I wanted to make some Christmas ornaments with my family and enter the Christmas ornament challenge.  When it came time to paint the ornaments my children had already fallen asleep.  At least my wife had fun with her first woodworking project.  Jimmy DiResta had sent me a hat and I also got an ornament from another youtuber.  I also bought a table saw to tide me over while I save for a Sawstop.

6 Responses

  1. Lane

    Hi Nick,
    I found you from a shout out from Izzy Swann, it sounds like you have a Rigid r4512 or a 4511 granite top
    I bought the R4512 last June,
    I had some issues with at first, the arbor was not parrilell withe the miter slots that was my problem to fix. I did that by loosening the trunion bolts and placing two bar clamps on each trunion and the screw end was up against the cabinet. Oh I left the bolts snug to provide a little restance from moving. I have a Master Plate that is flat!
    And calibrated so. And a dial indicator, the master plate mounts on the arbor the dial indicator in a mount that sits in the miter slot and slides back and forth. I found mine was way off to my standards. .016 16 thousands to me that was un acceptable. By trunking on clamp screw and loosening the onsite one I was able to get the trunion parallel .0005 one half of a thou from the front of the Master Plate to the Back the plate is 9 inches long. The two mitter slots were pretty close to being parallel I forget how far off it was I wanted the left slot as close as possible. So I made that the one slot I concentrated on.
    Next the Fence! Oh wow way out! I bought this saw new and went through all the hoops to get the life time agreement for support that has to be done exact to the Rigid rules. The Fence had a bow in the middle of the extrusion at .040 yes 40 thousandants Rigid sent me a new fence it arrived with poor packaging so the fence was missing parts the end cap! The handle was bent so I called them and they sent another one along with a mitter handle as the other one I felt was sloppy in the t slot. New one arrived well packaged and protected the Fence is pretty good I forget the numbers on being parallel not perfect but safe!
    I also have the issue that others have with this saw! When raising arbor near top of limits the blade tilts mine about .007 thousandants. I can live with that knowing that I can raise the blade and back it down a little and the blade comes back close to where it should be. We’ll sort of after this wood we are working with.
    It seems that there is back lash in the lift of the arbor a manufacturing defect that they knowis there.
    Solution pack it up take it to a service center Yea right! Like that is going to happen!
    It is not the unisaw I had several years ago after a divorce! I had to have a mans yard sale:-(
    Like your self I bought the R4512 it has plenty of power for most of my needs I have sliced through 6 quarter red oak with no issues it feels comfortable ripping and cross cutting? I have found that the blade is what makes the difference. The stock blade that came with it was a pretty god blade over all, but I wanted a better one I purched a Tenyrue Gold I have been happy with it is a 60 tooth blade $89.00 I use it to cut my finish parts, it slices Baltic birch like hot butter. I use the stock Ridig blade for junk cuts MDF Partical board, OSB any thing I do not want to take a chance with my good blade.
    Overall the saw works for me being I am a hobbyist, I will admit being a former CNC installer Non wood machines I am a bit annal about being precise. Hey if I cut a part and it calls for 4.0 inches that is what I want not 4.250 yes I messure with calipers.

    Keep up the great work!
    Lane, TheFalconJet driver.

    Reply
    • Nick

      I am almost exactly .007 off when raising and lowering the blade too, but yeah I figured that is not bad as long as I know about it. My arbor is square to the slots but I didn’t check the fence for flat. I will have to do that.

      Reply
  2. Steve Collins

    Great video, Nick. Congrats on the new saw, I think it will do what you need it to. I’m still using my Craftsman 113 series that I bought new in 95 and it has always been more than adequate for my needs. I replaced the fence with a T2 a while back, changed to a link belt, but that’s all I have done.

    Reply
    • Nick

      Thanks, I am thinking it will be fine for me for now. I’m not giving up on the sawstop though. I’m stubborn, lol.

      Reply
  3. Jeff Vandenberg

    Hey Nick great talk. I rip them stings out to. Very hazardous in the shop. Congratulations on your new saw. I picked up a new Grizzly cabinet saw 52 in to the right and a 3 hp awesome power. Also picked up a Grizzly 8 inch jointer. Slowly but surely you’ll get the saw stop. I have to figure out how to do videos.

    Reply

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