What am I doing wrong?

[Sdwatt]

Hi - I’m COMPLETELY new to woodworking but I managed to get my hands on a Mark V 500. I’ve oiled and done my best to align everything, but I have a few questions.

1. I’m having trouble with the table saw setup. When I have the lower saw guard and the saw all the way on the spindle (see picture 1),

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then when I slide the table over the saw and try to lower it down, it is not quite far enough to the right to go into the slot in the table (see pic 2).

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What do I have set incorrectly or how to I align these? I couldn’t find a solution to this in the manuals.

2. Also, does the rubber gasket stopper go between the head stock and the lower saw guard or between the lower saw guard and the table (see pic 3 - which side of the vertical metal bar does the rubber thingy go on? )

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3. The system came with a few accessories and pieces/parts. Can anyone tell me what the two objects in pic 4 & 5 are? (Pic 5 has the left object undone. There were quite a few washers on it.

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[JPG]

Mystery parts:

1/2" shaper arbor with non-oem washers.

Mortising hold down.

Saw blade should be near centered in the slot if the 3/8" spacer is between the headstock and the carriage and the quill is correctly assembled. The rubber ring is a cushion for the stop ring when the quill is fully retracted. There should be a clear area on the end of the quill housing that the lower saw guard is attached. The knurled collar should be secured on a short tapered flat and the blade arbor secured on a longer tapered flat both on the quill shaft. Is it possible the collar is secured incorrectly on the longer tapered shaft? Proper assembly includes pushing the collar inward while also pulling outward on the quill shaft. This eliminates play between the internal bearing and the collar. Make sure the set screws are centered(radially) on the flats.

[Matanuska]

Could it be the wrong saw blade arbor? I know there are at least a couple of versions.

[JPG]

That arbor is correct for a Mark 5/Mark V 500.

[BigSky]

Should there be a rubber spacer on the upper way tube? I ask because I have no experience with a 500.

Just slide the carriage far enough to position the blade in the slot where you want it.

[DLB]

... The knurled collar should be secured on a short tapered flat and the blade arbor secured on a longer tapered flat both on the quill shaft. Is it possible the collar is secured incorrectly on the longer tapered shaft?...

In the first picture, we can see the arbor setscrew but not the setscrew for the knurled collar. That is abnormal for sure. They are normally aligned with one another because that is the way the two tapered flats in the quill spindle are made. This is not necessarily the cause of the problem, but should be corrected.

- David

[JPG]

AMEN!

Good catch.

[br549]

2. Also, does the rubber gasket stopper go between the head stock and the lower saw guard or between the lower saw guard and the table (see pic 3 - which side of the vertical metal bar does the rubber thingy go on? )

I didn't see anyone else answer this question, so I'll try. I'm not 100% sure, but I think the purpose of that screwed in rod is to act as a "stop" when installing the lower guard, so that the top of the lower guard is parallel to the underside of the table support tie bars. If you extend the quill, then the rubber spacer should probably be on the left side of the rod, near the headstock. I typically extend my quill a little, just so I can get the lower guard to go on without the bump in the lower guard casting for the dust port hitting the headstock. In the picture attached you can see where I experimented using multiple washers and a threaded bolt to act as a stop to achieve the top of the guard parallel to the tie bar. The saw guard is a tight fit between the table legs, and being parallel helps it fit better (especially if you use the 1.25" spacer all of the time like I do).

[chapmanruss]

Sdwatt,

I don't have a 500 at this time so I can't take any picture to show how it should look. From what I see in your picture of the Carriage it should be against the spacer on the Way Tube and the Spacer against the Headstock. That is a spacer designed to quickly and correctly position the Headstock and Carriage to set the Saw Blade in the Table Slot when all things are correctly positioned. The pin coming down below the Lower Saw Guard is there to help align it but should not keep the Carriage and Headstock from both being in contact with the Spacer. The picture showing the Arbor has it likely mis-aligned to the tapered flat in the spindle as David pointed out. The Arbor should be slid completely to the left on the Spindle. If these adjustments do not help let us know and we will help trouble shoot the possible problem further.

[JPG]

I think we need to see a pix without the saw arbor mounted.