Day 92: Working the Bentside

I had quite a time getting the table saw back together once I got the bull gear installed onto the motor. The installation manual sent back with the motor listed one way to reinstall the motor and the user's manual describes another. I decided to ignore both because, in the end, all I needed to do was lower the blade as low as it would go, push the motor to the right to tighten the belt, screw in the belt adjusment bolt, and tighten down the main motor mount nut. That was it. I'm now an expert at removing, adjusting, and reinstalling Grizzly G0771 table saw motors, but I charge $500 per hour, so be sure you  know exactly what you need when you hire me to work on yours.

I still need to adjust the blade a millimeter or so to ensure it makes perfectly straight cuts. I am, as I've stated in a previous post, all Grizzlied out after this ongoing drama. Time to start getting some stuff done.

Once I could put the table saw issue to rest, I was able to start working on resawing some of the poplar so I can start putting together the bentside. I could never get solid purchase using the clamps I picked up from Rockler to hold the Kreg resaw guide on Big Bertha's fence, so I went ahead and built a mounting bracket out of high density pressboard that screws directly into the fence to hold the guide.

While it works, okay, the experience of trying to resaw a 12" poplar board using Big Bertha and the resaw guide just confirmed that she needs to go and I need to pull the trigger on a new 17" band saw with bearing blade guides, a new Kreg resaw fence assembly to which the resaw guide will mount, a special resaw blade, etc. Big Bertha is a great saw and she's served me well, but it's time for her to go. Parting is such sweet sorrow.

Because I won't have the new band saw for a few weeks, I decided to cut the 12" poplar boards in half, resaw and plane them to the proper thickness, laminate them, and joint them back together for the final cuts. This was suggested to me by one of the Master Builders and, uncharacteristically, I'm taking his advice on this one. It will just make them more manageable and a seam will not be evident because I'll be finishing all of the case sides with an incredibly thing veneer of quater sawn red oak. I did cut the board for the bentside, but it was evident that I need to work on adjusting the newly reinstalled table saw blade, so that's on the agenda for tonight.

Until next time...