Re: New (to me) General 350 Table Saw

[redlee]

Thanks Rick, mine has similar glide pads on the bottom which ride on the table, kinda like the way my Delta copy rides on the rear angle, might add that to the Bessy. Here's a picture of mine with the steel bolts which would ride on the painted rectangular tube (ouch), maybe they were added to give some adjustment , how does yours adjust to make the face of the fence at 90 degrees to the table? Are those pads adjustable? On my Delta the nylon screws adjust to make the fence 90 to the table.

Mine has set screws on each pad that adjusts the fence, cant see on the pics but check yours they should be there.
Those screws were probably added so you can adjust the fence face square to the table, I did similar with a small set screw so whe I need the fence dead square I can adjust it.
I had trouble cutting Tenons if the fence was not dead square it would trim the shoulders of the Tenons.

[Doug G [OP]]

One more question, there is a 3/4" bar out the back with a bracket on it for the splitter supported blade guard. The manual says it's threaded (Threaded support rod part # 357-15A), the part which projects outside the cabinet is not threaded and while it is easy to turn, turning it seems to have no effect. I expected it would spin off but after 15 to 20 rotations it hasn't moved out at all. I may end up leaving it on to support the guard if my shop made overhead guard doesn't work out but I'm puzzled why it turns freely but doesn't spin off.

[redlee]

One more question, there is a 3/4" bar out the back with a bracket on it for the splitter supported blade guard. The manual says it's threaded (Threaded support rod part # 357-15A), the part which projects outside the cabinet is not threaded and while it is easy to turn, turning it seems to have no effect. I expected it would spin off but after 15 to 20 rotations it hasn't moved out at all. I may end up leaving it on to support the guard if my shop made overhead guard doesn't work out but I'm puzzled why it turns freely but doesn't spin off.

I removed that when I bought it, can’t remember.

[Doug G [OP]]

Looking at your pics it looks to be in nice shape, was it a good deal, dont need price but was it a deal?
I think I paid about $2200 in 1993.

I paid $1400 , not a steal but a fair price since it included delivery and the seller rented a trailer. I helped and it was a bit of a beast to load even with a forklift and pallet jack. Glad I didn't have to pick it up.

[drzaius]

The way I look at that is to compare that saw to what I'd be able to get new for that $1400. Seems like a good deal to me0. High quality machine that will outlast you likely. Besides the motor cover, I'd want to get a functioning riving knife & guard on it.

[Doug G [OP]]

Thanks Frank, it has a splitter mounted guard although I may swap it for my shop made overhead guard with dust collection. I don't think a riving knife can be fitted to this age of saw, like to be wrong on that but I've seen a description of what's involved (if the retrofit kit can be found and would fit this age of saw) and it's a lot of work. As is the saw is ready to run (once I get 240 power and the fence installed), no need for a tear down.

[redlee]

Thanks Frank, it has a splitter mounted guard although I may swap it for my shop made overhead guard with dust collection. I don't think a riving knife can be fitted to this age of saw, like to be wrong on that but I've seen a description of what's involved (if the retrofit kit can be found and would fit this age of saw) and it's a lot of work. As is the saw is ready to run (once I get 240 power and the fence installed), no need for a tear down.

Have you looked at the motor tag ? Might be a 110-220 motor.

[Doug G [OP]]

Yes it is dual voltage, but it's 16.4 A on 120V so I need a new circuit (all existing plugs are on 15 A circuits) and currently wired for 240V so I can't think of any reason not to make the new circuit 240V.
Actually on another forum, I think it was Ron Sheridan who is also a member here suggested a few years ago to install a combination 120V and 240 V circuit. As I understand it you use three conductor wire (12 awg for 20A), 20 A two pole 240V breaker, wire red and black to the breaker white to the neutral and ground to ground in the panel. At the outlet end you would pigtail the two hots (red and black) with one of each going to the 240 V outlet and the other going to the two hot sides of the 120V outlet with the outlet split, the white would go to the neutral side of the outlet (I assume not split?), and of course ground to the box. This gives one 240V 20A outlet and a split 120V 20 A outlet. I assume you could use all three outlets at once as long as you don't exceed 20A total. Maybe I'll PM Rod to ask if I understood it correctly, any sparkys out there with comments? Not going to do it unless I'm sure.

