FM-20: A Straight Cut Drifts Sideways Or The Kerf Indicator Does Not Match The Blade Path

With the shoe flat and bevel at zero, the saw veers left or right from the guide line, or the kerf indicator consistently points to a different left-right blade path.

• Operator is forcing a correction or side-loading the saw
• Blade is dull, bent, wrong, or has uneven tooth set
• Kerf indicator is being read from the wrong blade side or is damaged
• Shoe, spindle, or guard alignment is bent or loose Straightedge or guide; square; sharp straight blade; supported marked scrap.

1. A supported zero-bevel cut tracks straight and the kerf indicator consistently predicts the blade path without side force.

1. Stop the cut, let the blade stop, remove the battery, and do not force the saw sideways inside the kerf.
2. Fit a verified straight sharp blade, set zero bevel and correct depth, secure both levers, and inspect the shoe and kerf indicator for bend or looseness.
3. Mark supported scrap, align the indicator with the left or inner side of the blade path as the manual specifies, and use a straightedge without side pressu
4. If repeated cuts still drift or the indicator cannot agree with the actual blade path, stop and route the shoe, indicator, spindle, and guard alignment for

This is a preview of the troubleshooting guidance included in the full repair manual.

• Shoe, depth system, or bevel system
• Kerf indicator
• Bevel lever, quadrant, pointer, and zero calibration
• Shoe and structural pivots
• Gearcase, gears, bearings, or spindle
• 7-1/4-inch wood-cutting blade
• Gearcase, gears, bearings, and spindle

• A Straight Cut Drifts Sideways Or The Kerf Indicator Does Not Match The Blade Path

  With the shoe flat and bevel at zero, the saw veers left or right from the guide line, or the kerf indicator consistently points to a different left-right blade path.

• root cause analysis
• tools needed
• step-by-step repair procedure
• diagrams
• exploded views
• post-repair checks

Public pages show a preview only. Purchase the full manual to download complete repair steps, diagrams, and verification procedures.