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Philip Florio
12-28-2008, 12:06 PM
Hi,

I'm looking for recommendations for an inexpensive fence for a miter gauge.

I need a fence 24" wide for dado cuts. I've tried 3/4" birch ply and 1/2 mdf even doubling it up to 1" but it tends to bow.

Thanks,
Phil
Burt Alcantara
12-28-2008, 12:25 PM
I used 2 pieces of 3/4 mdf glued together before I got my Incra 1000SE. Still straight and stiff. No distortion at all.

Burt
joe milana
12-28-2008, 12:46 PM
Philip, make a simple miter (panel) sled...a piece of 1/2" MDF, an adjustable miter bar (incra, etc), and a hardwood fence. Search this site and you will find many ideas. The miter gauges available just seem too "over-engeneered and under built" to me. Lots of "doo-dads" and "gimics" but they are just too light weight when you get into heavier stock or sizeable sheet goods. Sure, they are good for small stock, face frames, etc., and way better than a stock gauge, just not for sheet goods.

-Joe
Joe Chritz
12-28-2008, 12:51 PM
J has got it.

Make a panel sled out of scrap material and go to town.

Joe
Philip Florio
12-28-2008, 12:53 PM
Okay the two 1/2" mdf's aren't glued yet but when I butt them against the miter it flexes.

Phil


I used 2 pieces of 3/4 mdf glued together before I got my Incra 1000SE. Still straight and stiff. No distortion at all.

Burt
Chip Lindley
12-29-2008, 1:05 AM
Not sure what you mean by *flexes* when *butted*.....

Are you sure your 1/2" *MDF* is not particle board underlayment? That would be much less dense than real MDF. Why not try real hardwood instead? What do you have to lose?
Jeff Bratt
12-29-2008, 2:37 AM
Okay the two 1/2" mdf's aren't glued yet but when I butt them against the miter it flexes.

Once glued together, the fence will be about 4 times stiffer. I've made several fences using two pieces of 1/2" MDF laminated together. They work great - pictures here (http://home.roadrunner.com/%7Ejeffnann/WoodWorking/JigsAndFixtures/JigsAndFixtures.html#Miter_Gauge_Fences_and_Stops) . If you really need more stiffness - maybe for a really long fence - you could use 2 x 3/4" MDF. Just make sure that the surface you glue the MDF laminations together on is flat - DAMHIKT.