# Pcb270ts



## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

I just purchased the Porter Cable PCB270TS from Lowes. I didn't have a lot of options as I needed a TS but didn't have cash to go with something like the Grizzly Hybrid and had $600 in Gift Cards from Lowes. I got the thing set up and I found the blade is .006 inches closer to the right side of the saw than the front is which for my cuts would put it closer to the fence. Is this really a problem being that it's less than 1/124th of an inch? I know it's best to have the blade trail away from the fence by .001 - .003 but I can't really find a way to adjust the mount to straighten it out. I called into customer service and asked how to do it and they said it can be done but kept pointing me to the Blade Angle adjustment then finally said to take off the front and there were some philips screws that would adjust it but I just don't see that as likely and the front panel will be a monster to take off with all the electrical. In taking off the back panel it looks like the saw itself is mounted to a metal frame through drilled holes which won't really allow for any adjustment that I can see. I'm debating on swapping it for another saw but the thing isn't the most lightweight thing to lug around and I don't have any help (I had to put the thing together myself lifting it all myself). So will this cause me much issue with it being off by this amount or am I just better off paralleling my fence to the blade and live with the slight out of parallel to the miter slots?

Thanks

Lance


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## Todd1561 (Nov 23, 2010)

Hi Lance,

I just bought one of these saws a few weeks ago and so far really like it. I noticed when going over it at Lowe's that it appears to have cabinet mounted trunnions. Like you noticed, the whole assembly is mounted to that square tube frame structure and not to the table like typical contractor saws. Mine was dead on (literally 0 with a dial indicator) so I didn't have to fool with it. But if it does indeed have cabinet mounted trunnions then you move the table to align it to the blade as opposed to moving the trunnions to match the table. This is typically much easier to do, which is why cabinet mounted trunnions are a much desired feature. To my surprise they didn't outline this procedure in the manual and I'm surprised the PC people had such a hard time describing what needed to be done.

I can't tell you exactly where to look since I didn't have to do it myself, but you should be looking to move the table, not the trunnions. I'll take a look at mine tonight and post back with some more details.

As for if it's even a problem. I've always heard that you should shoot for .002" or less. So if it were my saw I'd be looking to tweak it a little.

Todd


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## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

Todd,

Thanks for the reply. Yeah it looks like the bolts go right up into the table but maybe just the way I was looking at it but it didn't seem like there was any wiggle room there. If you wouldn't mind taking a look at it I would appreciate it. I'm new to the nicer table saw arena and haven't adjusted it, I have the gauges and stuff to do it just not quite sure what I'm doing. I've talked to a few that were right on as well so that's why I went for the saw even not knowing what could be adjusted.

The tech support is iffy at best. You talk to a woman who then goes and asks some guy your question (literally gets up and goes and asks him) it's pretty hilarious. I would like to get mine to about .002 away from the fence if possible but dead on would be great too.

Lance


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## Todd1561 (Nov 23, 2010)

Lance,

How are you measuring the alignment of the blade? You want to figure out its parallelism to the miter slots, not the fence. But maybe I misunderstood your last post. Just wouldn't want you to go through all this hassle only to find out your initial measurement wasn't even right. I do this by making a simple jig using the stock miter gauge that holds the dial indicator then I move the whole assembly up and down the blade, measuring the same point on the blade to cancel out arbor run out or a slightly uneven blade.

I'll check my saw when I get home from work to give you a better idea on how to adjust it.

Todd


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## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

Todd


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## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

Todd, 

Yeah I use the awoodpecker saw gauge and i marked my blade just below the gullet and then moved the blade front to back and the blade is .006 inches closer to the right side of the table in the back than in the front. I havent aligned my fence yet as i wanted to make sure i could get the blade aligned first. So i think i am doing it correctly.

Lance


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## Todd1561 (Nov 23, 2010)

Lance,

I took the back panel off mine and confirmed it does have cabinet mounted trunnions, which is great! I'm amazed PC doesn't advertise this more as this is definitely a selling point. Actually, I think by definition puts the saw in the "hybrid" territory as opposed to a "contractor" as it has an inboard motor as well. But anyway, in order to align the saw there are 4 cap screws that hold the table top to the frame, one on each corner. They are located within the saw base so you need to take the back panel off. I included some pictures of the front two bolts, the rears are in the same place, just couldn't get a picture. Loosen all four of those slightly and then nudge the table around until it is in line according to your dial indicator. It does look like the trunnions bolt right into the top, but they don't. There are four more cap screws that bolt the trunnions to the frame, but they are just under the cast iron.



















