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Post by newuser on Mar 6, 2021 9:20:47 GMT -5
Have been using saw for some months without issue. Recently had a guide jump where saw actually came off guide and cut into it slightly (totally my fault, was cutting on ground to repair posts that attach top to sawhorses and plunged into cut before blade was spinning fast enough). Next few cuts I noticed were beginning to veer slightly, but thought it was because it was thick stock and had been done quite quickly. Since then have noticed varying degrees of wandering on all cuts. Have tried different blades, different guide with and without splinter guard. Have removed base and checked alignment best I can, but noticed nothing wrong to the naked eye. It seems most cuts begin to veer to the right, and more confusingly it can get worse as I cut along the guide. Have tried small cuts without guide but its too difficult to cut accurate enough to compare, also have trouble holding thick stock off the MFT table. Even tried cutting with guide clamped down flat and stock clamped off edge of table to guarantee absolutely no off level or twisting in the guide, with same slanted results. Saw definitely not locked in -1 position, was hoping that might be it. Also tried tightening the other tilt bolt in case it was wandering slightly. Before this I could rather casually have guide resting on stock without all of it perfectly level and still get good results. Anything I’m missing? Not looking forward to trying to send it in.  ![]() |
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Post by alvychippy on Mar 6, 2021 10:39:49 GMT -5
Sounds as if rear guide adjustment is non existent, lets the saw to "toe in" so much, it forces the saw out of the rail.
Are you sure, theres no excessive play, having saw on the rail?
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Post by newuser on Mar 6, 2021 11:16:47 GMT -5
I am not aware of any unusual play on the track. Also I usually don’t bother turning the knobs that grip to the rail as the saw always gilded solidly and you need to turn them back to get saw it off track if well screwed, but I did try it a few times to try and solve this problem, didn’t seem to make any difference. Is that recommended practice? The manual doesn’t go into much detail.
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Post by alvychippy on Mar 6, 2021 12:45:16 GMT -5
Nope, it's set once and forgotten, I'm k8nda questioning, if it's still intact.
If not, something like bent/lose/cracked pivoting mechanism remains suspect, as if doesn't lock properly one or the other end or some sort of structural crack let's it move about?
...😐
It's not easy, but video would be ideal to see, what what could've gone wrong
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Post by kraftt on Mar 6, 2021 18:10:58 GMT -5
When you say “veer off” are you speaking about the degree of bevel deviation from 90º? Or are you saying the cut / blade is pulling away from the cut line / splinter guard?
If it’s bevel, perhaps it’s as simple as the bevel adjustment knob got loose during the event and needs to be tightened (I’m sure you would have checked this but I have to ask).
Does this phenomenon happen when you try a different (known to be good) blade?
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Post by kraftt on Mar 6, 2021 18:19:37 GMT -5
I've gone on walkabout a couple of times.  |
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Post by alvychippy on Mar 7, 2021 3:34:03 GMT -5
I've gone on walkabout a couple of times. How's your sleep? (Asking for a friend) |
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Post by newuser on Mar 8, 2021 4:10:19 GMT -5
When you say “veer off” are you speaking about the degree of bevel deviation from 90º? Or are you saying the cut / blade is pulling away from the cut line / splinter guard? If it’s bevel, perhaps it’s as simple as the bevel adjustment knob got loose during the event and needs to be tightened (I’m sure you would have checked this but I have to ask). Does this phenomenon happen when you try a different (known to be good) blade? When I am cutting, everything seems normal. But it will not produce a proper 90 degree cut anymore, I am not certain what is happening, perhaps I will see if a video is possible. Yes I did try playing with knob, even did a 15 degree cut which looked fine. I only have two blades, both of them have similar issues. My track also got a gash, and even split the edge so had to cut it into just over an 800. It does seem to have *something* to do with the track or how the saw attaches to it though as usually the veering will alter throughout the cut, sometimes it almost looks perfect at beginning and then veers further down. |
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Post by aas on Mar 8, 2021 13:47:17 GMT -5
It does seem to have *something* to do with the track or how the saw attaches to it though as usually the veering will alter throughout the cut, sometimes it almost looks perfect at beginning and then veers further down. Sounds like blade or technique... if it's starting the cut 'almost perfectly', then is no longer 90 degrees further down the cut, it is one of three things: 1 - the rail is not sitting flat, if so, adjust your setting out technique to get the rail to sit flat (I'm kind of guessing it's not this!.. but if the wood is not flat, the rail will follow it)
2 - the saw is not being held down properly on to the rail... this seems like a no brainer and you couldn't go wrong, right?.. no... I've had occasions when the saw starts riding up into the material and off the rail... why?.. 3 - the blade - if you are using a blade that is: - a) too thin (I use the Makita 1,4mm blade sometimes - it will twist on harder material); b) the wrong blade - trying to rip hardwood with a high tooth count triple chip blade can create this effect - the saw starts trying to ride up on the wood; c) a blunt blade - this is the most likely cause, I've had the saw ride up with a blade well overdue a sharpen... Regardless of whether it is the blade or not, try adjusting your stance and grip on the saw to have better control of the saw, cut slower if need be.
