Your saw will be factory set, however the adjustable components will need checking from time to time.

Always check your user manual and familiarise yourself with the features of your particular table saw. Before making any adjustments to your saw, check that it’s turned off and unplugged from the power source.

One of the most important things to check is that the mitre slot on your saw is parallel to your blade. This slot is used for your mitre gauge or as a vehicle to run jigs such as crosscutting sleds, tenoning and dovetail jigs. If it’s not completely parallel these jigs won’t function properly.

You need to be able to reliably take a measurement from one tooth (rotated from the front to the back of your blade) to the edge of the mitre slot. The simplest way to check this is by using a finely calibrated metal rule. (Fig.1)

If you find taking a measurement this way doesn’t seem accurate enough, there are a couple of products in our catalogue designed for this purpose. The Deluxe Alignment System (DAS-1, pg. 31) contains a dial gauge and a series of accessories that allow you to check the settings of table saws, jointers, thicknessers and drill presses.

A dial gauge (CG-60, pg. 57) fitted to a piece of timber and clamped to your mitre fence also works well, but you need to make sure the mitre gauge is set at 90°.

Choose a tooth on your blade and mark it with a felt pen so you don’t forget which tooth you’re measuring. Take a measurement with the tooth rotated to the front and again with it rotated to the rear. If there is a discrepancy between the two measurements you will need to adjust the table.

On most cabinet-style table saws, there are bolts in each corner underneath the top of the cast iron table. These can be loosened to allow the top to be moved slightly until the mitre slot is parallel to the blade. Keep one of the bolts tightened so the top can pivot from that point. Re-tighten the bolts and check the measurements again.

If you have a Contractor’s Saw, this adjustment needs to be made by loosening the trunnion bolts and manoeuvring the whole saw mechanism until the mitre slots are in line. If you’re unsure about doing this, contact your dealer and ask for professional advice first. Check to make sure the pulleys are aligned so the belts run smoothly.

The rip-fence is the next thing that needs to be checked. If it’s angled inwards, you may get binding and burning on your workpiece. If it’s angled outwards, the workpiece will drift away from the fence and parallel cuts won’t be accurate. In both cases you risk binding on the timber and kickback.