I hope this helps, report back with results. But rest assured I do believe you have a very good saw in your hands.

Todd


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## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

Todd,

That is great news thanks. I hope to have a little time to mess with it tomorrow and will report back when/if I do. Thanks a ton for the pictures too they really help.

Lance


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

Lance,
Save yourself a lot of grief and replace the washers under the cap screws before making any adjustments. Use garage door hardware washers (Hardened) if you can find them in the size thast you need. They are less likely to deform during alignment process.


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## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

Rrich,

Replace them with what? Anything special or just regular metal washers?


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

Those don't appear to be cabinet mounted trunnions to me...they look like table mounted. The pic Todd shows is where the table mounts to the cabinet, not where the trunnions mount. The trunnion brackets look to be bolted directly to the table from what I can see. If you adjust the table on this saw, the blade and trunnions are going to move with it, thus no adjustments will actually be made for the blade to miter slot alignment. If you were to remove the top, the entire trunnion assembly and motor would come off with the top. 

I think what's been pictured previously is very much like this pic below...the bolts holding the trunnion brackets to the table are what need to be loosened so the whole trunnion assembly can be adjustmented relative to the miter slots:









I'm not overly familiar with the PCB270TS, but from what I can glean from the online parts assemblies, I suspect you'll need to adjust the bolts as shown below...PCB270TS exploded diagram:











Here's a look at true cabinet mounted trunnions:


















If they were true cabinet mounted trunnions, you'd see two bolts in each corner like the pic below...one for the trunnion bracket, the other is for the top.


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## Todd1561 (Nov 23, 2010)

I agree with Rich, replace the stock washers that hold the table to the frame with at least grade 8 hardened ones.

But after going through my saw in person I am quite positive it does have cabinet mounted trunnions. Even from that exploded diagram that knottscott posted it seems clear that the trunnions are bolted to the frame assembly and not the table, thus giving it cabinet mounted trunnions. If I really have to I'll pull the table off mine and show that the whole motor assembly is still bolted tightly in place. But I'd rather not since I have quite a bit of work I need to do on it today! 

I don't think that last picture of the twin bolts is indicative of all cabinet mounted trunnions designs. That one just appears to have a more substantial cast piece that stretches the entire width of the saw. Whereas the PC trunnion just mounts to that frame assembly.

But anyway, this should be pretty simple. Lance, loosen those 4 bolts I told you to and wiggle the table around. If it moves independently from the blade you know it has cabinet trunnions.

Anyone want to "make this interesting"? 

Todd


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## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

The bolts that knotscott mentioned are the ones I originally thought I needed to loosen and instead of sliding the table I would slide the saw mount but it didn't look like there was very much play with how those bolts are run through the frame though really to move it .006 - .008 inches you don't need much play. Maybe there is some play there. I'll pick up some washers today just in case and see if I can mess around with it. If anyone has access to the saw and gets to it before me do please post it here. We have quite a bit of stuff happening here with T-day tomorrow so not sure I'll have time today but hope to at least try it out. 

Lance


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

Sorry if I'm confusing the issue. You don't need to pull the top off for my sake Todd! I'll take your hands on word for it over my 4:45am attempts to read a poorly illustrated manual diagram any day! It could very well be that it's an entirely different design than anything I've seen previously, so thanks for clarifying. If that's the case, don't ya wish they'd moved that bolt tab to outside the cabinet where you could reach it easier?

After looking more at the very drawing I posted from the manual, it does appear that those brackets bolt directly to the frame. Like Todd mentioned, it just doesn't have the huge yokes that we're used to seeing that bolt to the corners.


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## Todd1561 (Nov 23, 2010)

Knotscott,

Oh don't worry, I wasn't actually going to go through the hassle of pulling the top off. I've got a maple end grain cutting board I need to finish before my girlfriends birthday on the 29th. And yes, it would be nice if they moved the table mounting bolts outboard. Then again, I get the feeling PC really doesn't want you messing with it, they don't even explain the alignment process in the manual. They claim the saw is pre-aligned from the factory, and in my case it was, quite well in fact.

