

ldh · Post by **ldh** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 11:30 pm

Are both saws set at the same RPM?
ldh

dicksterp · Post by **dicksterp** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 12:38 am

dusty wrote:About 1/16" I think. I'll recut tomorrow and answer for certain. A lot more than I would expect. Actually, comparing two good table saws would expect no difference.

The problem is definitetly on the Crafter's Station. When I rotate the arbor by hand with the blade in its' own kerf on the Mark V, the blade equals the kerf width.

On the Crafter's Station, in some positions I see a gap between the blade tips and the kerf (like the blade is wobbling).

Mount a router adapter on the output shaft and mount a router bit or steel dowel pin in the adapter. Mount an indicator so it will read the runout on the bit shank or dwl pin when you rotate the shaft by hand. Any runout will be magnified with a saw blade (ie wobble). Do this to both your Mark 5 and the crafters station. I think you may have greater TIR on the crafters station.

Dick

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 2:09 am

ldh wrote:Are both saws set at the same RPM?
ldh

Approximately, but I can't tell for sure. The speed dials are different and the two machines sound completely different. They are close.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 2:16 am

dicksterp wrote:Mount a router adapter on the output shaft and mount a router bit or steel dowel pin in the adapter. Mount an indicator so it will read the runout on the bit shank or dwl pin when you rotate the shaft by hand. Any runout will be magnified with a saw blade (ie wobble). Do this to both your Mark 5 and the crafters station. I think you may have greater TIR on the crafters station.

Dick

I think I understand what you are saying and I'll do this is the morning. However, you got me. Please spell out TIR. I expect it is "run out" but I can't translate the accronym.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 9:52 am

dick, et al

I have reaffirmed that the difference in kerf, using the same blade and arbor on the Mark V and the Crafter's Station, is 1/16" (.063").

Using the setup that you suggested to measure run out, I have a run out on the Crafter's Station of .005".

My only conclusion is that run out is NOT the contributing factor.