Robland X-31 Saw Blade Alignment (this is a work in progress and will probably be revised with better illustrations and clearer text)
In order to get good rip and cross cuts on the X-31's table saw the saw blade and the rip fence must be set up to parallel the miter slot (THE reference for both the saw blade and the rip fence). In order to set the blade to parallel the miter slot you have to understand where the adjustments are and how to use them.
While X-31 is similar to comperable U.S. market machines in many ways - it is very different when it comes to the table saw function. In addition to it's Nudge & Bump blade height adjustment method, the blade tilt mechanism is very different from the typical cast iron trunion method used on U.S. market tables saws. It works similar to, and looks sort of like other table saws - from the outside. But internally it's very different.
The saw "shroud assembly" (shroud, blade, arbor, pulleys, belts and motor) has TWO connection points to the saw table top and ONE to the front of the saw cabinet. The shroud around the saw blade has a "finger" on each end, held in "pillow blocks" which bolt from above to the underside of the saw table top. The "shroud assembly" can also be locked to the front of the saw cabinet with the arbor tilt locking handle.
I'm still working on illustrations for adjusting the saw blade parallel to the miter slot. This thing is an odd, kluged together arrangement of a ton of parts. Here are a few candidates illustrations and photos for the final version of this page.
Let's start with some pictures of
Here's another view of things. Parts 1 through 5 are for the arbor tilt, parts 6 & 7 for the blade height, pulley part number 8 is for the belt tension adjustment, part 9 is the motor crive belt and part 10 is the saw arbor belt. Note that the "arbor tilt locking handle" is on the other end of the left most bolt in part #2. When the arbor tilt locking handle is tightened it pinches the tilt bracket attached to the "shroud assembly", preventing it from moviing. This provides the THIRD connection point for securing the "arbor shroud assembly" to the saw - two to the table, this one to the saw cabinet front.
Now that you've seen photos things let's look at them in a simplified context. (yes, I know, the parts numbering is different - I'm working on that). We've got the "arbor shroud assembly" connected to the saw's table top by the "fingers" and "pillow blocks" (1 &2) and secured to the front of the saws cabinet by the arbor tilt locking handle (3).
Here are the details of those parts.
And heres a psuedo 3D version - in color!
Just for fun, here's an edited version of the exploded parts diagram in the Robland "manual".