BTW, how's the weather in Rochester these days? I graduated from RIT a few years ago.

Let us know what you find, Lance. I still think you need to loosen those 4 table mounting bolts and not the trunnion-to-frame bolts. But I've been wrong before, more times than not, probably!

Good Luck,
Todd


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

Definitely take care of the GF first! :thumbsup: RIT's hockey had a great year least year, and went to the Frozen Four...as you're probably aware. The weather's been reasonable here for this time of year...very little snow, and not much cold weather compared to what's possible....though temps are expected to drop soon. 

Even if perfectly aligned at the factory, PC needs to understand that things can shift in transit. Between leaving the factory and being setup in home, there are plenty of opportunities. I suspect they'll ammend the instructions before long.... I do always wonder how many times the wheel must be invented though! :laughing:

Happy Thanksgiving.


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## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

Ok I tried both suggestions and neither seemed to work. I first tried the table mounts that were picutered and while I was able to torque the table as soon as I tightened it down it went back. Although I will say I was not able to get to the front left bolt as the side of the motor housing won't come off due to two stuck screws which even with the suggestion of WD-40 wouldn't come loose so I'm letting it sit but still the table didn't seem to take any correction. When I loosed the bolts holding the saw housing onto the frame there really wasn't any wiggle room at all in the bolts. I could manually force the saw housing over but as soon as I let go it went right back. I could even do it with the bolts tightened down. I'm really thinking there isn't a way to adjust this thing and I may have just gotten one that was out of alignment and probably should just return it and swap it for another one. I don't like the thought of that as I had a bear of a time getting this one put together by myself and don't relish having to lift that damn saw out of the box again by myself. Though I will take the easy route and just buy one and replace my housing with it if it's in alignment rather than putting together a whole new stand and such.

If any one has any thoughts or sees something I did wrong let me know and I'll try it again.

Lance


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Enlarge the hole(s) if need be*

Don't give up yet! Are the washers flat or star type? There should be enough slop/play in the set up allow for that small an adjustment. My saws use star washers and they are less prone to shift back to a former position. A rat tail file will enlarge the hole if you know which way to move it. Have we decided which mounting type this saw has, I'm lost on that! But rather than go to all the trouble of returning it I'd give it a try! :thumbsup: bill


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## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

I don't think we've determined as mine didn't really take an adjustment at all. The washers are flat washers on the saw in both places. It seems like the holes are just big enough for the bolts and while you can muscle the saw closer to alignment it just flops back even when the bolts are tightened down while holding the alignment. I'll give it another try later this weekend, just ran out of time today.

Thanks again for everyone's feedback, it is much appreciated.

Lance


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## Todd1561 (Nov 23, 2010)

I'm still holding that it must be a table adjustment is necessary. If you can get it into alignment that way and it's just going out of whack once you tighten down then I would heed Rich's advice about the washers. What can happen is once you torque down on a washer it will deform around the hole in the frame. So when you adjust it and go to tighten down again the washers will just fall back into the same place since they are slightly deformed to the hole. By using grade 8 or some other high strength washer you should be able to avoid this issue. At the very least flip the washers over.

Don't give up on the saw yet. I will say PC dropped the ball on informing owners of how to adjust the saw, but I'm sure it's possible. Someone at the factory had to do it initially before it got boxed up.

Since you've got nothing to lose just remove the 4 bolts I keep talking about that hold the table down and try and remove the table. My guess is the whole motor assembly will still be left in the chassis secured down. Then we can at least put the debate of table vs cabinet mounted trunnions to bed.

Todd


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## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

It's not that I can get it into alignment and it goes out of alignment when I tighten it down, I can actually move it closer to alignment without even loosening the bolts. It's not perfect of course but it doesn't seem loosening the bolts really gives me any more control over it. I didn't have a ton of time to mess with it and I'm a bit peeved I couldn't get the motor cover off either with the two screws pretty much solid in there. Once I get them loose maybe it will give me better control over the table... that it looks like the bolts that mount the saw to the frame also insert into the table. I'll try and look at it again tonight before heading out and confirm.

