CSC SYS 50 sliding table

[2nd Chance Shop]

I recently purchased the CEC SYS 50 table saw and I was calibrating the blade and I put a straight edge across the table.

I discovered the sliding table’s outside edge was lower than the fixed top. The inner edge next to the top was flush with the fixed edge.

I read in the manual about adjusting the height of the slider. So I was able to raise it, but it also raised the inner edge putting it above the fixed edge, so I put it back to the original setting.

Is it normal for the outer edge of the table to dip slightly?

I did some preliminary cuts and put them up against my square and triangle and the 90 and 45 degree bevel cuts seem dead on. However I haven’t made any projects or assembled anything.

 

[Mini Me]

It is a general rule for all sliders to be slightly above the fixed table to minimise drag from the part sliding across the fixed table. I have no idea on how Festool recommend doing it but on some machines it can be a fairly long and involved process.

 

[Frnk]

It is a general rule for all sliders to be slightly above the fixed table to minimise drag from the part sliding across the fixed table. I have no idea on how Festool recommend doing it but on some machines it can be a fairly long and involved process.

Festool recommends to not adjust the sliding table by yourself. It is adjustable but they use rigs and robots to adjust it in the factory and in service centers.

There’s a video on a German YouTube tool show where a Festool product manager explains this.

 

[Mini Me]

This is a video showing table adjustment on a Felder saw just to give you an idea of how it is done. Not knowing the adjustment makes it difficult to comment but in general I would say given a couple of dial indicators and a bit of patience it should be doable. I have done mine several times and the swearing get less with experience. Certainly if it is a new machine I would return it and request another one.

 

[luvmytoolz]

I thought from memory the manual described adjusting the slider, and it was a bit fiddly but fairly straightforward?

Or maybe it's a video I'm thinking of. I'll have a look tomorrow arvo.

 

[2nd Chance Shop]

It is a general rule for all sliders to be slightly above the fixed table to minimise drag from the part sliding across the fixed table. I have no idea on how Festool recommend doing it but on some machines it can be a fairly long and involved process.

I greatly appreciate the feedback.
The manual does explain how to adjust and it’s not too difficult. There are two screws you loosen (one in front and one in the back) that are on the top of the rail inward past a pair of screws. Then you turn screws that are horizontal just under the rail in the front and in the back. I found to barely loosen the two top screws works best. Then tighten the screws once you get the correct height (of which seems to be the issue for me - getting the correct height).

 

[Frnk]

(of which seems to be the issue for me - getting the correct height).

That’s the point the Festool guy was making. They’re not using straight edges or calipers for it in their repair workshops. They have alignment rigs. It’s not supposed to be perfectly level with the fixed portion of the table but just a hair higher.

 

[Michael Kellough]

“the sliding table’s outside edge was lower than the fixed top. The inner edge next to the top was flush with the fixed edge.”

I don’t have the saw but I’ve read about this issue in other posts about this saw and I recall seeing shims applied to bring the outboard side of the sliding table up. I’m not just imagining this am I?

 

[Mini Me]

That’s the point the Festool guy was making. They’re not using straight edges or calipers for it in their repair workshops. They have alignment rigs. It’s not supposed to be perfectly level with the fixed portion of the table but just a hair higher.

A couple of dial indicators as shown in the video will sort that out.

 

[Frnk]

As far as I understand OP’s problem, it’s not simply a matter of the sliding table’s height—that’s user-adjustable and covered in the manual. If it’s askew, calibration is still possible but far more involved, and the manual doesn’t address it. My guess is the saw was calibrated correctly from the factory, especially since OP’s cuts measure perfectly.

 

[2nd Chance Shop]

Much appreciated.
I believe I have the table aligned properly.
I will do a few projects this weekend and I will verify.
I greatly appreciate everyone’s feedback.
I will know more by next week c

 

[Mini Me]

As far as I understand OP’s problem, it’s not simply a matter of the sliding table’s height—that’s user-adjustable and covered in the manual. If it’s askew, calibration is still possible but far more involved, and the manual doesn’t address it. My guess is the saw was calibrated correctly from the factory, especially since OP’s cuts measure perfectly.

David best who did the above video goes into all the basic stuff for sliding table saws in his videos. The Festool works the same as any slider so the basics will still apply even if it is many times smaller. Sliders require the the table to toe out on the exit to prevent the back of the blade contacting the cut timber as it passes the rear of the blade. It can get quite involved but it is not rocket science once you get you head around it and it can be bloody swearingly frustrating to say the least.

 

[Frnk]

David best who did the above video goes into all the basic stuff for sliding table saws in his videos. The Festool works the same as any slider so the basics will still apply even if it is many times smaller. Sliders require the the table to toe out on the exit to prevent the back of the blade contacting the cut timber as it passes the rear of the blade. It can get quite involved but it is not rocket science once you get you head around it and it can be bloody swearingly frustrating to say the least.

The manual for the CSC SYS 50 shows and explains how to adjust toe-out and height. There are specific adjustment screws for it that can be accessed without taking the sliding table apart.

Beyond that, users do not have access to the underside of the slider or ball bearings for three-dimensional angle adjustments like shown in the video for the Felder saw. I wouldn’t disassemble the non-user-serviceable sliding table components.

Here’s a video that shows the components. But like I mentioned, the mechanism does not have to be taken apart like in this video to adjust height and toe-out.

 

[Nisbeth]

Short video showing how to get to the table calibration screws. Whether it is a good idea to mess with the calibration is another matter, so consider this provided for information purposes only.

 

[Frnk]

I didn’t share the video because the creator doesn’t realize the parallel fence is intentionally toed out. A perfectly parallel fence greatly increases kickback risk, which many users don’t realize. My concern isn’t the “calibration issue” — it’s that people who don’t know what they don’t know can’t tell good advice from bad.

 

[Nisbeth]

Understandable, but that issue has been covered here multiple times and it is also highlighted in the comments to the video so on balance I thought it was still OK to share the video.

 

[Mini Me]

My comments were to only made to point out that special factory made jigs as mentioned upthread were not necessary.