Setup & Operation
Blade Height Scale
Setup & Operation
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The Scale
The horizontal red line on the blade height indicator shows how many centimeters the bottom of the blade is
above the bed of the mill. If you know the height of your blade at each cut, you can determine the thickness
of lumber you are sawing.
Example: You want to cut 25 mm random width boards from a log. Position the blade for the first cut. Move
the carriage to an even measurement on the scale. Make a trim cut. Return the carriage for the second cut
and lower it 29 mm below the original measurement. (The extra 3 mm allows for saw kerf and shrinkage of
the lumber.)
The yellow area on the scale identifies where the blade could encounter a side support or log clamp. Check
that these items are below the blade level before sawing.
The Quarter Scale
See Table 3-1.
The quarter scale contains four sets of marks. Each set represents a specific lumber
thickness. Saw kerf and shrinkage allowance are included, but actual board thickness will vary slightly
depending on blade thickness and tooth set.
To choose which scale to use, determine what finished thickness you want to end up with. The Grade
Hardwood Quarter Scale provides thicker finished boards usually required by commercial buyers. The
Standard Quarter Scale allows for kerf and shrinkage of finished boards suitable for most custom
applications. Always check with your customer before you saw to determine what actual finished thickness is
required.
To use the quarter scale, look at the blade height indicator.Example: You want to cut 1" (25 mm) (4/4)
random width boards from a log. Position the blade for the first cut. Make a trim cut. Return the carriage for
the second cut. Now, instead of having to measure down 1 1/8" (29 mm) on the inch scale, you can simply
lower the blade so the indicator is aligned with the next 4/4 mark on the quarter scale. Turn the log 90
degrees and repeat.
Standard Quarter Scale
Grade Hardwood Quarter Scale
Scale
Actual Board Thickness
Scale
Actual Board Thickness
4/4
1" (25 mm)
4/4
1 1/8" (29 mm)
5/4
1 1/4" (32 mm)
5/4
1 3/8" (35 mm)
6/4
1 1/2" (38 mm)
6/4
1 5/8" (41 mm)
8/4
2" (51 mm)
8/4
2 1/8" (54 mm)
TABLE 3-2
