Printable View
Hello...as the title says, I hope I'm in the right place for this question. I have a contractors portable table saw (which is all I can afford at this time) and I don't like the fence on it. It's only about an inch wide and accuracy is not it's strong point!! I was wondering if I made it wider with a layer of 5/8" ply on both sides and glue on a layer of 1/4" luan over top of the ply, would that get me more stability or am I just going to mess up my existing fence and be SOL? :confused:
While not a woodworker, I have been around a couple of table saw's. Metal is more my thing. But when I went trying to get a good table saw I noticed that the big thing in table saw's was a Biesemeyer fence. The old Grizzly saw I found on Craigslist had such a fence. It might have been an early model as it didn't look factory made and was easily something I could fabricate.
IMHO tacking on stuff to the fence you have is not going to help it. The parts that make the most difference is how heavy duty the track mounted on the saw top, and the fence frame mechanism. The old Biesemeyer was heavy wall like 1"X2" tubing for the track with heavy angle iron with a clamp setup and heavy wall tubing welded to it as the fence. All accurately welded so when you clamped down the fence it was square. Simple and efficient. Very unlike the fence on my Craftsman table saw that has an aluminum part of the fence that is not welded to the part of the fence that clamps to the track. It uses the locking mechanism to pull across the whole top of the table to hold the fence together and to lock it in place. This is where the error from square happens. This doesn't happen with the Biesemeyer because it locks to the heavy tube track on the front of the table. Just my 2c from a metal head.
I ran into a similar problem with my shaper, I needed a fence to run my boards against while running the shaper because not all of my bits have a bearing on them. I ended up coming up with a fence that resembled a Biesemeyer Style, with a cam lock and t-shape. I made a video of it on YouTube, you might want to check it out. You said you have a portable contractor saw, you might have to be creative to get a mounting for it. Mine just had holes drilled into the casting so it was pretty easily accessible.
Here's the link: https://youtu.be/jZij7GGtf_g
Look at how it tracks on the table saw. Majority of the time, its how the fence is attached to the saw that ends up with the problem. Adding thickness to the fence will help only if the fence is flexing (not due to the locking/tracking device). I have had Biesemeyer, Incra and Unifence systems. While each had their advantages one thing was common. They all had a strong locking/tracking device.Quote:
Originally Posted by petej
Check your fence and make absolutely sure that its either the fence that is flexing or the locking device. If its the fence then yes add stock. If its flexing due to the locking/tracking device then you need to change the fence. Most of the time that's not so cheap. You could make your own fence. Look on Youtube to see others how they made theirs. I know that's not what you wanted to hear.
I have a contrator saw and like you it is not always accurate. It's strong enough, but it does not always lock equally in the position every time.Quote:
Originally Posted by petej
You probably have a way to adjust the fence. Try to get it as accurate as possible and learn to live with it. I doubt you will be able to create a fence that will be more accurate. Unless it is a flexing issue like others suggested.
If you need very accurate cuts on small pieces, I suggest you build a crosscut sled.
Hi Petej,
I fully agree with all the other comments. An after market fence system such as the Biesmeyer is the way to go, although not cheap! One possible solution is to use an aluminium or mild steel tube (round or square to suit your fence fitting) in place of the existing bar. This is the system used on my Scheppach TS 2500 saw and has the advantage that the fence is mounted to the slide with 4 adjustable bolts to enable spot-on setting up. Hope this helps.
Sprog
Above is good advice IMHO join these and search -- lots and lots of input
www.pinterest.com www.lumberjocks.com
www.vintagemachinery.org
here is a good tutoral on building one beefy on the mount and guide bar /latch is good.
http://joe.emenaker.com/Table-Saw%20Fence/Building%20Your%20Own%20T-Square%20Style%20Table-Saw%20Fence.htm
I'd just use a straight edge(wood or metal) and two clamps forming a "fence",it's what I do all the time.Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnMTO
You don't say what the make or model "contractor's saw" you have. I'm really afraid that if you have a low-end saw, that there is really no help for the wimpy fence that came with the saw. Adding to the existing fence really doesn't solve the problem as stated previously, more than likely it is a lock-up issue. However, that doesn't mean that some of the higher end saws in this category aren't good, some are excellent.