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Post by kraftt on Mar 8, 2021 22:46:16 GMT -5
Just spitballing here... could the thin connecting rod, running from front to back, have been damaged or somehow knocked out of place? If the back bevel lock wasn't secure maybe the blade and type of wood could be drawing the blade over. Also curious how thick and what kind of wood you're cutting - if it's opening up / closing up (?)  |
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Post by newuser on Mar 9, 2021 7:14:05 GMT -5
Thanks for those suggestions, will have a look. Also Mafell support suggested I try a new blade which I did. Took a short video which may help illuminate issue. You can’t see the reading but have spirit level there to check guide is level, the wood isn’t perfectly perpendicular to it, but as you can see the cut is at varying degrees there.  |
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Post by alvychippy on Mar 9, 2021 7:23:13 GMT -5
Thanks for those suggestions, will have a look. Also Mafell support suggested I try a new blade which I did. Took a short video which may help illuminate issue. You can’t see the reading but have spirit level there to check guide is level, the wood isn’t perfectly perpendicular to it, but as you can see the cut is at varying degrees there. Yup, user error streamable.com/toki5rGuide rail flexes, should've used guide and still circular saw isn't designed to do what bench saw is meant to be doing. Use MT55 for sheet goods, where's guide rail sits solidly down on and slicing too narrow posts should be done using different tools/machinery |
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Post by newuser on Mar 9, 2021 7:37:57 GMT -5
I have been using thicker stock simply because it better demonstrates the problem. My first image was with the guide rail totally flat on the table (stock is resting on plywood platform held by clamps) and the slant is still there. Also shows slant on thin stock, and will do another video with that if you're convinced its the height influencing cut there. Just spitballing here... could the thin connecting rod, running from front to back, have been damaged or somehow knocked out of place? If the back bevel lock wasn't secure maybe the blade and type of wood could be drawing the blade over. Also curious how thick and what kind of wood you're cutting - if it's opening up / closing up (?) Took a picture of that area:  Usually cutting quite thin stock, with the odd exception. General lumber, ply, and oak soon hopefully. |
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Post by newuser on Mar 9, 2021 8:29:06 GMT -5
This was a relatively good cut here:   Thicker cuts just help show the angle it is veering to. I understand about setting cuts up properly, but my experience before this was almost effortless straight cuts. Sometimes there’d be an obvious error if guide was not supported properly, but you didn’t need to ensure every part was perfectly level to get a good cut. Now its the opposite, no matter the configuration it won’t produce a proper cut. I understand that balancing on top of a post is not ideal, but running out of thicker lumber here! Also very hard to do off table cuts. Saw should definitely be able to plunge cut up to 50mm, even if it isn’t the ideal tool to do so. |
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Post by kraftt on Mar 9, 2021 16:46:24 GMT -5
As alvychippy was trying to point out it looks like in this case the suspended / unsupported rail is deflecting / flexing when plunge pressure is applied to drop the blade causing saw to list to one side changing blade angle to work piece.  When you see dog supported rails cutting material - the material is usually wide enough to support the full 'width' of the rail. When the material is not wide enough to do this it's best to shim under rail with same thickness scrap or other. |
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