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Post by antibaconmachine on Mar 27, 2021 7:53:52 GMT -5
Hi all. I have a brand new mt55, struggling to get it to cut a 90 degree line. Sounds very similar to the recent thread here mafell-users-forum.freeforums.net/thread/1708/cutting-crooked-90-degress, I have read through that to see if there are clues. Difference for me is that I've never had a straight cut out of this saw, and I've got a specific question so new thread it is. First things first, according to my (admittedly cheap and probably innacurate) bevel box, the blade is at 89.6 degrees to the surface. Is that normal/expected? Seems like it should read 90. I also tried holding my square to the blade and it does look out, couldn't get a photo of that as would have needed a third hand. Other things to know: * I'm cutting 18mm birch ply * Have tried with an 80 and a 160 rail * Have tried with mafell quick rail clamps securing the rail * Have tried with no clamps just pressure * Have tried with rail dogs holding the rail * Have tried cutting on my floor with a spoiler board (to eliminate the benchtop as a factor) Atttached photo shows the bevel reading and a comparison of a factory edge (bottom) with an edge I cut with the saw (top). I've contacted mafell for advice, basically they just told me to send them the saw. I will do that if I have to but honestly with a brand new saw I still suspect user error somewhere. Does anyone have any comment on the bevel reading or suggestions of what I should do next? Many thanks edit: Can't seem to upload attachments to this forum today, image embedding also not working it seems, here's a link to the pic bevel reading |
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Post by Eoj on Mar 27, 2021 15:08:01 GMT -5
Adjust the bevel grub screws .
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Post by aas on Mar 27, 2021 15:15:47 GMT -5
Put the saw on a rail and re-do your photos with the angle finder. Do what Joe said, adjust the grub screws. It shouldn't be off, but it happens.
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Post by kraftt on Mar 28, 2021 0:13:47 GMT -5
The saw is very adjustable saw once you learn it. After you set true 90º to the rail, you can even calibrate the little pointer if you care to.  |
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Post by antibaconmachine on Mar 28, 2021 6:51:48 GMT -5
Thanks all for responses, sounds like consensus is I do need to adjust it which is good to know. Have redone angle measure on the rail as suggested, same result.
One thing I'm worried about here though is that the bevel box is sitting on top of a tooth which is clearly going to throw the reading out. It is however throwing it out in the wrong direction so if anything the true reading is further from 90 than this. It does beg the question of how I'm going to get an accurate reading when adjusting it. I could pop the blade cover and just pick an arbitrary clear bit of blade to measure on, but then I have no straight edge to register against. Does anyone have any advice for how to go about setting this up for 90?
Also from reading other posts on this forum I believe the grub screws in question are the ones on the center of the base circled here, is that right?
Thanks again.
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Post by alvychippy on Mar 28, 2021 10:39:10 GMT -5
measuring angle in longitute and blade across?
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Post by Eoj on Mar 28, 2021 13:33:34 GMT -5
The battery operated Blinky box is not needed ......ever !! Adjust the grub screws ,make a cut and check the cut with a quality square
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Post by kraftt on Mar 28, 2021 14:23:44 GMT -5
The battery operated Blinky box is not needed ......ever !! Adjust the grub screws ,make a cut and check the cut with a quality square ^This^. As that's the desired effect, of many parts & pressures, where you want 90º to result. |
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Post by antibaconmachine on Mar 31, 2021 12:23:44 GMT -5
I finally found some time today to try squaring up the blade. The long and the short of it is I managed to get a square cut eventually, so I'm happy.
For anyone who finds this post in the future the screws are indeed the ones I highlighted above.
I am a bit puzzled though, the adjustment was needed in the opposite direction then I expected. The final reading on the bevel box was 89.5 so actually a tenth of a degree further from 90 then when I started. Before anyone asks, I wasn't using the bevel box to align the thing, I did that just with trial, error and a metal square. I do agree with the bevel box though, I f I hold the blade out and try and reference the square off the base it does look off 90 to me. It's pretty hard to be accurate whilst holding the saw upside down, plunging it and supporting a square though.
My thoughts on this are:
1. It seems unlikely the saw would leave the factory nearly half a degree out, I can believe a tenth though so it's probably right. 2. I am however slightly worried that I have something else introducing the error and I've now calibrated the saw around it. I guess that will become clear in time.
Special thanks to kraftt for pointing out the angle pointer can be adjusted, would have missed that. Pretty fiddly because turning the screw moves the pointer but I guess it's something you only have to do once (I hope).
Anyway just wanted to report back so this might come in helpful to someone else. Let me know if anyone else has had a similar experience, do your blades look/measure dead square to your bases?
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Post by aas on Mar 31, 2021 13:15:25 GMT -5
Sometimes blades flex, especially the thin kerf blades that are so popular now. So squaring a blade to the base - obviously without the blade running and pressure on the blade - will not always give the required results. Getting results is what matters - glad you're getting square cuts now.
Regarding your 2nd point - what else could be introducing the error - maybe a blunt or wrong blade - don't under estimate the errors you can get from this one!; poor technique i.e. forcing the saw, not setting out the rail properly (i.e. flat, not twisted) non slip strips dirty or rail not clamped;
...and if you do all at the same time... rail not clamped, blunt blade and you force the saw - all sorts of things can happen - like the saw can jump off the rail and decide to start eating the rail as punishment - no guesses needed for how I know this!
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Post by kraftt on Mar 31, 2021 20:29:25 GMT -5
... 2. I am however slightly worried that I have something else introducing the error and I've now calibrated the saw around it. I guess that will become clear in time.... Well, you did a better job than the knucklehead who assembled it so I would worry too much. (if something goes off in the future you're only that much more confident now & faster in re-adjusting it). I've had the saw apart a few times, adjusted most of it here and there out of curiosity. Cuts quite nicely and probably nowhere near how it left the factory. Even though I might abuse my tools, I've taken to heart the advice found here about not forcing the saw in the cut, sharp blades & technique when I need the best out of it. |
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Post by charliemurphy on Nov 16, 2021 19:29:23 GMT -5
Going by the photos, the bevel box on the track is aligned to the wrong planes. Rotating the bevel box on the track by 90 deg would provide the angle of the blade with respect to the track/base of the saw. Would then know the true deviation from 90 deg (within accuracy of bevel box).
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