Dave Monk Posted October 16, 2016 Report Share Posted October 16, 2016 Ever since my saw was new I have had to use the highest tension setting. It seems like now there is enough slop that I have to pull the blade clamps toward each other when tightening the blade clamp screws in order to get enough blade tension. Where should I start? dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgman Posted October 16, 2016 Report Share Posted October 16, 2016 You need to dress the ends of your thumb screws. The blade is slipping in the blade clamps when tightening. Also you need to remove the oil that is on the ends of the blade. This oil will cause the blade to slip also. Look under works in progress and tutorials for " A simple jig" to help you dress the thumb screws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharleyL Posted October 16, 2016 Report Share Posted October 16, 2016 I usually run 3-4 on the tension and when inserting a new blade, I always push down slightly on the upper arm to be certain that all of the play is out of it. This way I'm assured that the tension is very nearly the same all the time. Charley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Monk Posted October 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2016 (edited) Dan, The blade is not slipping in the clamps. Seems like their is a lot of play in the upper and lower arm. dave Edited October 16, 2016 by Dave Monk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkeye10 Posted October 16, 2016 Report Share Posted October 16, 2016 Dave here is a very good video on the DW788 saw. It's also very long but in 4 parts. I think you will find just about anything you need to know about your 788. Dave Monk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crupiea Posted October 16, 2016 Report Share Posted October 16, 2016 Take the tension knob off and you will see you can adjust it inside there. I never even tension mine to 2, usually about 1.5. I set it this way by adjusting the knob inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerry1939 Posted October 17, 2016 Report Share Posted October 17, 2016 Ever since my saw was new I have had to use the highest tension setting. It seems like now there is enough slop that I have to pull the blade clamps toward each other when tightening the blade clamp screws in order to get enough blade tension. Where should I start? dave The "tension numbers" are just a silly thing the manufacturer puts on the machine, and are best ignored. IF you install a blade and set the tension to a number you like, THE NEXT TIME YOU MOVE THE BLADE TO A DIFFERENT HOLE, YOU WILL CLAMP IT A TINY BIT HIGHER OR LOWER THAN "YOUR FAVORITE NUMBER." Instead, clamp the blade and move the knob to where you feel a good tension. Some of you folks are stressing about something that has very little significance. I am done ranting now. jerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTTHECLOCKMAN Posted October 17, 2016 Report Share Posted October 17, 2016 (edited) The "tension numbers" are just a silly thing the manufacturer puts on the machine, and are best ignored. IF you install a blade and set the tension to a number you like, THE NEXT TIME YOU MOVE THE BLADE TO A DIFFERENT HOLE, YOU WILL CLAMP IT A TINY BIT HIGHER OR LOWER THAN "YOUR FAVORITE NUMBER." Instead, clamp the blade and move the knob to where you feel a good tension. Some of you folks are stressing about something that has very little significance. I am done ranting now. jerry Jerry you are ranting about the wrong thing sir. Take a cup of coffee What he is saying is he can not get enough tension on the blade even at the highest setting. If i am reading this right. If the blades are not slipping it is very possible there is a bolt that has come loose. Take the cover off and take a look. If not the link of that video is the person that actually has a vast knowledge of that saw and he has put together 4 parts on the saw and also has a video where he explains the saws origin and it is actually very interesting Check it out. Edited October 17, 2016 by JTTHECLOCKMAN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vykus Posted October 17, 2016 Report Share Posted October 17, 2016 My old dremel is the same way so I just started clipping off an 1/8th or from the top of the blade. Although, now that I've been doing this for a while maybe it's time to figure out how to fix that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerry1939 Posted October 17, 2016 Report Share Posted October 17, 2016 There is a countless number of tremendously talented scrollers on this site. I still struggle to make it up to the mediocre level. However, I firmly believe that people that always set their tension to the same number each time, are doing themselves a disservice. To teach your self how (especially the newcomers), clamp in your blade without any wood. "FEEL" how much tension you put on the lever to get the ping sound from the blade. If you don't get the sound you want, release the tension & re-tension until you feel the resistance needed on the knob. Each time you move the blade to a new hole, ONLY