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after seeing this done to a ridgid 4511 by a poster on the lumberjocks forum, i thought i’d see if it could be done to an old fashioned contractor saw. here are the results:
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the genesis of this project was the first rate work done by paul stoops in his lumberjocks blog on modifications to his ridgid 4511 hybrid TS:
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/58567
i followed paul’s description closely, with one change. to connect the RA drive unit that forms the hub of the drive train to the handwheel, i had a local machinist turn one end of the 9” long 1/2” connecting shaft down from 1/2” to 3/8’ while tapping the other end to receive the handwheel. the components of the drive train can be seen in the first picture.
the relocation works quite well. it bevels quite easily to ~ 30 degrees, when the weight of the motor hanging off the back of the saw necesitates additional force to increase the bevel angle. even so, not having to reach under the saw to turn the bevel handle makes it easier. an unexpected result of the modification is an almost complete elimination of any “lash” (looseness) in the bevel linkage. movement is smooth and, if i could use a larger handwheel, would result in reduced effort to effect increases in the bevel angle.
it really is nice not having to contort myself to reach the bevel handwheel under the saw while watching the wixey digital angle cube i use to set the blade bevel angles. my thanks again to paul stoops for developing the application and documenting it so well in his lumberjocks blog on the modifications to his 4511. paul’s patience with, and receptiveness to, questions was much appreciated.
[ the genesis of this project was the first rate work done by paul stoops in his lumberjocks blog on modifications to his ridgid 4511 hybrid TS:
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/58567
i followed paul’s description closely, with one change. to connect the RA drive unit that forms the hub of the drive train to the handwheel, i had a local machinist turn one end of the 9” long 1/2” connecting shaft down from 1/2” to 3/8’ while tapping the other end to receive the handwheel. the components of the drive train can be seen in the first picture.
the relocation works quite well. it bevels quite easily to ~ 30 degrees, when the weight of the motor hanging off the back of the saw necesitates additional force to increase the bevel angle. even so, not having to reach under the saw to turn the bevel handle makes it easier. an unexpected result of the modification is an almost complete elimination of any “lash” (looseness) in the bevel linkage. movement is smooth and, if i could use a larger handwheel, would result in reduced effort to effect increases in the bevel angle.
it really is nice not having to contort myself to reach the bevel handwheel under the saw while watching the wixey digital angle cube i use to set the blade bevel angles. my thanks again to paul stoops for developing the application and documenting it so well in his lumberjocks blog on the modifications to his 4511. paul’s patience with, and receptiveness to, questions was much appreciated.
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