Hello All,
Newbie to this forum, but a woodworker for more years than you can shake a stick at! Steve Maskery's post, quote below, made me think....
Steve Maskery":37j1ihu4 said:
Hi all
I've always used a full-length fence on my tablesaw, but I know that some people prefer a short fence, finishing just behind the front edge of the blade. I gather that the theory is that wood is less likely to get trapped twist blade and fence.
I'm planning to make an auxilliary short fence for mine, for ripping, but use the standard long fence for non-severing cuts.....
So my Q is, which do you use, short or long?
Cheers
Steve
Amongst other machines, I use a locally-bought (NW "Green" Spain) contractor saw with a galvanised steel table and 330mm blade. Haven't had any problems at all, it rips and crosscuts as accurately as I need.
It didn't have any kind of fence so I made a full-length one which clamps at either end using a piece of threaded rod. As there's no guide bar on which to slide a triangular frame, the "parallelity" between guide and blade is somewhat arbitrary!
The inevitable happened a couple of weeks ago -the dreaded kickback- despite still having the saw's original riving knife fitted. As I never stand in the line of fire, no injury, but a stightly 'dinged' sawtable. Now have table top removed for 'un-dinging' and whilst it's dissembled I'm going to reinforce under the blade aperture to help stop noise/vibration.
NOW (thank heavens, they say!) to the point:-
I would like to improve the fence, possibly making a short/extendable one? I would need to make some sort of bar or rail on which to slide it and a clamping mechanism of some sort.
If anyone out there has made a successful job of a contractor saw upgrade, I'd like to have details, please.
It will HAVE to be made- buying is out of the question at present due to parity between Euro and Pound (my pensions are paid from UK!)