Quick and Easy Table Saw Tune-Up Guide

The table saw is definitely the workhorse in my shop as it does about 90% of my work. Tuning up your table saw is a great way to improve the accuracy and efficiency of this tool, and decrease burning and crooked cuts! Make sure that your table saw is functioning properly and safely by following these simple steps which will help create high-quality projects without extra work for yourself. Today we’ll cover how to get the best blade alignment, align the fence to the miter slot, align the tabletop to the blade, and square the fence and blade to the tabletop. Here are the steps you need to follow to get your table saw tuned up:

HOW TO ALIGN THE TABLE SAW BLADE TO THE MITER SLOT

When it comes to aligning the table saw blade to the miter slot, there are a few things you need to take into account. so let’s get started.

I add a couple of pennies to the miter slot and then add a strip of wood. This will give you a little lip to measure off of. Mark one of the saw blade’s teeth with a marker. This will be the tooth that you take all of your measurements from. Next, align the square to the tooth until you can just barely hear it clip a combination square. Then circle the blade to the back and see if you can still barely hear the blade touching the square. You can also use a gauge to give you a more accurate measurement. For me, there was a gap, so I need to adjust the top of my saw. To do this, remove 4 bolts from underneath the saw and use a dead blow hammer to adjust the top of the saw so that it gets in line (check your manual for which screws to loosen).

Once you have made your adjustments, use the same method as above to check the blade alignment. This process can take time to get those fine adjustments right so be patient with the process, it's worth it! And keep in mind, it's okay if the blade is turned away from the fence a little bit, it’s actually safer than if it turns in which could cause a kickback.

HOW TO SQUARE THE TABLE SAW FENCE TO THE TOP

Using a square, line it up with the edge of the fence at the center of the table saw and check to see that it is at 90 degrees. You should check the center of the table saw and not on the extension wings since those can dip a little. If you can see light and are not square, you'll need to adjust the fence until it is square using the adjustment bolts on your fence.

HOW TO SQUARE THE TABLE SAW FENCE TO THE MITER SLOT

Next is to square the fence to the miter slot from front to back. I set my fence so that it is straight and parallel, but many woodworkers set this up so their fence is canted out away from the blade slightly. This will give boards the opportunity to get away when you are running them through the table saw. But choose what works best for you here.

Use the same method as in aligning the blade to the miter slot. You can use a gauge or add a couple of pennies to the slot and then add a strip of wood. Using a square, check the distance of the fence to the miter slot from front to back. If it is off, adjustments can be made by adjusting the allen bolts that are underneath the fence. Be sure to tighten all of the bolts securely after making any adjustments.

Similar to the blade (but definitely not as frustrating), this process will take a bit of trial and error to get right, so be patient.

HOW TO FLUSH THE INSERT TO THE TABLE SAW TOP

Grab a square and run it over the top of the insert to make sure that it is not catching. The square should sit flat and flush from the tabletop to the insert. Adjust the insert using the 4 allen key bolts (some are at the top of the insert and some are underneath). This process should be pretty quick!

HOW TO SET THE 90 AND 45 DEGREE STOPS

First, take a square and set it on the table saw top between the teeth of the saw blade. Then raise the blade up and make sure that the blade is straight on. Your saw should stop right at the moment the blade gets to 90 degrees. Check the 45 degree stop using a triangle square. If these are off, you can make the adjustments using the stop bolts underneath the saw blade. Check your manual for their location.

Test out your tune up by cutting a board.