Lance


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## ToddKY (Nov 21, 2010)

Any progress on this? I considering this saw.


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## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

I haven't been able to mess with it as we've been tied up with Holiday stuff. I'm also still not able to get the two screws loose and can't get my hand back in to loosen the 4th bolt on the table to see if I can lift it off. I'm gonna try again tomorrow but no guarantees until probably monday. I'm figuring I'll return this one either way if I can't get the two screws loose as i've torn up the screws pretty badly and want to be able to get that panel off in the future.

Lance


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

Lance - An impact driver might help get those screws loose.


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## Todd1561 (Nov 23, 2010)

Is this whole point of removing these two screws to gain access to the last table bolt behind the motor? I guess I just don't know what you mean by 'motor housing'. Why not just tilt the blade to 45 degrees? That will drop the motor well out of the way and I don't see why you'd have an issue getting to the bolt.

But maybe I'm not understanding what you're trying to do.

Todd


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## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

Yes it is and I never thought of rotating the dumb blade. I just kept trying to get to the dumb bolt with it at 90 degrees...what a moron I am. I'll try it today. 

BTW the motor houosing is the one you need to take off to get to the belt to change the belt. It's the one that sticks out from the left side of the saw. I still will need to be able to remove that in the future but this will let me get to that last bolt.

Lance


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## Todd1561 (Nov 23, 2010)

Yeah give that a shot and I'm sure once you get that last bolt out you'll have a few questions answered. I would imagine there is enough play in those tabs that the bolts go through to adjust the table but if not you'll have to drill them to a slightly larger size, but that should be a last resort.

Good Luck,
Todd


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## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

Ok I was finally able to get some time to go mess with the table. The table does come loose (I didn't take the bolts all the way out but loosed them considerably so I could lift the table) from the frame but the closest I could get it was .006 in line. I could go further out of alignment so I must have been hitting the edge of the holes in which the table rested. I'm not really sure which would be less trouble at this point, drilling out the holes or just swapping out the saw for a replacement. There certainly was some play in the holes just not in the direction I needed the play to be. 

Lance


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## Todd1561 (Nov 23, 2010)

OK, well I think we can agree now it has cabinet mounted trunnions. It's odd that there isn't enough adjustment room to get it all the way. If it were me (and like you I assembled mine solo) I would just take the table off and drill the holes slightly larger. Then reinstall with hardened washers (grade 8) instead of the ones that are on there now. To me it would be too much of a hassle to haul the thing all the way down there, bring one back and spend half a day assembling that one. Who knows, the replacement may have the same issue! I would think the time to take the table off and drill out the 4 holes should only be 15 minutes of work.

Let us know what you decide and how it turns out.

Todd


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## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

And I may just end up doing that as well. I haven't decided yet. We are in full decoration mode for Christmas and I haven't had time to really mess with it. Maybe I'll yank the thing off and see how close the holes are to the edge and see if it's worth while to drill the holes out. There is some play the other way it looks like the way the holes are drilled the maximum movement is to .006 to the right side on the back of the blade. The play the otherway let me get it to about .15 or so the same way on the blade in the back but obviuosly I want to go the opposite way. The other thing is getting those two screws out should I ever need to replace the belts. In AZ I tend to find belts drying out faster than other climates. If I drill the holes in the frame larger I'm gonna have to call call the 800 # and see if they can send me some more screws and try and get those that are in there out of there. I just can't seem to get anything to the threads to loosen the darn things up. 

I'll let you know what approach I take.

Lance


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## Todd1561 (Nov 23, 2010)

The screws that you stripped are the ones that hold the side cabinet panel on, the one with the bump out for the motor? I doubt you'd ever need to take that panel off for anything. You should be able to change the belt from the rear panel access, that's the way I've always done it on contractor saws. Again, you might need to angle the blade to 45 degrees to help gain access to the area, but it should be possible. Does the manual say otherwise?

