Tablesaw blade rubs against table

[lopezian]

I bought a used DeWalt DW746 table saw and the blade is almost contacting the throat plate on one side (see first attachment). It is infeasible for me to bring the saw to a repair shop so I am hoping I can get some advice here.

It looks like there is about 1/4" clearance on one side of the blade, but only about 1/32" on the other. If I tilt the blade it will actually make contact with the throat plate. The trundle is directly attached to the tabletop, and there does not appear to be any play in that attachment. I cannot shift the whole trundle and motor over by a little.

The blade is sandwiched between an inner and outer "clamp washer" (see second attachment) - each about 1/8" thick and 3" in diameter. If I removed the inner clamp washer it would shift the blade enough to about center it in the throat plate. Would it be safe to do this?

Does anyone have a suggestion on how to adjust the saw to fix this?

[lopezian]

Second picture of the inner clamp washer.

[rlk]

Can you put the clamp washer on the other side of the blade to move the blade over?

Bob

[egon]

Is it an original washer or has it been added as a blade stiffener?

Egon [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[rebelmedic]

That looks like it may be a extra washer the previous owner added. You can check to see if it is a added washer by useing the saw guide if it has measurements. Set the guide and measure distance to the blade. Some are off a little but it should be close enough for what you need to know. I`ll check my Craftsman in the morning,I do not remember it haveing a washer on backside of blade at all,only side by the nut.

[Bird]

I have one of the cheaper Craftsman table saws and, while it looks like the pictures of this DeWalt, it calls the two big washers an inner and outer "flange", but the DeWalt picture looks like 2 washers while my Craftsman just has one on each side of the blade. It appears to me that you just need to remove that one washer.

[Hank]

As a last resort, you could simply make a new table insert out of wood. When you wind the blade up through it, the new slot will be ready-made for your saw [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[GaryM]

That's true too. I have several commercial "solid" inserts that are zero clearance because you install the plate then raise the blade through it.

Depending on the brand of saw, and availability of plates, that's a good option.

[Hank]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
availability of plates

[/ QUOTE ]

Availability?? [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] I've made dozens out of just wood. But the brand of saw can be an issue. Some are not well-suited to a "solid" plate (full thickness, as opposed to a metal one with a hollow backside that only rests on four points). On some saws, the arbor assembly comes up close to the top. I've had to modify some wood inserts with a chisel a bit on the backside to make them work. I always did like a wood (or any zero clearance) insert for certain tasks as it minimizes tearout.