12-05-2018, 12:49 AM
How to calibrate the cursor. No instruments, accuracy better than your perceptions or ability to use it.
We’ll assume you have a piece of MDF or very stable plywood lying around; say, two pieces 12” X 15”.
Decide how you’d like to view the cursor, where your line of sight will be. Take this step and really make that choice. You’ll need to view the saw this way in the future. You have to like it, to be satisfied.
Set the saw to 4” and rip three 4” pieces from your two pieces of panel stock. Do not release the cam lever. Leave that fence locked. Place the six pieces of 4” stock edge to edge, cram them into the fence with a little force. Pushing them with your hand will be enough. Measure the six pieces. 4 X 6 = 24. The six pieces will probably not be exactly 24”. Whatever error has occurred will be manifested as error X 6. If you are off 1/64”, you’re over by 1/64”, the group will measure 6/64” greater than 24”. That’s a whopping 3/32”. Since you have not moved the cam lever, this is the known result of this setting. Loosen the screws that fix the cursor and make the adjustments. Now set the saw to 3 3/4” and repeat the process. The math will be the same, only with new numbers. Now you’re working with multiples of 3 3/4 instead of 4. You may have to do this three or four times until you get it right on the money. I’ve never had to tinker with it past two times. Incidentally, I actually just use five 4” pieces. It’s just a common sense way to multiply the error on initial setups so they can be easily seen. Like I said, you’ve got to decide how you like to view the cursor, and you’ve got to stick to it. If you don’t, parallax will ruin everything.
Do this when you change blades.
We’ll assume you have a piece of MDF or very stable plywood lying around; say, two pieces 12” X 15”.
Decide how you’d like to view the cursor, where your line of sight will be. Take this step and really make that choice. You’ll need to view the saw this way in the future. You have to like it, to be satisfied.
Set the saw to 4” and rip three 4” pieces from your two pieces of panel stock. Do not release the cam lever. Leave that fence locked. Place the six pieces of 4” stock edge to edge, cram them into the fence with a little force. Pushing them with your hand will be enough. Measure the six pieces. 4 X 6 = 24. The six pieces will probably not be exactly 24”. Whatever error has occurred will be manifested as error X 6. If you are off 1/64”, you’re over by 1/64”, the group will measure 6/64” greater than 24”. That’s a whopping 3/32”. Since you have not moved the cam lever, this is the known result of this setting. Loosen the screws that fix the cursor and make the adjustments. Now set the saw to 3 3/4” and repeat the process. The math will be the same, only with new numbers. Now you’re working with multiples of 3 3/4 instead of 4. You may have to do this three or four times until you get it right on the money. I’ve never had to tinker with it past two times. Incidentally, I actually just use five 4” pieces. It’s just a common sense way to multiply the error on initial setups so they can be easily seen. Like I said, you’ve got to decide how you like to view the cursor, and you’ve got to stick to it. If you don’t, parallax will ruin everything.
Do this when you change blades.