Todd


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*just throwin' this in*

You say you can't tweak the table over enough.... so why not loosen the trunnions to see if there's any play in them. I'd remove the table no matter what and I doubt if new mounting screws need to come from the manufacturer. Then with the table removed you can see which way everything needs to go and a rat tail file will probably get you there.The screws/bolts may be Metric but still, very available. Take one with you and have it gaged or find the nut that threads on it and replace it with same. 
I've spent a few days last week on my back under my saw to adjust the trunnions mounted to the table, some were accessible thru the throat plate...PITA . 
As was said you may get a new saw with the same issues. It's nice to be very familiar with the adjustment process as you are by now...just saying.  bill


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## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

Well I loosen the bolts that bolt directly into the table. I don't see any "trunions" of sort. There is a hole in the frame through which a Hex Cap Nut runs right into holes drilled into the table top. There is no trunion between the table and the frame to allow adjustment. The only adjustment is how the bolt slides through the hole in the frame with any play. The screws I'm talking about are on the side that hold the metal flashing on the side where the belt is replace...I can't get the flashing off without so far destroying two screws. So if I can get those off then i'm good, otherwise I may need to replace it just so I can replace the darn belt later on in life.

Edit: One thought I had is that it looks like the bolts that hold the blade mechanism on the frame also might extend into the table. If there is no play or not enough play there I might not be able to move the table enough no matter how large the holes are for the bolts that hold the table to the frame. I think I'm gonna go this route at least to try it and see...once I take the table entirely off I should know more.

Lance


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## ToddKY (Nov 21, 2010)

Were you able to get the table squared to the blade? I'm considering this saw and don't mind having to make minor tweaks to it to make it right if needed to.


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## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

Not yet. I haven't had time to take the table completely off and see if making the holes bigger will make any difference. Once I get the table off I need to see if the bolts that hold the saw on the frame stick up through the frame and into the table. I'll probably not get to it for a day or so. This weekend for sure.

Lance


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## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

Just thought I'd update the thread. I tried to take the top off but it won't come off due to the angle measurement tape being stuck to the table top and the saw mount and it's very hard to get to it so I just said screw it, put it back together and am going to go to Lowes, buy another one, bring it home, check the alignment and if good put the top of mine back in the box and take it back to lowes. Even doing it by myself it shouldn't take much more than a few hours and I've been messing around with this one for a while. I'll just hope the next one I get is in alignment.

Lance


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Any chance you'd just get a Grizzly?*

Seems like this one has some issues that are more than it's worth. just askin'  bill


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## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

I do like the actual saw itself, I just think this individual saw just isn't quite up to specs. I have hope the next one will be better.....We'll see, I'm hoping to pick it up today or tomorrow.


Edit: Well I went out and bought another and swapped out the saw base. I did a quick measurement while it was still in the styrofoam and it was off by .0015 twoward the left miter slot in the back of the blade so I'm happy with that. Took about 2 hours to drive to lowes, buy it, bring it home, unpack it, measure it, take the old one off, put the new one on the stand, put the old one in the box and load it in the van and return it. And I did everything but load it in the van to bring it home by myself so not too bad. Now I gotta clean and wax the table later today when it warms up a little and I should be good to put all the stuff back on and get ready to rock. Thanks for all the info provided here. I'm looking forward to using my saw this week.

Lance


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

Glad you got a good one this time. They should have given you a little something for your troubles...like maybe a CMT ITK Plus P10050 or P10080 blade. :thumbsup:


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## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

HA! That would be nice...I need to get a good blade for it. I'm gonna be cutting some MDF right away so I'll continue to use my Freud 60T blade that I had on my old crappy saw that I may have cut 10BF. I was hoping by only doing 600 on the saw I could afford a nice WWII blade or something. What are the good recomendations for blades?

Edit: Another question, has anyone who has this saw made a Zero Clearance Insert for it? The insert seems very thin and was wondering how I would do it as I couldn't find any manufactured ones. I did find a guy who made one for his saw using his regular insert by using wood in the opening but seemed like a lot of trial and error to get it just right.

Lance


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*That probably was me...Yup*

My old Craftsman saws are about 1/8" thick so there are 2 solutions1. Just rip some 1/8" strip the same width as the slot and then sand and round the end to fit. You will still need a backer plate to support the thin strip and use hot glue to hold it in place. Easy. Here's the thread:
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f27/make-zero-clearance-throat-plate-insert-10147/
2. The other approach is to make a template and rout out the original throat plate contour with a straight bit and rub bearing. Then relieve the top lip to the "thinness" you need on the router table. :thumbsup: bill


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## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

This is similar to the post I had seen however much easier to accomplish. Thanks a ton...

