Hi, folks. Can anyone give me an idea about how flat the table surface
should be or I can expect from a $1000 table saw? I bought a Jet
cabinet saw (1 3/4 hp) and talked to their tech support several times.
I have gotten different answers different times. The center cast iron
table surface is concave and is off by .021 inches. That seems like a
lot and I can see a nice gap under my straight edge.
Am I expecting too much or is this reasonable for a saw at this price
range? Thanks.
-Moe
It could be less than .001. in a year, it won't be.
"Tim Douglass" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Fri, 3 Oct 2003 10:16:14 -0400, Your Name Here
>
> My $300 Harbor Freight saw is flat to about .007 inches. It is
> probably an anomaly, but for $1000 I'd expect it to be under .010.
>
> Tim Douglass
>
> http://www.DouglassClan.com
On Fri, 3 Oct 2003 10:16:14 -0400, Your Name Here
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Hi, folks. Can anyone give me an idea about how flat the table surface
>should be or I can expect from a $1000 table saw? I bought a Jet
>cabinet saw (1 3/4 hp) and talked to their tech support several times.
>I have gotten different answers different times. The center cast iron
>table surface is concave and is off by .021 inches. That seems like a
>lot and I can see a nice gap under my straight edge.
>
>Am I expecting too much or is this reasonable for a saw at this price
>range? Thanks.
My $300 Harbor Freight saw is flat to about .007 inches. It is
probably an anomaly, but for $1000 I'd expect it to be under .010.
Tim Douglass
http://www.DouglassClan.com
You're right about them not passing out specs. However, I'd say .021 is
pretty excessive. Still, I caution anyone against falling into the trap of
trying to apply metalworking tolerances to woodworking machinery.
When I got my Unisaw about 6 years ago the top was dished some, I don't
remember just how much. Get this - I called Delta, they sent a guy out to
check it, he confirmed my findings, and they shipped out a whole new top
with wing. The new one has a couple of areas that are dished by a few thou
(around .006 in the worst area).
Mike Fairleigh
"Bay Area Dave" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> it should be flat within about .010 -.011 IIRC.
Mike, sounds like 6 years ago their support was much better than it has
been this past year. I went round and round with them over a vibrating
band saw. I finally got my money back. The dealer was pissed, but hey,
so was I, that they couldn't fix it. I told Delta the problem was
likely due to the fact that they switched from an isolation mounted
motor to a rigidly mounted motor, as I had the previous model BS which
didn't vibrate and had the IMM. NOW Delta has introduced the X5 version
of their BS and GUESS WHAT?? They are again using an IMM.
dave
Mike Fairleigh wrote:
> You're right about them not passing out specs. However, I'd say .021 is
> pretty excessive. Still, I caution anyone against falling into the trap of
> trying to apply metalworking tolerances to woodworking machinery.
>
> When I got my Unisaw about 6 years ago the top was dished some, I don't
> remember just how much. Get this - I called Delta, they sent a guy out to
> check it, he confirmed my findings, and they shipped out a whole new top
> with wing. The new one has a couple of areas that are dished by a few thou
> (around .006 in the worst area).
>
> Mike Fairleigh
>
> "Bay Area Dave" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>it should be flat within about .010 -.011 IIRC.
>
>
>
Time was you got a card with the various measurements and tolerances, signed
by the inspector of same, with your saw. Still have mine from the 34-410,
and table was to have been <0.010. Mine was supposedly 0.008 as well. Not
sure whether it's really of more than academic interest, as long as it's
momentary deviations rather than gradual dish type stuff.
Of course those were Tupelo days, not Taiwan.
"Bay Area Dave" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> it should be flat within about .010 -.011 IIRC. I called Delta tech
> support when I got my Unisaw.
>
> Your Name Here wrote:
>
> > Hi, folks. Can anyone give me an idea about how flat the table surface
> > should be or I can expect from a $1000 table saw? I bought a Jet
> > cabinet saw (1 3/4 hp) and talked to their tech support several times.
> > I have gotten different answers different times. The center cast iron
> > table surface is concave and is off by .021 inches. That seems like a
> > lot and I can see a nice gap under my straight edge.
> >
> > Am I expecting too much or is this reasonable for a saw at this price
> > range? Thanks.
> >
> > -Moe
>
I presume you are talking about a new saw or relatively new saw under
warranty that has not been abused somehow.
A new saw out of flat by 0.021" is unacceptably out of tolerance,
especially on a cabinet saw.
Recently, in connection with a saw problem I just got resolved, a Jet
tech told me that Jet's tolerance on a table saw top was 0.015".
I recently had Jet replace a complete Jet contractor saw body due to
the top being out of flat by 0.03". My saw was near the end of the 2
year warranty window, no hassle, no nattering questions asked.
Returned the defective saw, motor, legs etc to the retailer and took
delivery of the new saw. (Kudos to Jet!)
The table top on a cabinet saw is very easy to replace. Insist on a
new one.
Do not mess around with a table top that is 0.021" out of flat - it
ain't gonna get better with age.
If you hadn't checked it, you would have never worried about it and it would
have no effect. Now that you know, subconsciously you are going to believe
that it is effecting your work.
"Your Name Here" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi, folks. Can anyone give me an idea about how flat the table surface
> should be or I can expect from a $1000 table saw? I bought a Jet
> cabinet saw (1 3/4 hp) and talked to their tech support several times.
> I have gotten different answers different times. The center cast iron
> table surface is concave and is off by .021 inches. That seems like a
> lot and I can see a nice gap under my straight edge.
>
> Am I expecting too much or is this reasonable for a saw at this price
> range? Thanks.
>
> -Moe
it should be flat within about .010 -.011 IIRC. I called Delta tech
support when I got my Unisaw. Mine was flat within .008 in all
directions, which put it within their specs. They are very cagey about
giving out specs, by the way. If you ask them point blank, they will
ask you to tell them what deviation YOU measured. Then they will come
back with a number that is higher, making your tool "within specs".
The Unisaw is around $1,700; not 1K, so YMMV.
dave
Your Name Here wrote:
> Hi, folks. Can anyone give me an idea about how flat the table surface
> should be or I can expect from a $1000 table saw? I bought a Jet
> cabinet saw (1 3/4 hp) and talked to their tech support several times.
> I have gotten different answers different times. The center cast iron
> table surface is concave and is off by .021 inches. That seems like a
> lot and I can see a nice gap under my straight edge.
>
> Am I expecting too much or is this reasonable for a saw at this price
> range? Thanks.
>
> -Moe