Why does this cut look like this? TS question.

[Cooler]

The blade itself might not be square (the shaft of the motor is not positioned accurately).  If it is adjustable it is going to be much easier to square up the blade than to mess with the slots.

[MichaelMouse]

As I calibrate the incra 1000 HD I just got, I've noticed that as I cut the trailing edge of the stock being cut doesn't cut square unless I push it all the way through the saw blade to go through both the cutting edges. If I stop the cut as soon as the first teeth get through then stop, the cut is not square.... it has a trailing lip. I have tried to show in the pictures. If I push it all the way through to where it passes the saw blade completely then there is a square cut. I hope this makes sense as I've tried to illustrate ir in the pictures. Anyway, any idea what could be going on? I have included a picture of my table saw setup in addition to the miter gauge. I don't know if those two things matter, also I'm using a Freud plywood blade from Home Depot 80 tooth I think.
Thanks for any input you can offer.

You can't adjust the slot, only the blade, in spite of the phraseology used.  Lots of information on how to set up what appears to be a contractor's saw.  Tom's good, videos abound. http://newwoodworker.com/basic/tsalign.html

[Steve N]

For TS set up I like Sandor for short and sweet. Best for Contractor saws




Spagno if you have the time. His is 2 parts. More for Cab saw owners, but it has good info for any TS too.

[Mike in kc]

I'm not sayin Joe's "screwin around" ain't valid
, but this is how I learned to verify things are square.  

On the blade, the same tooth rotated fore and aft, and also at the front and rear of the fence.    If you want to get picky, check all along the fence face, shim as/if necessary.

It appears your saw is a contractor type saw, and if so, and no amount of "adjusting" can get you square to either the table or miter slot, you might take a look at the carriage assembly. 

My saw is a  30YO no name, brand X contractor I bought used when I started WW, and after a few frustrating hours, I finally found the carriage assembly was twisted along the front to rear axis.   I pulled it out of the saw, disassembled  and re-assembled it correcting the twist, then all was good and the saw easily adjusted to parallel, and has stayed so.

[Steve N]

I agree some form of dial indicator is going to be the truest way to tell if you have an issue, and how much of one. I think the screw is variable enough you will have a harder time correcting. I understand the thought of woodworking to .001 tolerance is crazy because the wood moves. But if you set your machine to that tolerance you can hardly blame the tool for any mistake cuts. That was how I was taught from an early age, and it seems to always work.

One thing for sure is misalignment can cause wonky work, and could potentially be a safety consideration.

Still thinking the problem here is blade tooth, or possibly a bad arbor shaft, or blade plate causing a non-true spin, but I still think if it is major the cut will not true up pushed all the way through the piece. It will be non flat on the end.

Joe's earlier suggestion to push through a cut, and flip the ends, and if the cut pieces fit tight top, and bottom, you are likely looking at something fooling your eye.

For ultra cheap, and I think more accurate than the screw is below.



This site shows Joe's screw method. It also shows the cut and flip method to check your cut for square. If you are dead on, you should show NO gap with the stock flipped either way, because you have a perfect 90.

[JGrout]

If you want to know exactly how much the top is out using a screw put a feeler gauge between the blade and the screw once you know which end is out.. 

It is far easier to move the screw to the closest position either front or back then measure the difference. 

this is a cheap KIS solution that works without the need for much more than the nickle screw. 

I know they make measuring equipment that is more accurate but really it is only slightly easier in that you can read a number and determine a difference.  and you have to make some sort of support and a second miter bar to use it. 

you have a miter gauge, and I am sure you have a stick to drive the screw into and some way to clamp the stick to the miter gauge. It does not have to be precision to the nth degree.

[srv52761]

Another way to check if you're all square is to make a dado in a board, then measure the kerf width.  Should be the same as your dado stack width.

[Steve N]

Another way to check if you're all square is to make a dado in a board, then measure the kerf width.  Should be the same as your dado stack width.

I always try to play a movie of something in my head, and I just can't with that. Fearing I am missing something obvious how would a saw being out of square change the width of a dado set? Dado is as wide as you set it up, still going to cut a path that wide every time, now that path may not be square, but it's the same width.

[srv52761]

I always try to play a movie of something in my head, and I just can't with that. Fearing I am missing something obvious how would a saw being out of square change the width of a dado set? Dado is as wide as you set it up, still going to cut a path that wide every time, now that path may not be square, but it's the same width.

If the blade is not parallel to the miter slot, it can still cut square.  If you measured to cut say a 20 cm board, you measure 20 cm from the leading edge of your blade, but say the blade is cantered  with the leading edge 5 thou closer to the miter slot than the back. As the board hits the  leading edge of the blade the good side will be 20cm cause that is what you measured, and each piece of the board will be 20 cm as it hits the leading edge, a square cut.  But as you push the board past the back side of the blade the waste side will continue to be trimmed by that 5 thou.  But you will never see it as it is a through cut.  But if it is a dado the extra cantered waste is still visible.  

Think of it as if you were cutting a cove on your tablesaw.  The blade is only .125" thick, but you can cut a 2" kerf (cove) by making the blade oblique to the travel of the stock.

[Delta007]

So, I read all of this and I think I am still waiting for the unasked question...don't mind if I do:

"Why on earth would you stop the cut until you have pushed the stock all the way through the blade?"..at which point the cut is nice and true, if I read this correctly.

What possible reason would you have for stopping the cut? Super short pieces?
Either I don't get it, or I've been outside the biz too long...

Maybe it's just me, but does no one use a good push stick anymore?