investing in Incra LS for table saw

[tom coleman]

I have pretty much convinced myself to buy the Incra LS table saw system and am debating where to install the router table option left or right of the blade. Another question which version should I buy.......17 inch travel or 25 inch travel? I am recently retired and will use this toy to make mostly small boxes, drawers and perhaps some toys for grandchildren. Would appreciate any comments by any of you who have gone this bumpy rode

I am installing the system on Sears 10" hybrid saw 22124 configured with Biesemeyer fence with 6 foot rails. Will try and sell Biesemeyer and rails via Craigs List or Creek's Classified.......what would be a good price?

Thanks

[Ray Chalenski]

Hi Tom. Have you checked out the systems made by Jointech yet? I have the fence system installed on my router table and I really like it. I checked out Incra and Jointech and I was more impressed with the Jointech dust control. Quality and customer service is also excellent:)

[Mike Thomas]

Tom, I have been using the Incra system for several years now on my Unisaw. There are deffinately plusses and minuses with this system. On the good side very high level of accuracy and repeatability. If you are going to be making lots of small parts it works very good for that type of operation. On the bad side if you are going to be cutting a lot of large sheet goods it is some what cumbersome for that. On which one to get I would definately get the large capacity one. I find that this is not enough some times and forces you to move the bridge. I have my router on the left side of the blade but if I had it to do over I would rather it be on the right side and in a position such that you don't have to move the bridge to use your router. Setting up an out feed table is also a little bet more of an issue as the Incra has a rail on back side of the table. All in all I would do it again.

[David Giles]

I have an Incra LS 32" installed on the saw with the router table on the left side.

For saw use, the 32" has been perfect for 99% of the cuts. Many cabinet pieces are over 24" wide/long, but most are under 32" wide/long. If you are use to 6 ft rails, you may find the smaller Incra fences too limiting.

For router table use, a 17" size should be adequate. Most joints require routing one piece on end. Any piece over 17" wide is probably 3-6 ft long which is too long for end routing IMHO. Better to use a dovetail jig for these big case pieces.

Left or right side mounting. Either works. Left side mounting lets you stand in front of the fence. Right side mounting uses some of that "wasted" space that the Incra arm requires. Both will require you to move the support platform to get a full range of cut. It takes about a minute. Again, the 32" LS could be set up to give you 32" of saw capacity and maybe 8-10" of router capacity using the right side and without moving the bridge.

How about the 17" LS as a separate stand alone router table?

[Chris Konikowski]

The bessey is probably worth about $75 shipped to Tx.....particularly my address.... :)

[Mike Sandman]

I've had a 32" Incra LS III fence (an older model than the current version) for about 15 years, first on a Delta contractor's saw and now on a Jet cabinet saw. The best feature is the ability to repeat cuts accurately. 32" has been adequate for almost everything except cutting a 4 x 8 sheet, and it's a problem there only because I haven't built good infeed and outfeed tables. The fence holds solidly in place even witha heavy sheet if you lock it down to the rails. It's an excellent choice -- I put transferred it to the Jet cabinet saw even though the Jet came witha pretty good Beisemeyer-style fence. I'd get the longest set of rails and the largest extension you have room for.

I had an Incra router extension table to the left of the Delta and now it's to the right on the Jet. It's a bit easier to use on the left, IMHO, but either way you can use the fence with it and get perfect repeatability and precise adjustment.

Mike

[Jonathan Spool]

My 17" LS mounts to my tablesaw via two mag switches. I use it mostly for the right side mounted router extension, but when I want to do small precision cutting, I flip the LS around, line it up with the Beisemeyer, lock down the mag switches, and get the beis out of the way.
I'm not willing to give up my Beisemeyer as it is just too acurate and fast for regular work.

Jonathan

[joseph j shields]

I have the Incra on my UniSaw and love it.

I was tired of banging my old fence back and forth and back again and forth again.... never getting it exact :-( And never being able to repeat a cut.

Now, with the Incra, I simply set the rail to the dimension I need and cut.

The comments are true about pushing big pieces of plywood... this can be difficult and dangerous regardless of what fence you are using. (That's why I use a guided circular saw to cut large pieces of plywood rather than my table saw)

It is perfect!


-jj

[John Sanford]

I have pretty much convinced myself to buy the Incra LS table saw system and am debating where to install the router table option left or right of the blade. Another question which version should I buy.......17 inch travel or 25 inch travel? I am recently retired and will use this toy to make mostly small boxes, drawers and perhaps some toys for grandchildren. Would appreciate any comments by any of you who have gone this bumpy rode

I am installing the system on Sears 10" hybrid saw 22124 configured with Biesemeyer fence with 6 foot rails. Will try and sell Biesemeyer and rails via Craigs List or Creek's Classified.......what would be a good price?

Thanks


I've a 25" TS-III on a Delta Contractor's Saw, with a router table in the left wing position. Go with the largest you can fit in your space. The tail of the Incra will stick out on wide cuts. As for the table, I like mine on an unobstructed end, hence the left wing position I do a lot of cuts on the RT using a bearing guided bit with simply a starter pin, so I don't have to move the fence. Moving the fence, which as noted can be avoided by putting the RT into the right wing, is a minor nuiscance, but that's all. Of course, IIRC, it's not like moving the RT from one wing to another would really be that big of a deal if you don't like your first choice.

One thing I'd recommend is getting a bunch of the T-nuts that fit into the various slots of the rails. Earlier this week, I had to rig up a temporary fence on the left side of the blade for a bevel cut (I have a right tilt saw). I used a pair of T-nuts that fit into the TOP slot of the Incra rails to make a pair of stops, as every time I tried to clamp the fence it would shift. By putting the stops behind the fence, I was able to control the shift into the stops and voila, the fence stayed put. (I'm going to miss that massive chunk of 4x4 oak when it finally makes it into a new workbench base....) If I had a third set of the special Incra hardware in the rails for the fence base, I'd have it set so I could use the Incra fence on the left side of the blade. hmmmm, maybe I should look into getting another set of those critters.

One more thing. Don't sell the Bies until after you've spent some time working with the Incra, just in case the Incra isn't your cup o' tea.

[Vic Damone]

I agree with Mr. Shields (the beave). Still, I'd suggest getting familiar with the Incra before selling the knuckle knocker. For me, giving up all that table space to the Incra's bridge was the most difficult aspect. The upside is the saws table is no longer cluttered.

After zeroing the fence for blade changes, trusting the scale and not your tape measure may take a few minutes to get used to.

With both ends of the fence locked down (not something you'll normally do) I clamp on a six foot aluminum extrusion biased towards the infeed. Along with an adequate outfeed table cutting sheet goods is a snap.

[joseph j shields]

I agree with Mr. Shields (the beave). Still, I'd suggest getting familiar with the Incra before selling the knuckle knocker. For me, giving up all that table space to the Incra's bridge was the most difficult aspect. The upside is the saws table is no longer cluttered.

After zeroing the fence for blade changes, trusting the scale and not your tape measure may take a few minutes to get used to.

With both ends of the fence locked down (not something you'll normally do) I clamp on a six foot aluminum extrusion biased towards the infeed. Along with an adequate outfeed table cutting sheet goods is a snap.


I agree with Vic :D The big moment of truth for me was the first time I set the rail and just cut... without pulling out my tape or rule to measure the distance from the fence to the blade.

I am happy to say, I have not used the tape or rule on my table saw for 3+ years & I'm luvin it!!!

-jj