[Rod Sheridan]

Doug, you're correct in your wiring, however in the shop you'll need GFCI receptacles for the 120V side if it's new installation. I put a GFCI receptacle in the first box, then ran a blue wire to the others for all the downstream 120V receptacles.

My shop only has 2 circuits, one 20A 120/240 for all the machinery (max 4HP) and one for the cyclone, oh and one for the lighting...........Rod.

[Doug G [OP]]

Doug, you're correct in your wiring, however in the shop you'll need GFCI receptacles for the 120V side if it's new installation. I put a GFCI receptacle in the first box, then ran a blue wire to the others for all the downstream 120V receptacles.

My shop only has 2 circuits, one 20A 120/240 for all the machinery (max 4HP) and one for the cyclone, oh and one for the lighting...........Rod.

Thanks Rod, wasn't aware of the GFCI requirement on the 120 V outlet. So am I correct that going forward, all new 120V circuits must be GFCI protected? When are arc fault detectors required? What's the reason 240V circuits are excluded?

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi, you need to check with your local inspector regarding the rules for residential use.

Almost everything now requires AF protection in a house.......Rod.

[Doug G [OP]]

Hi, you need to check with your local inspector regarding the rules for residential use.

Almost everything now requires AF protection in a house.......Rod.

OK, will do, just trying to get all my ducks in a row before I applied for the permit.

[Rod Sheridan]

OK, will do, just trying to get all my ducks in a row before I applied for the permit.

It's always good to have the inspector involved before the permit, they are very helpful and can save you a lot of grief.............Rod.

[Doug G [OP]]

It's always good to have the inspector involved before the permit, they are very helpful and can save you a lot of grief.............Rod.

Got a referral from a neighbour for an electrician, unless his quote is outrageous I think I'll have it done by a pro. I will ask that he use the idea you suggested. I'm pretty sure I can do it myself but not 100% comfortable, I have done electrical in the past. Back in Cambridge I rewired our complete century home (was knob and tube) and all passed inspection but I hired an electrician to install a new bigger panel in a new location and tie everything in. I'll let him deal with the inspector.

[Doug G [OP]]

Made a little progress so far on the fence. The glide pads on the cross piece on the fence are missing. The previous owner drilled and tapped a pair of holes and installed a pair of bolts with rounded heads so you have steel on painted steel. Allows for adjustment to get the fence faces square to the table but I don't like the idea of steel on paint. My old saw has a Delta T2 fence which uses nylon bolts rather than steel bolts so you have the best of both worlds adjustment and nylon on paint for glide. Seems the Delta T2 which is a Bessy clone has some improvements over the original. The original holes for the pads are intact so I can always go back to the pads if I can find them but I think the bolts are a better design, the pads are about $10 each and don't give any easy adjustment to square the fence to the table. So, free better solution or $20 inferior solution?

I though the nylon toilet seat bolts I had were 1/2" (that's what the package they came in said) but I did a test in some scraps, turns out the bolts are 7/16" not 1/2". Next was a lucky coincidence, a while back I picked up a 7/16" tap and matching drill bit at Lowes on a clearance table, didn't need it but too good a deal to pass up. Somehow five years ago I knew this day would come. So I drilled and tapped the existing 1/4" holes (which the previous owner had drilled) out to 7/16" and installed the bolts, perfect fit, longer than needed but I'll wait until the fence is installed and adjusted and trim them if they're in the way of anything. I think my fix (applying the design from the Delta T2 fence) is better than the original Bessy design, I'll know for sure once I complete the fence install.
Here's a picture of the Bessy with the nylon bolts, the Delta and the Bessy when I got it with the earlier modification.

For those who don't know the Delta T2 is pretty much a direct copy of the Bessy, the Bessy is more robust but short of dropping it off a second story building I'm hard pressed to see how the extra beef is necessary. FYI I learned recently that the Delta T3 is identical to the T2 but has a second cursor on the left. If anyone's interested I can post the comparable dimensions of the two fences.