9
Step 2 - Adjusting the Guide Tubes
If the saw does not cut at 90°, the guide tubes may
not be perpendicular to the rollers. Unplug the saw
cord before testing alignment or making adjustments.
Check the alignment of the rollers before adjusting
the guide tubes (see "Adjusting the Rollers").
1. To check the guide tube alignment, remove the
upper guard assembly to expose the blade. Mark
a tooth to use as a reference. If using a high-speed
steel blade, mark a tooth pointing toward the edge
of the field alignment tool.
2. Clamp the field alignment tool to the roller as
-
sembly and pull the saw carriage down slowly
so the marked reference tooth just touches the
vertical edge of the field alignment tool. Continue
to pull the saw carriage down. If the blade does
not contact the square, or if the blade binds on the
square, the guide tubes are not aligned.
3. To align the guide tubes, determine which direction
the top of the guide should move. If the blade runs
into the square, the top guide goes to the square.
If the blade runs away from the square, the top
guide goes away from the square.
4. Loosen the guide tube bracket nuts, but do not
remove the tube bracket.
Guide tube
bracket nuts
NOTE:
The above shows the counterbalance
removed for illustration purposes. It is not neces
-
sary to remove the counterbalance to perform
this procedure.
5. Using a deadblow mallet, strike the bracket on the
side and in the direction the tubes need to move.
6. Recheck the squareness of the tubes to the rollers
repeating the procedure as necessary.
7. Tighten the nuts on the upper guide tube bracket
nuts.
Step 3 - Adjusting the Blade - Parallelism
The blade should be parallel to the guide tubes,
otherwise tail burning may occur and the kerf will be
wider than the set of the blade. Make the following
adjustments only if the blade appears to be out of
alignment. ALWAYS check for alignment of the roll
-
ers and the guide tubes before adjusting the blade.
Factory-set
adjustment screw
Mounting nut
Index Pin
Brackets
Mounting nut
1. To check for blade parallelism, position the saw
carriage for a cross-cut and make a sample cut.
If the blade "heels", burns marks on the cut, etc.,
check both sides of the cut to determine which
side of the blade is causing the problem.
2. Unplug the tool.
3. Position the square on the rollers and lower the
saw carriage so the square overhangs the blade.
4. Place the square against the blade. The entire face
of the blade should contact the square. If it does
not, then the blade is not parallel to the workpiece.
5. Loosen (but do not remove) the two hex head
nuts holding the index pin brackets. If burn marks
appear on the left side of the workpiece, rotate the
saw slightly clockwise until the entire face of the
blade contacts the square. If burn marks appear
on the right side of the workpiece, rotate the saw
slightly counterclockwise until the entire face of
the blade contacts the square. ONLY make slight
adjustments.
6. Securely tighten the two hex head nuts holding
the index pin brackets.
7. Plug in the tool and make another sample cut.
Repeat the procedure if necessary.