Edit: I was just looking at my saw and it looks like the blade doesn't go very far down below the table. The rag I was wiping it with actually catches the blade. Not sure how that will work trying to make a ZCTP. I'm hoping something is just stuck and the blade will down a bit further.

Edit: I did find a site that supposedly manufactures throat plates (Model #HT-1) for this saw. They aren't cheap but if the blade doesn't go down into the saw far enough it might make an acceptable though pricey solution.

Lance


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

Robertsonland said:


> HA! That would be nice...I need to get a good blade for it. I'm gonna be cutting some MDF right away so I'll continue to use my Freud 60T blade that I had on my old crappy saw that I may have cut 10BF. I was hoping by only doing 600 on the saw I could afford a nice WWII blade or something. What are the good recomendations for blades?
> 
> Lance


The best blade for you depends on your preferences, and what you'll be cutting. Your saw will have an easier time spinning 3/32" thin kerf blades. Tips for picking a saw blade

Forrest certainly makes some great blades, but are usually among the more expensive options. Infinity also offers some of the best blades I've tried to date...their 010-150 50T Combomax Lite is excellent and is on sale for ~ $50 with discount code "BFCM1010". Freud, CMT, DeWalt, Tenryu, Ridge Carbide, Amana, and others also have some good choices, but it's important recognize that each offers many models from multiple series, and not all are a great choice for your needs. 

While not the best performers on the market, the Freud Diablo series are generally considered an excellent bang for the buck if thin kerf blades will suit your needs....the Ridgid Titanium series is similar (also by Freud AFAIK). The DeWalt Precision Trim series is another good value line. 

I would avoid the Irwin Marathon, Classic, and Sprint lines, the DeWalt construction series, Oldham construction series, Skil, Workforce, Vermont American, the new "Avanti" and "Avanti Pro" line from HD (no longer made by Freud), most Ryobi, and many of the other poorly made disposable construction grade blades commonly found at the big box stores that aren't well suited for fine woodworking.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Use a smaller dia blade!*

You said:
Edit: I was just looking at my saw and it looks like the blade doesn't go very far down below the table. The rag I was wiping it with actually catches the blade. Not sure how that will work trying to make a ZCTP. I'm hoping something is just stuck and the blade will down a bit further.


Just put in a 7 /4" construction blade and raise it up into the ZCTP. Easy! :thumbsup: bill


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## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

knoscott,

Well right now I'm trying to complete the control panel for an arcade cabinet and have been waiting for the table saw to cut modular panels out of 3/4 MDF. I need them as accurate as possible since they will be sliding into slots depending on what game I'm playing. It will also need to have a nice sharp edge on it. Maybe a nice Thin Kerf will do me. I've been happy with the 60T Diablo I have that I bought at HD and the CMT 80T I found a review about looks good too for only around $60. I know MDF is rough on them but I'm going to be making about 10 of the 4" panels and 4 of the 6" panels so I may just cut one panel of each size then use a router to edge the rest of them based on the one panel. Beyond that I cut mostly plywood and the like so nothing too "hardwood" oriented. 

woodnthings,
But wouldn't using another blade not make it truly zero clearance as the blade kerfs might be slightly different? Not saying it would be a huge deal, just the opening would have to be slightly wider if I can't get the saw blade down low enough. 

Lance


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## sightandsounds (Dec 12, 2010)

*The HT-1 Insert Is Worth The $*

I have a PCB270TS and my blade only retracts .2" below the top of the insert. After trying unsuccessfully to make my own zero clearance insert, I recently purchased the Leecraft HT-1. The HT-1 has a recessed area on the bottom side so the blade won't touch when it is fully lowered.









