Moving a shaper fence back

[Mark Bolton]

Hello all,
Has anyone ever drilled and tapped a couple holes back a couple inches from the fence hold down holes on a shaper to facilitate getting the cutter/bit farther from the fence?

I have been doing a lot of dado's with the shaper making drawer parts. Havent had any problems as with a 1/2 straight cutter (router bit) I can get 1/4" or better away from the fence for backs and bottoms. I can however see a lot of applications where I could use a bit more.

At first look the only issues I can see are that I would be tapping the top thickness only (3/8" or so) as there is no thickened area in the casting for a tapped hole. The other issue would be the dust box may hang off the back of the table a bit but could easily be closed on the bottom temporarily. Last concern would be support if any of the fence is overhanging the back of the table.

I realize I can clamp an auxiliary fence but I was thinking something a bit easier, dust collection, as well as offset.

Just a thought,
Mark

[David DeCristoforo]

"Has anyone ever drilled and tapped a couple holes..."

Go for it. Don't waste another thought. Except for the one about checking the location of the holes you drill... don't want to hit a rib in the casting or anything else critical.

[Mark Bolton]

Thanks David,
That was one of my concerns as I think when I reached under there to feel if there was a cast area supporting the factory tap (of course there is) I think I felt a rib heading straight back. I will have to recheck. This may foil my plan.

Mark

[Steve Clardy]

No problem.
Cast drills and taps easily. Just use a dab of oil on your tap before taping.

[Peter Quinn]

Tapping the table is no problem, I tapped mine for both a feeder and an after market fence. I guess I am wondering about the need. Do you feel that moving the fence several inches from a router collet will provide any level of dust collection in reality, particularly for dados where the bit is buried from below into the work? As a wood worker I am more inclined to seek a solution made of wood (like a stiff board clamped to the table). Are you certain that the stock fence is the best option for the work you are doing?

[Mark Bolton]

Peter,
Thanks for the reply, and in a word, no. I was just thinking it would be easier to tap a couple holes but as you say, with a buried bit the fence DC is void.

I often clamp aux. ply fences to the table I guess I just thought sliding the fence back, closing the fence, relocating the two hold downs screws, would be easier than removing the fence entirely, getting two clamps, and so on.

Perhaps I was looking at it more as a speed issue and the fact that I already have a functioning fence that would do the job.

Will have to think about it a bit more tomorrow.

Thanks again,
Mark