I had a bottom of the line Craftsman that was purchased to do laminate flooring installations. It was downright dangerous for any serious woodworking. It was nothing more than a circular saw mounted upside down. The fence was terrible and would not properly lock-up or hold settings. I could go on, but you get the idea. It was replaced by a higher end "contractor's saw". My replacement happens to be a Bosch 4100 which is an excellent saw in this group. The DeWalt is, also, a good saw, but I have had/seen DeWalt owners dump them after using the 4100.
A Bosch 4100 refurb. can be had for around $500 if you shop around. The DeWalts for a little less. This may not solve your problem, however, by the time you attempt to fabricate a useful fence you will be on your way to a good chunk for usable, safe and accurate tool.
I know this isn't what you want to hear, but face the reality...the fence on your saw is inadequate and that isn't going to change.
the only thing the plywood would do is mess up the scales on the fence measurements, if you want to make a more rigid fence, you need to look as to where it locks in place on the scales, and if it locks at the back of the saw? if it does not lock at the back of the saw, that is why it is not a rigid square fence to the blade cut.Quote:
Originally Posted by petej
I agree, look at how it is attached, then look at ways to either add a sacrificial fence or either build a new one or buy a new one.
There are tons of ideas on the web for DIY table saw fences and depending on how often you are going to use it, along with what you will use it for, a DIY fence maybe the way to go. If you think you will be using it a LOT and for big projects, then I would be looking at buying a new Table Saw.
There are Table Fence Clamps that are designed for DIY fences, you simply drill two holes in the top of the fence and clamp them to your existing fence. This way the clamps don't get in the way when cutting wood. This way you can have any length you want.
These are the clamps
Miter Gauges & Clamps - Fence Clamp
A very good source for almost anything is Pinterest. Take a look here for some DIY Fence Ideas
https://au.pinterest.com/search/pins...yped&term_meta[]=tablesaw%7Ctyped&term_meta[]=fence%7Ctyped
Hope this helps
No need for gluing. Some of the fences have holes that are designed just for screwing plywood fence. You can use half of the holes for one side and another half for opposite. You will need corresponding holes for the screws. In any case you cannot make it worst.Quote:
Originally Posted by petej
Throw a couple of C-clamps on it and clamp it down, you could also put a 3/4" plywood on the back side to stiffen it up.
as per your description the standard fence on these saws are more for quick cuts and not for fine accuracy, would advise you put a peace of melamine on the side where you do your cutting to make the surffuce have less friction and tighten it through your old fence with machine screws. counter sink the screw heads in the melamine, i did it a while ago with an old saw and works fineQuote:
Originally Posted by petej
16mm or 5/8" melamine is very sturdy for this application
Although I haven't implemented the project the embedded YouTube video gives the most direct answer to your question:
"How To" Turn a Crappy Table Saw into a Good One - create a new surface and fence that moves under more control
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6_O9AeQQHc
Regards, Klaus
Lots of good comments here, Pete, but they all boil down to this:
How does the existing fence clamp to the table? What mechanism is there to adjust the fence to make (and keep) it parallel to the saw blade?
I started out with an old Craftsman contractor's saw. That fence clamped very securely to the table, so I was good there. If your saw's fence clamps securely so it won't move, then you're halfway there. If not, it gets harder with the simplest solution the "clamp a fence to the table" solution mentioned above, or otherwise cobble together a better clamping mechanism for the fence.
My problem on that old Craftsman was that the fence was not square to the table, and not square to the blade. I built a long box out of baltic birch plywood that fit over the original fence, rested directly on the table, pivoted at a point roughly in line with the front of the blade, and had a micro-adjust screw at the "nose" on the far end. Because the box was carefully constructed and rested directly on the table, it was always square to the table. After clamping the fence so as to be the proper distance from the blade, I could check the fence for parallel by measuring from the miter slots to the fence, and adjusting as necessary to ensure the fence is parallel. If your miter slots aren't parallel to the blade, then you really need to adjust that as well.
Hi Petej
I had the same problem with a old saw, I found this one and it works great.
Homemade table saw fence
Have fun
Pappyjer
You almost described a fence I made for one of my table saws. Except I used s 2x2 piece of square tubing.
https://www.instructables.com/id/Hom...p-Fence-Build/