Although a bit pricey, the HT-1 fits perfectly and as well made.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Your blade should retract fully*

Lance,
I'd look for a reason that it won't, an obstruction possibly.
As far as the kerf width sure, you'd want the same width kerf in your construction blade or plywood blade as your main woodworking blade. There are times when a smaller diameter blade is required for oddball cuts like this for a hinge link mortise. It needed to be shallow and narrow:


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## Robertsonland (Nov 22, 2010)

sightandsounds said:


> I have a PCB270TS and my blade only retracts .2" below the top of the insert. After trying unsuccessfully to make my own zero clearance insert, I recently purchased the Leecraft HT-1. The HT-1 has a recessed area on the bottom side so the blade won't touch when it is fully lowered.
> 
> Although a bit pricey, the HT-1 fits perfectly and as well made.


Thanks for this info. It's good to know that it at least works. I'm not sure why the saw only retracts so little below the saw but at least there is some ability to get a ZCTP. 

Lance


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## sean (Mar 5, 2011)

*Extensions and fence for PCB270*

I really like what I hear about this saw and it fits what I need. I took a brief look at Lowes and can't say I like the stamped extensions nor the fence. It made an otherwise decent saw feel like a portable saw. I do plan on upgrading them but the question will be timing. 

Questions:

1) does anyone have good experiences with the fence?

2) I noticed that this table is 27 1/8th on the specs. Most cast iron extensions are 27" I think. Does PC or Hitachi offer them?

3) if I upgrade to t-style fence like the delta, would it require cast iron extensions to mount it to?

4) I may at some point want to make this more portable and get it on a stand like the DeWalt. Is there anything about this saw that would prevent that? I am not worried about the weight, more so any configuration issues with the motor or anything else I might be missing.

Thanks!

-Sean


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## BassBlaster (Nov 21, 2010)

sean said:


> I really like what I hear about this saw and it fits what I need. I took a brief look at Lowes and can't say I like the stamped extensions nor the fence. It made an otherwise decent saw feel like a portable saw. I do plan on upgrading them but the question will be timing.
> 
> Questions:
> 
> ...


 By the time you upgrade the wings and fence, you might as well get this.
http://www.grizzly.com/products/10-Hybrid-Tablesaw-with-Riving-Knife-Polar-Bear-Series/G0715P

Ive had mine for less than a week and I'm allready in love with it!!


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## mveach (Jul 3, 2010)

*darn good saw*

I have had this saw for a few months now. The fence is rock solid when locked down. The fine adjustment wheels also work very well. I am using a Porter Cable blade and get grate cuts even cross grain in plywood. A while back there was a lot of talk about being able to stand a nickel on edge on the table of a good saw while it was running. I stood a dime on edge before starting the saw then started the saw, let it run a couple minutes and shut it off. The dime was still standing. It doesn't get any smoother than that. As mar as the wings, unless you are planning on throwing stuff down on them, they are just fine. No regrets buying this saw.:thumbsup:


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## sean (Mar 5, 2011)

*Extensions and fence for PCB270*

That Grizzly saw is an amazing price per feature and normally I agree with you but I have a requirement (due to a small shop) that I to pull it outside every now and then. (not load it in a truck, but just wheel it outside my shop) That Grizzly is quite heavy and requires a special circuit breaker for 110. I have 220 on my current saw so that wouldn't be an issue but if I want something flexible and moveable, that wouldn't fit the bill.

Part of the reason for looking at the 270 is that it is heavier than portable saws but not so awful as to be a burden. 

Enjoy your saw, looks pretty sweet.


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## BassBlaster (Nov 21, 2010)

The mobile base is only 60 bucks I believe and this saw would move with ease on wheels.

I am enjoying it. Its sweet!!


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

sean said:


> I really like what I hear about this saw and it fits what I need. I took a brief look at Lowes and can't say I like the stamped extensions nor the fence. It made an otherwise decent saw feel like a portable saw. I do plan on upgrading them but the question will be timing.
> 
> Questions:
> 
> ...


I don't think you'd need to add cast iron wings to add the T2 fence, but it will add at least $156 to the bill...the Griz comes with a nicer upgraded fence than the PC's.... somewhat similar to the T2. A mobile base can be built or purchased for nearly any saw....moving it around shouldn't be a problem.


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## averen (Jun 17, 2011)

Sorry to open up a very old thread. I recently purchased this saw and wanted to add some information to this thread since it's the first search result when googling for the model number. 

Anyways, whenever I got my saw home I assembled it by myself (took about 3 hours.) Assembly was straight forward and fairly easy. 

