Problem lowering blade

[JayStevans]

Hello,

I've been having trouble lowering the blade on my 3100 for months - I'm not a heavy user so months is not as big a deal for me as for many of you. The blade cranked upwards OK and most of the way downwards but getting the last 1/2" or so of the blade down below table height was darned near impossible.

So, I read every thread here that seemed related - and there are many. Then, following the guidance gleaned from those threads, I cleaned and adjusted and lubricated with powdered graphite - no joy at all, still a task for Hercules to get the blade all the way down.

So, I hunted and hunted with flashlights poked through every crack and crevice looking for a culprit - still no luck.

And then a spark of inspiration leaped in my poor tired brain - and I found the cause!

It turned out that the mounting bracket that holds the blade guard and the pawls was tilted backwards a bit rather than straight up and down. As the blade was lowered this tilt caused the back edge of the mounting bracket to contact the rear edge of the blade opening, meaning the edge of the saw's deck, the table itself. And because it was tilted at an angle every step downwards increased the pressure and made it harder to lower the blade.

I temporarily removed the blade guard and pawls assembly and viola! - the blade lowered all the way down. The whole up/down process is too stiff for my taste but at least it is now uniform from top to bottom. Naturally, I put the blade guard and pawls assembly back but this time I took care to prevent the backwards tilt that had been causing my problem.

I must say - the mounting for the blade guard and pawls assembly is rather poor engineering. It could easily have been made a precise mount rather than one with so very much play. Oh well, if that's the worst problem in this amazing and inexpensive saw who's to complain.

Mystery solved. I thought you guys might find it interesting.

Jay

PS: Does the Shark Guard have a more precise mounting method and is it more easily removed and reinstalled than the factory unit?

[LCHIEN]

That's in my FAQ. Probably the number one reason people have trouble lowering their blade. First one to check anyway.

From the FAQ:

I'm having trouble with raising the blade...
I’m hearing a clicking noise when I raise the blade
What is this shim problem I’ve heard so much about?
Don’t force it! In order from least to worst possible problem:
The clicking noise is normal. This is the spring as it rotates on the keeper pin. Behind the
adjustment handle. You can bend in the ends of the wire with a needle nose pliers so it will not
catch on the edge of the spring.
It’s very frequently the case that in reattaching the riving knife/splitter assembly, the two bolts
have enough play that the riving knife leans backwards. When the blade is lowered, at some
point the back of the riving knife touches the edge of the opening and drags, making it hard to
lower the blade. Usually no damage done except to pride.

[Hoakie]

PS: Does the Shark Guard have a more precise mounting method and is it more easily removed and reinstalled than the factory unit?

Yes and Yes. I just got my SG from Lee about a week a go and love it. On/off takes not much longer than adding/removing the SMT fence. Solid investment for me.

(btw. Thanks Lee )