90 second, zero cost table saw squareness check....

[barnowl]

1. Unplug your saw. Make sure the blade is set to 0 degrees. (vertical)

2. Cut a sharp angle on a piece of scrap with your miter saw, and mount it to your miter gauge:



3. Raise the saw blade to about 3", mark one tooth of your blade with a Sharpie, and just touch the point to that tooth at the leading edge of the blade.



4. Rotate the blade so that the marked tooth is now at the trailing edge.

Slide your miter gauge to the same tooth, and see if it just touches, like it did before.



5. If all is well, your blade is perfectly square.

6. Now, check that your fence is perfectly parallel to you miter gauge slot.

Set it right at the edge of the slot, lock the fence, and feel the leading and trailing edges with your finger.

Personally, I like to have my trailing edge about 10 thousandths offset (away from the blade) (10 thousandths is just about the thickness of 1 playing card)

[closed for business]

Yep, good technique, never hurts to hear repeated.

[DANNYBOY]

Blasphemy....totally outrageous. You can't possibly make that check without a $100 guage with a dial indicator.

[Cape Cod]

You think a machinist is gonna "eyeball" squareness???


BTW

I already own the $100 indicator. (3 actually)

[JGrout]

And to think I encourage spending a nickle on a brass screw.... to do the same thing but with some adjustablility

[barnowl]

[RobDingnagian]

What about the cost of that piece of scrap and the ink in the sharpie?

[daveferg]

I can see it now---the next e-Bay scam-----You list it as the "iGauge".

[closed for business]

I just did this before I came in. The ever so slight rub in front and the same feel on the same tooth at the back. Excellent! Adjusted my planer tables too while I was at it. Really productive day!

[NiteWalker]

Great method.
I use a HF dial indicator because it was cheap.

One thing to add, make any table adjustments with the saw in the cutting position; with the motor and belt in place.
I made the mistake of not doing so and got my saw aligned to .001 and put the belt and motor on: .009

Readjusting tomorrow.
Not fun with a contractor saw but needs to be done.