# New Table Saw Issue



## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Hey guys I got my new Ridgid TS3660 saw today and spent all day setting it up. (Some assembly required was an understatement!:'() The first cut I make I run into a problem. (typical for me). It seems the blade guard splitter is too thick for the kerf of the cut! Now I have checked this several different ways so it's not a set up issue, it's on and aligned correctly. But I actually can't push the wood past it,the kerf will not open enough to accept it. 
I am using the blade that came with the saw until I can buy a couple of better quality blades and it might be a tad thin. But even so...is it possible I need to grind the knife down? Has anyone else run into this issue? I had issues with the guard on my old Craftsman tablesaw and ended up just removing it but I would like to keep this one on. Is this just my usual bad luck or something else?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi CanuckGal

Just my 2 cents 

Remove the splitter and go down to the hardware store and pickup some thin plate and make your own...you have the template, just copy it the new steel and cut it out and drill some holes so it fits your set up..

They do make a splitter kit but it's more money, more money  and I'm sure you want to use the saw.. NOW !


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CanuckGal said:


> Hey guys I got my new Ridgid TS3660 saw today and spent all day setting it up. (Some assembly required was an understatement!:'() The first cut I make I run into a problem. (typical for me). It seems the blade guard splitter is too thick for the kerf of the cut! Now I have checked this several different ways so it's not a set up issue, it's on and aligned correctly. But I actually can't push the wood past it,the kerf will not open enough to accept it.
> I am using the blade that came with the saw until I can buy a couple of better quality blades and it might be a tad thin. But even so...is it possible I need to grind the knife down? Has anyone else run into this issue? I had issues with the guard on my old Craftsman tablesaw and ended up just removing it but I would like to keep this one on. Is this just my usual bad luck or something else?


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## Birchwood (May 13, 2005)

Bob, couldn't she just knock the leading edge of the splitter down a bit-taper it in effect, or would that be a bad thing. The situation sounds goofy to me. Canuck gal don't fool with it too much....I know you want to use your new saw but don't want to see you get into a dangerous situation.
Next big move if it was me would be (a) thin kerf blade and (b) a nice splitter kit from the boys who make the Grrriiiipper. Oh, and of course the ZERO clearence plate.
But keep in mind..... I am the low man on the expertise totem pole here.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Birch

Maybe BUT
It sound like one of the ones that holds the blade guard as well but it's hard to say without a picture ..


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Birch said:


> Bob, couldn't she just knock the leading edge of the splitter down a bit-taper it in effect, or would that be a bad thing. The situation sounds goofy to me. Canuck gal don't fool with it too much....I know you want to use your new saw but don't want to see you get into a dangerous situation.
> Next big move if it was me would be (a) thin kerf blade and (b) a nice splitter kit from the boys who make the Grrriiiipper. Oh, and of course the ZERO clearence plate.
> But keep in mind..... I am the low man on the expertise totem pole here.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Yes it is one that holds the blade guard and it's riveted together. Not a big deal to replace the rivets. I considered filing a taper on the edge, bit that won't help if the rest of the plate is too thick. Maybe I'll hold off till I can try another blade. I am not planning any big jobs till after the New Year. Just wanted to play with the new toy 
Just seems odd it would be so thick.


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## waynoe (Sep 29, 2004)

Deb:
This seems strange to me. Ridgid makes quality tools. I suspect it is an alignment problem either with the blade or the fence. You should check with your manual on how to correct these problems.
Good luck
Wayne


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

I've checked the blade with a dial indicator and the knife with a builder's square. The setup looks perfect. The blade cuts smooth and fine without the guard. (Had to test it.)
Everything else about the saw is great. Just this little hang up (pun intended).


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Deb

That maybe the smart thing to do,,  just pickup a thin blade,, by the way you don't need to buy a 10" high price blade a 8" one will work just fine, they are a lot cheaper and when was the last time you ripped 2 x 4 on a 45 deg. cut.. most of the time you will use 3/4" stock the norm..


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CanuckGal said:


> Yes it is one that holds the blade guard and it's riveted together. Not a big deal to replace the rivets. I considered filing a taper on the edge, bit that won't help if the rest of the plate is too thick. Maybe I'll hold off till I can try another blade. I am not planning any big jobs till after the New Year. Just wanted to play with the new toy
> Just seems odd it would be so thick.


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## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

Get in contact with customer support. That sure sounds strange to me.
http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/Contact-Us/EN/index.htm


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## levon (Sep 14, 2008)

Deb,

Check out the ridgid forum. you can find this under the ridgid homepage. i have the 3660 and and i am sure you have an alignment problem. i fixed my alignment problem by taking the blade guard off and leaving it off. now the blade guard doesnt cause me grief. i dont suggest you do this but most people do. you can probably get yours lined up by searching the ridgid forum. i do recommend you replace the thin kerf ridgid blade with a freud premiere fusion regular kerf blade. you will be amazed at the difference.


