I have owned a cheap laser levels for some time now but have not found
much use for it. Just awhile ago I got the bright idea that it might
be a good way to check my table saw fence to blade alignment. I
locked the fence down about 4" to the right of the saw blade. With
the blade sticking up above the table about 1 1/2" I laid the level on
its side and slid it up against the blade and projected a dot on the
wall behind the saw. (about 12' away) I marked the dot on the wall
and set an inside caliper to the distance between the level and the
fence. Then I moved the level so it was against the fence and
projected a dot on the wall and marked the second location on the
wall. The final step was to compare the distance between the marks on
the wall with the caliper setting. (It was the same) Anyone else
tried this or used a laser in some other way to check saw alignment?
Earl Creel
In rec.woodworking
"Earl Creel" <[email protected]> wrote:
>I have owned a cheap laser levels for some time now but have not found
>much use for it. Just awhile ago I got the bright idea that it might
>be a good way to check my table saw fence to blade alignment. I
>locked the fence down about 4" to the right of the saw blade. With
>the blade sticking up above the table about 1 1/2" I laid the level on
>its side and slid it up against the blade and projected a dot on the
>wall behind the saw. (about 12' away) I marked the dot on the wall
>and set an inside caliper to the distance between the level and the
>fence. Then I moved the level so it was against the fence and
>projected a dot on the wall and marked the second location on the
>wall. The final step was to compare the distance between the marks on
>the wall with the caliper setting. (It was the same) Anyone else
>tried this or used a laser in some other way to check saw alignment?
I had this exact same idea last week and even worked up a spreadsheet to do
the math, translating the difference into degrees and increased width of
kerf in thousandths of an inch.
In a nutshell, it will work, but get the dots as far away as you can, even
20' or more. It still seemed more trouble and less accurate than a dial
indicator.
I'd have to go with Robs idea. If you use the wall, it would have to be
straight, and square to the table saw; otherwise it would throw any
measurements off. Personally, I keep the rear of the fence a hair farther
away from the blade than the front.
Ken
"Rob V" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> What if you just put the level w/ the laser against the fence - then
brought
> it up to the point where the dot hit the kurf of the blade - then spin the
> blade - if the dot goes off the blade - you know you are out of square -
if
> its on the blade the entire time - you know you are good to go.
>
> just an idea....
"MJ Wallace" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Something to test on a deary day in the shop. Oh, BTW, I have been
> told to make the fence, from front to rear, "dead on" parallel to
> the blade, why do you think it's the way to go?
>
Just a little extra clearance from the back teeth.
Ken:
> I'd have to go with Robs idea. If you use the wall, it would have to be
> straight, and square to the table saw; otherwise it would throw any
> measurements off. Personally, I keep the rear of the fence a hair farther
> away from the blade than the front.
Why not have a piece of MDF or melamine clamped to the back of the
saw, aim the laser to that? The MDF or melamine should be flat,
the back of the saw probably will be square to the blade, and the laser dots
will be tightly focused.
Something to test on a deary day in the shop. Oh, BTW, I have been
told to make the fence, from front to rear, "dead on" parallel to
the blade, why do you think it's the way to go?
MJ Wallace
That sounds cool Earl.... I guess the $64,000. question is,,,, did it work
as well as you would expect?
Seems like measuring between 2 light dots with out anything to really touch
with the calipers might cause an error. Can you consistently do this over
and over with the same results? How smooth are the cuts?
"Earl Creel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have owned a cheap laser levels for some time now but have not found
> much use for it. Just awhile ago I got the bright idea that it might
> be a good way to check my table saw fence to blade alignment. I
> locked the fence down about 4" to the right of the saw blade. With
> the blade sticking up above the table about 1 1/2" I laid the level on
> its side and slid it up against the blade and projected a dot on the
> wall behind the saw. (about 12' away) I marked the dot on the wall
> and set an inside caliper to the distance between the level and the
> fence. Then I moved the level so it was against the fence and
> projected a dot on the wall and marked the second location on the
> wall. The final step was to compare the distance between the marks on
> the wall with the caliper setting. (It was the same) Anyone else
> tried this or used a laser in some other way to check saw alignment?
> Earl Creel
>
>
What if you just put the level w/ the laser against the fence - then brought
it up to the point where the dot hit the kurf of the blade - then spin the
blade - if the dot goes off the blade - you know you are out of square - if
its on the blade the entire time - you know you are good to go.
just an idea....
"Earl Creel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have owned a cheap laser levels for some time now but have not found
> much use for it. Just awhile ago I got the bright idea that it might
> be a good way to check my table saw fence to blade alignment. I
> locked the fence down about 4" to the right of the saw blade. With
> the blade sticking up above the table about 1 1/2" I laid the level on
> its side and slid it up against the blade and projected a dot on the
> wall behind the saw. (about 12' away) I marked the dot on the wall
> and set an inside caliper to the distance between the level and the
> fence. Then I moved the level so it was against the fence and
> projected a dot on the wall and marked the second location on the
> wall. The final step was to compare the distance between the marks on
> the wall with the caliper setting. (It was the same) Anyone else
> tried this or used a laser in some other way to check saw alignment?
> Earl Creel
>
>