tension to the feel that you learned. If you tension to the same number each time, here is what happens; When you clamp the blade, the hole in the wood will never be in perfect alignment with the clamps. As a result, as you start tensioning to your "favorite number" the first part of the lever movement aligns the wood. It is only after that you are actually applying tension. You can bet the grocery money that you are not getting the tension you got when you first tensioned without any wood. Each time you move to the next hole, tension by the feel of the lever. IT WILL BECOME AUTOMATICLLY TO YOU! Depending on how far out of alignment you were, you will almost always end up on a different number. Don't get hung up on a certain number. jerry dgman and Dave Monk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bandaideman Posted October 17, 2016 Report Share Posted October 17, 2016 What ever the tension your work is awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotshot Posted October 18, 2016 Report Share Posted October 18, 2016 Love that video. Those guys are awesome. Wish we had that kind of club in my area. --------Randy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockytime Posted October 18, 2016 Report Share Posted October 18, 2016 I have only owned a Ryobi before getting my Hawks. The saws are older and tension is adjusted at the rear of the saw. Once my tension is set it never varies. The upper clamp has a hard stop for the blade and blade clamping is the same every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTTHECLOCKMAN Posted October 18, 2016 Report Share Posted October 18, 2016 Saws like the Dewalt are different when it comes to setting tension because the blade does not land in the same place all the time. Saws such as the Hawks and Hegners the blade lands in the same place all the time thus no need to adjust tension arms. I haven't touched the back tension arm on my Hawks since I got them some 15 or so years ago. I use blades from 6/0 jewelers blades to #9 wood blades. If I notice a jewelers bl;ade breaking more I may back off because they are a different material and not always the same. One thing that gets overlooked sometimes with blades is that they do stretch and the more a blade is used and retensioned it stretches. Again with the Dewalt and saws like it feel is the key. You can feel tension after some use very easily and I do not believe people just go by the number on the tension lever on the Dewalt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgman Posted October 18, 2016 Report Share Posted October 18, 2016 There is a countless number of tremendously talented scrollers on this site. I still struggle to make it up to the mediocre level.However, I firmly believe that people that always set their tension to the same number each time, are doing themselves a disservice. To teach your self how (especially the newcomers), clamp in your blade without any wood. "FEEL" how much tension you put on the lever to get the ping sound from the blade. If you don't get the sound you want, release the tension & re-tension until you feel the resistance needed on the knob.Each time you move the blade to a new hole, ONLY tension to the feel that you learned.If you tension to the same number each time, here is what happens; When you clamp the blade, the hole in the wood will never be in perfect alignment with the clamps. As a result, as you start tensioning to your "favorite number" the first part of the lever movement aligns the wood. It is only after that you are actually applying tension. You can bet the grocery money that you are not getting the tension you got when you first tensioned without any wood.Each time you move to the next hole, tension by the feel of the lever. IT WILL BECOME AUTOMATICLLY TO YOU! Depending on how far out of alignment you were, you will almost always end up on a different number. Don't get hung up on a certain number.jerrymI have to agree with you Jerry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amazingkevin Posted October 19, 2016 Report Share Posted October 19, 2016 Ever since my saw was new I have had to use the highest tension setting. It seems like now there is enough slop that I have to pull the blade clamps toward each other when tightening the blade clamp screws in order to get enough blade tension. Where should I start? dave I've had this problem ,EXACTLY,Now you need to change the bearings or re grease them.There's 2 bearings that need to be pressed out .But if you just do the ones you can get to you'll get 2 years of hard labor from it,and then the two bearings you needed to press out will start to knock just like in the beginning before you re greased the others.I've 6 dw788's i need to do this too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbrowning Posted October 19, 2016 Report Share Posted October 19, 2016 I need to find my big-boy pants and put them on and do my bearings. I've never did them before. But it has been about a year since I got my Dewalt. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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