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## levon (Sep 14, 2008)

bobj to your point, the saw she has comes with a ridgid thin kerf blade on it. if you replace the blade with a regular kerf blade, it will make a wider path for the blade guard. not sure im maing sense, but it works much better with a regular kerf blade if youre going to use the blade guard. thats the way my saw is and its the same saw Deb has. 

Deb, i had to take my blade guard and actually bend it over for it to work correctly. the bottom of the guard was dead on like you said yours was, but the top was out of alignment. you might check this.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Thanks levon

I knew I got it backwards  wide blade wider kerf 

That's what I get for being a old SOB 

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## levon (Sep 14, 2008)

lol, thats 2 of us bob. i think at some point i will add a splitter kit to my saw, but am well pleased with it. btw, and i know i may get chastized for this, but im going to mount my op box jig to mdf, what size screws do you recommend?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI levon

I would suggest 1/4-20 Allen Flat heads 

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levon said:


> lol, thats 2 of us bob. i think at some point i will add a splitter kit to my saw, but am well pleased with it. btw, and i know i may get chastized for this, but im going to mount my op box jig to mdf, what size screws do you recommend?


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

Hi CanuckGal,

I know I'll prolly get flamed for this but, you may want to consider the following links. I personally don't like the standard guards. I end up removing mine more than having it in place so, mine stays off. It's recommended by the manufacturers to leave it in place but, it's the users choice.

For your blades, I'd suggest considering Freud and Forrest.

http://www.ptreeusa.com/mjsplitter.htm#mjsplitter_instructions.pdf

http://www.ptreeusa.com/tablesaw_products.htm#bbmount

http://www.ptreeusa.com/zero_clearance.htm


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## dovetail_65 (Jan 22, 2008)

First off what are you cutting? I have had plenty of hardwoods pinch and not go through. If you are testing with ply that's the way to go.

If you are going to change blades you should go to thin kerf. I believe there is no better than this Forrest Blade:

40 tooth thin kerf

or this:

30 tooth thin kerf

I use a stiffener too and I have never had results on my underpowered saw as good as when using this blade/stiffener combo.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Levon that's how I fixed the "alignment" problem on my old tablesaw. I just thought I'd try to work a little more safely this time, but I hate blade guards to begin with. I'll probably end up removing it regardless. But yes as you point out it IS a thin kerf blade and the splitter knife is not. Perhaps Ridgid has just recently decided to ship these thinner blades with the saw. Nothing in the manual or on the blade to indicate it is a thin kerf but I measured it with a caliper just to be sure. Maybe I got the short stick on the blade...lol.
Overall I am VERY pleased with the saw. So much quieter then my old Craftsman. And extremely accurate. I am really looking forward to some new projects with this. 
Thanks for your input folks. Mucho appreciated!


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## dovetail_65 (Jan 22, 2008)

Induction motors are so nice and quite aren't they.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Ken I have been looking at both the Freud and Forrest blades. Right after I get caught up on the Christmas bills I am going to treat myself to a whole set of quality blades. Busy Bee tools here in Canada often has excellent sales on them. 
Why does woodworking feel like a collection hobby all of a sudden? LOL.


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## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

CanuckGal said:


> Why does woodworking feel like a collection hobby all of a sudden? LOL.


Because it is. 
If you complain to Ridgid, you might get a new blade out of them.


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## levon (Sep 14, 2008)

Deb, i agree with you and wish the blade guards worked better on all tablesaws. i also agree that this is a quiet and powerful saw. i had a ryobi before and this is such a superior product. i know you will enjoy it. just keep that top waxed to prevent rust.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Deb I have the TS3650 (I believe for the most part they are the same yours is just newer) and have not run into this problem, Right now I am running a Freud blade and everything is fine. I also purchased the 0 clearance insert from Peachtree their here in the Atlanta area. Seems everything here is "Peachtree" this or that. 

I have not tried the belt and pulleys but that will be the next thing for the saw, as soon as I get it safer then it is now. I agree agree about the guard, it is a pain on any thing that is smell so I didn't have it on at that time fortunately I didn't loose any parts but it was sure stupid on my part. How does that go, "we are all one decision away from stupid" sure seems I read that someplace recently. I think it is a great "first" saw, and last in my case!! I don't see getting rid of it any time soon. 

I hope you will enjoy your saw as much as I enjoy mine. For the money I believe it is a good saw.


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## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

Deb -

http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17749&highlight=ts3660+assembly

(and there are a few more entries on TS3660 and TS3650 setup that are worth reading)

I also have a TS3660 and had the same problem. Two ways to solve the problem.

