Eccentric screws and sliding table adjustment ??

[randombetrayal]

So I am attempting to adjust and tweak my 3100 for better more accurate cuts. I adjusted the sliding table base to be square with the blade with a few iterations of adjustment and checking no problems.

I moved on to square the miter fence and I am having the hardest time. I can square the fence just fine following the procedure in the manual with a framing square, but when I tighten everything down there is still what I consider quite a bit of excessive side to side play in the table, such that this play will take the fence out of square if I were to make a cut.

I loosened the back left screw as well in an attempt to get the play out of the table. I have played with the eccentric screws so many times in an attempt to get this play out that I got too aggressive and snapped one of the eccentric screws off inside the hex nut. I don't believe that the plastic slides that the eccentric screws go into are worn, they don't appear to have much wear.

I have ordered a new screw and while I wait for it's arrival, I thought I would see if anyone had any insight on what I could try once it arrives.

Thanks for any tips you might have.
Robb

[leehljp]

When the 3100 first came out, there were a few people who had alignment problems, more so than on the 3000. I was looking for a post in which I also had the problem, way back when. Best I can remember, one of the eccentric screw holes were evidently drilled out of alignment.

At the time, I was working in Japan and had my 3000 over there. I had a 3100 at my Stateside home. On the 3000, before I bought a 3100, I broke some slides and had to replace them. Then on the 3100 when I had early alignment problems on the SMT, I knew what to look for. From the bottom side, watching the eccentric screw rotate the slides, the slides did not come into contact with the SMT slide rail the way they should have. Even with the eccentric screw on both side turned so that it would be tight, there was wobble space, unlike on my 3000. I made some kind of adjustments on the slides that worked ok, but eventually bought a second SMT when someone had it for sale on this site.

Here is a link that mentions this problem a few years ago:

http://www.sawdustzone.org/showthread.php?48963-BT3000-SMT-Adjustment-Help&highlight=eccentric

[poolhound]

Robb, as Hank said there were some issues with some of the SMTs that made them very hard to set dead on. Even with the slide set just right I would find that my cross cuts were never consistent. They were totally fine for framing or other rough work but not for anything fine. I found it was primarily the way the fence is clamped to the SMT. I switched to using sleds that ride in the miter slots and they cut perfect every time.

[randombetrayal]

Thanks for the link

I have the miter slot table and those are set dead on square with the blade. I could make a cross cut sled, but then that is the reason for the SMT, might as well take it off the saw at that point as it just gets in the way walking around it.

Hopefully I can get it working once the screw comes in.

[Black walnut]

Thanks for the link

I have the miter slot table and those are set dead on square with the blade. I could make a cross cut sled, but then that is the reason for the SMT, might as well take it off the saw at that point as it just gets in the way walking around it.

Hopefully I can get it working once the screw comes in.

Wndering did you get your SMT fixed?

[tfischer]

Back in the old days when most here had a BT3X (I still do), there was a common alignment jig that many of us built that made the job much easier than the procedures in the manual. Mine is still hanging from my saw frame, and every so often I'll run it through the tests and I'm always happy how little adjustment is needed.

It might be in the Bt3 FAQ that Loring maintains?

[KenBurris]

Here's Lonnie's guide

http://www.sawdustzone.org/showthread.php?33234-No-Measure-Alignment-2007&p=299413#post299413

[tfischer]

That is indeed it. Method works great, and it's well worth the quick build.

[randombetrayal]

Thanks for the link to the jig, while I did get the table aligned to the blade it still has a little bit of play to it that I had to settle with. I may revisit this once the garage thaws out again.

At worst I have the miter slot table aligned with the blade and will make a cross cut sled to use it and not really use the sliding table.

[LCHIEN]

mine has play in it, I mean, I can feel a tiny bit of side to side. But, the length of the baseline is very long, I've never had it affect the square of my cuts. I've come to believe that the tiny bit of slop you can feel is not important, trying to take it out I've heard many complain they just can't with out making the table bind, which makes sense.