shortening side rails on table saw

[Bernie May]

Anyone ever cut off the length beyond the cast iron top on their saw? This may seem an odd question, but I don't really need the extra length of the side rails on my ridgid contractors saw. they just take up extra space in my shop. If you did, did you ever regret it?
-bernie

[Ken Higginbotham]

I wonder if they sell replacement rails(parts) if you did need to go back to longer ones?

[Rod Sheridan]

Bernie, as long as your fence doesn't need the extra projection to go to full rip capacity, cut them off.

When I purchased my General 650, I ordered it in 32 inch width because I don't have space for a larger saw. I had to cut both tubes on the Excalibur guard to fit a saw that small.

It's your saw, cut it if you want to........Regards, Rod.

[Ron Knapp]

I checked on mine and the cost was very high even for just the rails.

[Jason White]

If you have the RIDGID TS3650, you could just slide the rails farther to the left.

The only drawback to that is that the measurement markings on the front rail won't be accurate (which I almost never look at anyway).

Jason


Anyone ever cut off the length beyond the cast iron top on their saw? This may seem an odd question, but I don't really need the extra length of the side rails on my ridgid contractors saw. they just take up extra space in my shop. If you did, did you ever regret it?
-bernie

[John Gornall]

25 years ago I bought a new contractor saw and put it in my small shop. The rails front and back stuck out the sides left and right, the motor stuck out the back and I was not happy with the saw. I started looking at other saws. After 2 weeks I sold the contractor saw and bought a nice small saw - Unisaw with Unifence. No back rail at all, motor inside, front rail stuck out 3 inches left which I cut off. I still have that saw - front rail cut back to main table on left, Jessem slider replaced left extension, rail cut down to 36" max cut on the right, folding outfeed table. The whole thing is small compared to most saws. From front of rail to back of table is 30.5 inches and the whole thing is 58 inches wide. Nothing sticks out for me to bump into. Cut your rails!

[Bernie May]

thanks, guys. As soon as I can clear a path to the saw, I am going to cut them back. I may do it in steps - first six inches, wait two months, then cut another six inches. I love this forum.