First, you can fiddle and fiddle with the splitter. It is designed for a full (1/8") kerf blade, not a thin (3/32") blade. But if you make very, very sure it is flat, because the sheet metal they used likes to bend, it will work with a thin kerf blade. But the trick with a thin kerf blade is to align the splitter to one side of the blade, not the center of the blade. I believe it should be aligned to the fence side (typically the right side) of the blade. This forces the kerf to open wider on the "waste" side of the blade. That is the side that has room. Also, go ahead and wax the splitter too.

The other choice is to switch to a full kerf blade. After tweaking my splitter all afternoon, I just gave up and bought a full kerf combination blade. Happens to be a Porter Cable blade but I think in the next couple of months I'll be getting a Woodworker II and keep the PC as the backup blade.

And to those of you who say, take it off and leave it off. I say DON'T do that. Sure, it can't be present for non-through cuts. But properly adjusted, IT DOES WORK and it will make things safer. But you still need to pay attention to what you are doing! And the mechanism for removing and re-installing works just fine and other than the time I knocked it off the workbench onto the floor, putting a slight bend in the sheet metal, it has always come right back where it needs to be. 

When I built my new workbench, I sized it so it could be my outfeed table. And I added a lower shelf. The blade guard/splitter rests on that lower shelf when doing dados etc. But then right back onto the saw! This isn't a race to see who can finish before the bell rings, the extra minute it takes to be safe will pay off in the long run.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Ahh well I feel better now knowing it's not just me  Thanks!
I am curious to see how my setup is with a full kerf blade and the splitter. But it will have to wait. After the New Years festivities are over (big party here tomorrow) and things get back to normal I will be out in the shop a lot more. 
But for now I will just wish you all a VERY HAPPY and SAFE NEW YEAR! See you in January!
Deb


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Deb

Thanks and VERY HAPPY and SAFE NEW YEAR to you also 

I know I'm going to get a lot of flack on this but I do watch Norm A. and the Woodsimth Shop a lot and they both don't use a blade guard or a splitter...but I do like to use my ras (radial arm saw ) most of the time it's so much safer than the table saw.. 

But when I do use the table saws I always use a push stick or a hold down device..and I use sand paper on the saw blades to get the nice clean cut finish..no sanding needed after cutting the stock...  most of the time I don't need to run the stock over the jointer...it's that clean...

I can remove 1/64" with ras so easy unlike the table saw,many don't like to rip with the ras because they like to kick the stock out not if you use it right, they come with a splitter and a hold down device built in the norm..

But this is just my 2 cents 

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## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

Bob, are you gluing the paper onto the blade yourself? There is a blade out there that comes pre-papered, so to speak. But you strike me more as a spray-glue and scissors kinda guy...

One thing I've found with the TS3660 (and it should be true of the T3650) is that its fence, once adjusted, is very good. I've yet to try 1/64" removal but I can do 1/32" with it. The fence has a microadjuster built in and a gauge and magnified cursor that actually works!

And I think I've spent more time building jigs, hold-downs and push-sticks than anything else!


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI rwyoung

Yep, I'm spray-glue and scissors kinda guy 

Yep, MLCS sells the saw blade and I also have used the stick on type for many years but I'm a cheap old SOB so I make my own up all the time. 




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rwyoung said:


> Bob, are you gluing the paper onto the blade yourself? There is a blade out there that comes pre-papered, so to speak. But you strike me more as a spray-glue and scissors kinda guy...
> 
> One thing I've found with the TS3660 (and it should be true of the T3650) is that its fence, once adjusted, is very good. I've yet to try 1/64" removal but I can do 1/32" with it. The fence has a microadjuster built in and a gauge and magnified cursor that actually works!
> 
> And I think I've spent more time building jigs, hold-downs and push-sticks than anything else!


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

Hi Deb,

Nick mentioned something that I forgot. Look into getting stiffeners for your blades. These will help prolong the life of the blades.

Hi rwyoung,

You'd have to do some searching but, I had posted a link to the very subject you mentioned. I had told Bj someone had stolen his idea.


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## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

Ken -

Ya' know we should really sit and have some coffee some afternoon since we are practically neighbors!


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## dovetail_65 (Jan 22, 2008)

Hamlin said:


> Hi Deb,
> 
> Nick mentioned something that I forgot. Look into getting stiffeners for your blades. These will help prolong the life of the blades.
> 
> ...


The stiffeners help even on full thickness blades, but you have to remove them sometimes if you are cutting deep. I have to when I go 2" thick or so. Or i can use a smaller stiffener I guess but than you lose a little stiffness.


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

Hi Nick,

It's one of those items that I DO need to get myself. I have 1 blade in particular that ever so often, as start up, you can see the blade have a slight "wobble". Once its running full speed, it's fine. Cuts straight and true.


Hi rw,



> Ken -
> 
> Ya' know we should really sit and have some coffee some afternoon since we are practically neighbors!


This can be doable. I need to wait until my head stops spinnin first.


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