Troubles with SMT alignment

**gmack5** · 06-09-2006, 07:41 AM

SMT Adjustment Instructions

EVERYTHING, both fences, the Dual Slot Miter Table (DSMT), and the SMT all reference off of the SAW BLADE.

The first thing to do is make sure you're locking down the SMT to the RAIL correctly. Lock down the FRONT two tabs, leaving the BACK two tabs unlocked. Once you have the Base of the SMT locked down, you can then check to insure that it's square to the Front Rail and parall to the Saw Blade, using a 30-60 right Triangle or the Jig listed below and a 1 1/2" Cube of Aluminum or Hardwood.

To check the SMT Base, using a 30-60 Triangle, put the short leg up against the rear face of the Front Rail Such that the Long leg is Horizontal to the Saw Table Top and alongside the SMT Base. You should be able to determine whether or not the Side of the SMT Base is parallel to the long leg of the triangle (and perpendicular to the Front Rail).
Any difference in the distance would indicate that the SMT Base is NOT parallel to the Blade. Adjust the Base in small increments until it's parallel to the blade, using the adjusting screws that hold it to the rails. Once this is done, you can proceed to adjusting the Sliding Table parallel to the Saw Blade.

OK, lets check to see if the SMT is parallel to the SAW BLADE. (This is what you've been waiting for!)

Move the SMT base a little closer than you had it in the last check for the SMT Base, such that the Probe on the Jig is about an inch or so over the edge of the Sliding Table, towards the front of the Saw.
Place the Block on the Sliding Table, such that one corner of it is just barely brushed when you move the Sliding Table towards the rear. Now reverse the Jig so the Probe is towards the Rear of the Saw, without touching the Block and move the Sliding Table farther back so that the Probe just barely touches the Block (the Block shouldn't move at all). If this condition exsists, then your Sliding Table is Parallel to the Saw Blade and no adjustment is necessary.

If this is NOT the case, then follow the adjustment proceedure below to bring the Sliding Table parallel to the Saw Blade.

There are four screws envolved, a "normal" shoulder screw and three eccentric shoulder screws.

The normal screw is the pivot point and should never require adjustment, since the others use it as a reference point to adjust for parallel and to take the slop out of the SMT, with respect to the base.
The RIGHT FRONT screw is the "normal" screw.

CAUTION: the eccentric screws are a little delicate, so be careful that you don't torque them too hard, as they WILL break off.

To make the SMT Sliding Table run parallel to the saw blade, be sure the LEFT front eccentric screw is "snug", but not tight, to the base, loosen the LEFT REAR eccentric screw and make sure the SMT is good and sloppy (Don't want it to interfere with the effort to bring the SMT parallel)
The Right REAR eccentric screw is used to bring the SMT parallel to the saw blade, adjust it by applying a slight pressure to the RIGHT side of the SMT as you adjust for parallel by rotating the RIGHT REAR screw.
Once you're sure you're parallel to the saw blade, lock down the eccentric screw by keeping it in it's rotational position with a screw driver (I find that an offset screw driver works very well for this) from the bottom as you snug up the nut on the top side of the screw.
NOW take the slop out of the REAR end of the SMT by rotating the LEFT REAR eccentric screw, until the SMT is snug, but not tight, you should be able to push the SMT towards the back with very little effort, in other words, it should "glide" smoothly, with very little or no side to side play. Now snug up the Left Front Eccentric Screw, if needed.
Be sure you hold the screw in position with a screw driver to keep the screw from rotating as you tighten the nut on the top of the screw.
Your SMT should now glide parallel to the saw blade!

Your Miter Fence, while not directly envolved in the adjustment, needs to be adjusted also. This is accomplished by adjusting the "Quick Stop", located on the Left side of the SMT, about mid-way down the side.

Adjust your "Quick Stop" (the little tab that swings up on the left edge of the SMT) so that it brings your MITER FENCE square to the blade (it's also an eccentric screw) when you gently swing the miter fence up against it.

You can also check your Rip Fence with the same Jig by mounting the Jig with the Probe towards the Rip fence, just barely touching it. Now reverse the Jig with the Probe at the back of the Saw, if the Rip Fence is the same distance from the Probe as it was with the Probe near the front of the Saw, then it's parallel, if not, there are two Screws near the front of the Saw on top of the Rip Fence that are used to adjust the Rip Fence Parallel to the Saw Blade.

I would only loosen ONE of them at a time, using the other one as a pivot when aligning the Rip Fence.

One other thing to be considered.... The Clamp for the Miter Fence consists of a 5/16-18 bolt that passes thru a plastic bracket that provides the clamping pressure to hold the Miter Fence in whatever position you put it. The hex head on the clamping bolt rides IN a grove on the bottom of the SMT. The groove is sized in such a way that it prevents the bolt's turning as you tighten the knob on top of the bracket.

If the Clamping Bolt is properly installed (head in the groove) there is no way that it could deform the Sliding Miter Table, since it merely clamps a piece of Aluminum (the SMT Sliding Table) between the Miter Fence and the Hex Head of the bolt. If you put a washer under the clamping bolt (on the bottom) in an effort to straddle the sides of the groove that it was designed to ride IN, it might deform the SMT when pressure is applied by clamping the Miter Fence with the Clamping Bolt improperly installed.

NOTE: The washer that's supplied as a part of the Miter Fence Clamping Assembly goes on TOP of the plastic Clamping Bracket under the Clamping Knob (it's there to keep the Knob from binding on the Plastic Clamping Bracket when tightened).

That should do it!

You should be good to go!

**jlake1998** · 06-09-2006, 06:05 PM

It can take a 5 gallon bucket of patience to setup the smt correctly.. heres a few threads that should help.

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=19065

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread...ight=adjusting

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread...ight=adjusting

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread...ight=adjusting

**Chadi** · 06-09-2006, 09:05 PM

Thanks

Thanks for the advice guys

Chadi

Troubles with SMT alignment

Troubles with SMT alignment

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