: I am in need of some assistance. I have a new table saw. I set is all up a
: couple of weeks ago and last weekend commenced ripping my planks. I used a
: DeWalt Hollow Ground Planer blade and attacked my 1"x8"x8' Pine
: planks - everything worked out fine and I now have some nice, fairly
: uniform (all within 2/100 of each other, from 23/100 to 1/4 inch thick -
: is this O.K. for running through the router?) planks.

: Today I turned my attention to the Western Red Cedar I recently bought. The
: first couple of rips on each plank went well and I got my nice, fairly
: uniform planks. Then the saw started to bog, and I burned my way through
: the next few. I slowed my feed rate - still burned boards. I bought a new
: hollow ground planer blade - still burned boards. I have zeroed my fence
: to the mitre slot, even adding +2/100 of an inch to the rear - still
: burned boards. My blade appears to be +2/100 with the rear of the blade
: closer to the fence by that much - is this my problem (why did the pine
: rip so cleanly, though?). Is it the Western Red Cedar - too wet (it is/was
: stored indoors)? Please tell me what I could be doing wrong - I'm no
: cabinet maker. I've blown the breaker once, and I reckon the neighbours
: will be calling the fire department out soon . . .

: Thanks,

: Greg.

Hi Greg

Well, that does seem to be a bit excessive for a new saw and blade. A few questions???

1) What make of saw, and what size?

2) How many Horses?

3) 110 volt or 220 volt?

4) Blade type, steel or carbide tipped?

5) What type of fence and how does it latch down?

6) This is a real toughy:..... could you measure from the mitre slot to the front of the blade, behind the tooth offset, and also, the back of the blade.

Some brands are not too good at tightening or aligning the trundle and the motor, or arbor could be out of alignment. If loose, it may have shifted while you were cutting the first batch. My craftsman 10" was slightly off when I bought it and needed adjustment. On the cedar, there is a little more pitch in the wood which will account for some burning. The fence could be the culpret(?) if it is the screw lock type or even some of the clamp type. It will, when moved, lag at the back side and when you clamp down it will lock in the crooked position. To test that, unlock it, move it towards the blade and then back away and then, instead of locking it down, push on the T part of the fence to see if it is square with the table. Then tighten the lock and measure the blade from the mitre slot. Try it again only move it back and forth and just lock it down without squareing. Any difference?? If you are useing a steel blade, some are not sharpened at the factory. Some are just punched out and the set is put in the teeth. They don't stay sharp very long either. If it is carbide tipped, and you got some really sappy wood, then there may be some buildup behind the teeth from the sap. If so, that will burn your wood. A little oven cleaner will remove that in about 2 minutes. Other things to consider are that the 110 v. motors are not too good under a load and may be bogging down, but, on a new saw that is not as likely. Anything lower that a 3/4 horse motor will also bog down with little effort.

My best guess, from what you are talking about, would be that if the blade is offset, then the arbor has slipped and the blade is turned ever so slightly. That is not good and should be adjusted under the saw.

One other consideration would be: The strips you did cut, were they straight or did they bow after cutting? If they bowed, the the grain in the wood is trying to bow it away from the fence and the back of the blade will be making more contact and causeing the burn and even some heavy score marks. Check out as much as you can and let us know what's happenin'.

Hope some of this helps, and maybe others have some ideas.

Rehd