After getting everything setup I put my dial indicator on it and found that the miter slots were off about .009" from the blade. Like others have done I attempted to loosen up the table but I was unable to budge it. So...I removed the table and opened up the holes using a 3/8" bit. Also I elongated the holes along a 45 degree angle to provide some additional room. From there I lightly hit them with a rasp to smooth out the top. I also purchased some hardened washers and replaced the wimpy ones on the bolts. Now the miter slot is about 0.0005" out from the blade...which I believe is acceptable!

Anyways, just wanted to confirm that the saw does indeed have cabinet mounted trunnions. They're not super beefy but they are cabinet mounted. 

Attached are a couple of images from when I removed the table. The hardest part was getting the blade angle gauge reinstalled (and removed for that matter.) To remove it I loosened one of the tension bolts on it and then disconnected the tape and pulled it out of the table. To reinstall it I took some electric tape and doubled it back on itself and pushed it through the slot. Then I pulled it apart and stuck the angle gauge to it and pulled it through the slot in the top of the table. 

The fence seems to be a little fickle. Initially the back of the fence was .050" TOWARDs the blade at the back of the fence, which made for a very dangerous situation and even kicked back the first piece of wood I put through the saw. Thankfully it missed me and was only a small piece of 2x4. 

Hope this helps someone trying to get their saw situated!

Jared


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

Welcome to WWT. Those are excellent pics of the PCB270TS trunnions and table mount system. Thanks for posting them. Is it fairly easy to remove the sheet metal sides?

If you don't mind another question, perhaps you can clarify another question about this saw...I've read that the elevation gear is a non-metalic material like Delrin®, Nylon, or plastic of some sort. Can you confirm?


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## averen (Jun 17, 2011)

The sides are very easy to remove. There are 6 machine screws that hold the back on and 9 that hold the right side panel on (as viewed from the front of the machine.) The front panel and left panel would be more difficult to remove since both have other things attached to them. 

I'll check on the lift gears this weekend as I need to get back in there and adjust the riving knife. The tilt gears are definitely plastic of some sort and not very smooth, but they seem to get the job done. There's a "clunking" feel when adjusting the tilt. Feels like one of the gears isn't completely round or that there might be some flashing left from the molding process. I considered putting some type of lubrication on them but then decided not to since it would just attract massive amounts of dust!

Jared


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

Jared - Thanks for the additional info. 

You can get a can of white lithium spray grease that sprays on wet and dries like a hard wax. Highly recommended for TS gears and doesn't attract dust the way grease does.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Just my thinkin' here*



averen said:


> ..... There's a "clunking" feel when adjusting the tilt. Feels like one of the gears isn't completely round or that there might be some flashing left from the molding process. I considered putting some type of lubrication on them but then decided not to since it would just attract massive amounts of dust!
> Jared


I think that if the gears are nylon there is no need for additional lubrication. Pretty low coefficient of friction between them as is. It's a shame that the saw manufacturers/engineers.designers didn't figure out that the dust and chips will settle and build up on the low resting spaces between the teeth and then get packed into them the next time the gear meshes with it's mate. A rubber boot that surrounds the assembly but still allows for rotating parts would be idea, like shock absorber boots. The dust definitely gets packed into the gears on my Craftsaman saws and it's a PITA to clean them out. A dust collect is a must to keep things rotating and moving well. I blast high pressure air into the entire cabinet with the DC running every so often. 
That seems to help.  bill


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## shieber (Oct 8, 2011)

Porter Cable recommends using graphite or silicone lubricant on any exposed gears.



woodnthings said:


> I think that if the gears are nylon there is no need for additional lubrication. Pretty low coefficient of friction between them as is. It's a shame that the saw manufacturers/engineers.designers didn't figure out that the dust and chips will settle and build up on the low resting spaces between the teeth and then get packed into them the next time the gear meshes with it's mate. A rubber boot that surrounds the assembly but still allows for rotating parts would be idea, like shock absorber boots. The dust definitely gets packed into the gears on my Craftsaman saws and it's a PITA to clean them out. A dust collect is a must to keep things rotating and moving well. I blast high pressure air into the entire cabinet with the DC running every so often.
> That seems to help.  bill


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