New owner of 21829

[Kevin2010]

I am quite new with table saws, but I knew I wanted one, and have been reading as much as I could recently.

With Sears deal, and many useful information on this site, I just couldn't pass this time. (I missed the Bosch portable table saw deal a short while ago.)

So far I like the features of this saw, but have a few questions:

1. I would like to mount a hitachi KM12vc router on the table.
I read LCHIEN's FAQ (Thanks LCHIEN, it is great.) and probably will go with new route plate method since I don't have a press drill. Even I have one, I am afraid to drill on the table directly.

I measured the bosses is about 1/2" thick, with a 1/4 mounting plate, the router will be 3/4" below the table. Is that too much?

2. What is the miter gauge for since a SMT is included already? Just for the router?
Also my miter gauge has some run from side to side in the T slot? Is it normal, is there a way to correct it?

3. When I put the SMT side by side with the saw and slide the miter fence, I can hear it scratches some portion of the main saw top(probably around the middle section). Is that normal? Or you usually don't line them right against each other?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[pelligrini]

Welcome!

When I first got my 21829 I mounted my Dewalt 618 on a custom plate. In most cases it wasn't too far below the table. That didn't last all that long for me though. I made a router table insert out of phenolic ply and put a Jessem router lift in it. A Ryobi plate will bolt directly to the 21829 Accessory Table, you'll just have to drill it for your router. http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=44263 If you use a router table often a lift makes things very easy and very repeatable.

I'm not too sure why the miter gauge was included either. You can't really use it with the saw as you can't really align the miter slot in the accessory table to the blade. There is some slop in mine too. I recently picked up a Incra V27 miter gauge for use in the miter slots I added to my saw. I like it a lot better than the OEM gauge. I've read about dimpling the runner of the guages with a punch to get a better fit, but I don't know all the details.

You want to keep a little space between the SMT and the table. Mine usually ends up a 1/4" or so over.

[sparkeyjames]

2. What is the miter gauge for since a SMT is included already? Just for the router? Also my miter gauge has some run from side to side in the T slot? Is it normal, is there a way to correct it?

The Miter gauge is for the router table ONLY. Since there is no way that the slots in the router table can be squared with the saw blade. It's basically a semi worthless extra part unless you install a dual miter slot table then modify the miter gauge to work in it as I have done.

3. When I put the SMT side by side with the saw and slide the miter fence, I can hear it scratches some portion of the main saw top(probably around the middle section). Is that normal? Or you usually don't line them right against each other?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Normally the SMT height is taken care of from the factory with a piece of plastic tape applied under the SMT track on both ends where it rests on the rails. You can adjust the height by applying some scotch type tape over the installed factory tape.

Jim

[LCHIEN]

I doubt the 21829 router table is 1/2" thick... probably under 1/4"
You can and should remove the plastic scuff plate on the bottom of your router when mouting to a table.

All mounting table/plate depth removes cutting depth from the system, whether or not its too much depends a lot on the work, the bit length, shank length, and the router adjustment range.

They do sell extension shanks if its too much, but I'm leery arbout using them.

You can shim the miter bars for a tighter fit, there's also some special "expandable bars" and some people dimple them to take up more width.

The miter gauge/slots in the aux table is only for routing.

if the SMT scrapes against the main table, move it away just a small bit.

[Kevin2010]

Thanks for all valuable advices.

How do you guys mount a router plate on 21829 aux. table?
If it is a BT3100 router plate, I assume you just butt the plate against the bottom of the bosses and tighten the 4 screws at the corners? Do you add some spacers for the 4 corner screws?
I searched the forums, but can't find an actual picture of 21829 mounted with bt3100 plate.

The aux table itself is probably only 1/4, but bosses add some thickness. I measured and it is about 1/2 from top of the table to the bottom of the bosses.

My SMT is just a hair higher than the saw table, but it seems when I put a little pressure on it, it becomes flush. So I guess it is OK. It is good to know I can adjust it a little.

I kept playing and tuning the saw. I noticed that my SMT fence is not square from top to bottom (but rip fence is fine).
I basically used a straight edge and can see the top part of the SMT fence is not even on the same plane of the bottom part. Is that a serious problem?

Thanks.