small trouble with EX 21

[Trackman]

The white level won't stay in the forward postion, it will go back to the nontension postion while sawing. The saw is only 9 months old.
Was anybody had this trouble an how did you fix it? Thanks

[sawdust11703]

I had the same little problem. Most likely the little white nylon screw just in front of the flip lever needs to be adjusted. Call Ray at Seyco so he can guide you on how to adjust it because there is a certain way that it needs to be done. Turning the screw too much will destroy the mechanism. If the adjustment still doesn't fix it, then the lever is worn out for some reason and you will need a new one. But the saw is guaranteed for a year so he will send you a new one if need be.

[deanswoodshop]

My EX30 is the old type and doesnt have a nylon screw, but when my tension lever starts to come up it usually indicates to me that I have a dull blade or am pushing too hard.
Hope this is of some help.
Dean

[Tom J.]

The little nylon set screw may no longer be used in the newer saws. Mine did not have the screw and I contacted the manufacturer, General International, about it. The reply I got was as follows:

"We had used this screw to add a slight bit of tension / preload to the slide block on the upper blade holder. On some saws it would turn itself down (we think through vibration) applying too much preload and prematurely wearing out the flip tension lever. After testing, we found that we could do without it."

Tom

[Trackman]

Thanks for the info. The lever will come up without me even doing any cutting just running the saw by itself. I moved the set screw but didn't do anything.

[Tom J.]

I trust we are all talking about the same set screw. The one shown in the attached photo.

I just checked my saw and the blade tension alone is enough to hold the lever down. If there is no tension on the blade however the lever will move very easily. Is it possible that the blade is slipping. In stall a blade and set the tension. Run the saw until the lever moves as you say. Before you touch anything else move the lever back to the tension position and check to see that the original tension is still there. If not then the blade is slipping.

To adjust the screw set the lever in the tension position and screw the set screw in untill it just touches the blade clamp. Move the lever to the sraight up position and turn the set screw in only 1/4 of a turn. the lever should now stay in the tension position. If it still flips ouit of the tension position, I would suggest replacing the lever.

If the lever seems hard to move to the tension position after the above adjustment, back it off slightly to reduce the force required to move it to the tension position but yet keep it from flipping out of tension. To much force to move the lever will wear it out.

Hope this helps

Tom

[Trackman]

Thanks for the info Tom J.! I adjusted the set screw 1/4" the way you said an after I did this the lever would raise up without the saw running. So I backed the screw up so it doesn't touch an ran the saw without cutting an it stayed in the down position. If I have any more trouble it looks like I may have to replace the lever. Also I will check to see if the blade is slipping as you said. Don't have time to check this AM but will let you all know what I find out. Thanks