I know a lot of people don't like chop saws for various reasons but a 14" is usually my first choice to cut most bar and pipe/tubing.  I had an old black label Industrial B&D that I bought new about 25 years ago and it finally wore out so I bought a new 14" Porter Cable last year.  Unfortunately, the Porter Cable is already cutting way out of square with regard to direction of cut, i.e., perpendicular to the table.  I have to put a 1/4" rod under the work to lift one side of the stock enough to have any hope of getting the end square.  It cuts as though the bearings on the blade side of the motor are loose, such as might be seen if the blade is lifting and the cut wanders out away from vertical - but there is no apparent slop in the blade when I try to wiggle it.

 

I have not put a square on the table yet but it almost appears as though the saw hinge is not square with the table.  There is no obvous way to adjust aside from welding and redrilling the bolt holes or possibly milling one hole into a slot to allow some movement.

 

Anyone else had a problem like this and how did you fix it?

 

Thx, Hollis

I had the same problem and corrected it by buying good quality blades. I was using ''Forney'' blades when I noticed my cuts were 1/8''+ out in 2'' and that makes for poor fit up and extra welding......No bueno.

a pic may help

I have a saw with a similar problem, it uses a 12" SHSS blade and does about 60 rpm

Yes, Image helpful plus picture of Spec Plate.

 I've seen some where you had to loosen the screws up and shim the saw to get it straight. Usually needed to be done with cheaper units though.

 

I've also seen them cut out of square when the blade got loaded up and glazed on one side as well as suggested above when cheap blades were used.

Zero the blade for vertical square. Use a carpenters square and base the square on the stock and the saw top surface, this is the stock position. Hold the square on the base with the vise in the 90 Deg orientation and stock and then sight the daylight between the blade surface and the square edge. Shim the pivot mount until you get a min amount of gap. When you shim these cheapo saws you have to check the zero frequently because they can vibrate loose. Most job sites use these rigs to cut rebar bundles, think quick and dirty., they aren't really looking for square cuts. As already mentioned, good blades make a difference but they come at a premium.

Peter

mine is a spare saw I have not used in ages

I should get it fixed up and maybe sell it

 

yup, blades at 100 uk pounds ( $150 ) and 20 uk pounds ( $30 ) to sharpen them, I only use good blades.

the saw cost near a grand when new but that was many years ago.

will check for square and may have to machine the castings to get mine right

I found an internet site called "ereplacement parts/porter cable"  that might help if you need to replace something.  Unfortunately, they don't make a cheap/inexpensive cold saw.  Even a table top model is a lot of money and the cheap ones don't last.   Good luck.  

I'll check the blade for squareness to the table and report back. I'm using DeWalt blades,1/8" thick. They cut quickly but a 5/32" wheel might be stiffer and not so prone to wander.

My Tool Shop 14" saw cut dead square, believe it or not.  It died, so I got a DeWalt to replace it and it cuts a little off square. 

My Tool Shop 14" saw cut dead square, believe it or not.  It died, so I got a DeWalt to replace it and it cuts a little off square.

I got spoiled by that old B&D - it cut squarely and quickly...for YEARS!

They don't make them like that any more... Planned obsolescence is the work of the devil. The good news is everything is cheaper, the bad news is everything is cheaper... I was tempted to unscrew the hinge off my saw from the flimsy stamped-steel frame and attach it to some .5"plate. I was hoping that would solve the problem. Planned on making a zero Clearance slit in the plate;-)