Kreg Bandsaw Fence Question

[Ken Casser]

I put the Kreg Fence on my 28-203 and it's terrific. One question. The rail extends quite far to the left - a good bit of it is therefore unusable. What has anyone else done about this? I'm thinking of 1) cutting it off, or 2) redrilling the holes so that the fence will have more on the right side. I hesitate doing either, but every time I change my blade, I have to tilt the table to get the rail out of the way of the lower wheel cover or I can't get the blade off. Or, 3) did I install it wrong?

Thanks. BTW, I've been playing with cutting through dovetails on the bandsaw as in Bird's book, and I find it much, much better even than using my router with the Incra joinery system (which is also terrific). Fewer limitations, and a tighter joint. One 'improvement' that I've added (maybe someone else has done it before me but I haven't seen it) is to make a taper jig for cutting the tails. It works great. Let me know if anyone has a better idea, or if you want more info. PS - Please don't be tooo critical of the joint. It's my third attempt. A touch more practice and I think I'll have it! I need to make the pins and tails a bit proud of the surface, and tighten up the angles a bit, sand them off and they should be great. Also, I'm sure cutting them by hand would be even better, but my eyes don't allow me to see in 3D, and I can't chisel to save my life. I can't putt either. :D

[Lee Schierer]

I don't have the Kreg fence for my BS, but I have the Fast Track that was it's predecessor. My fence has a two piece support for the fence so I can adjust the guide bar for the fence further left or right than the Kreg Fence. I would suggest drilling a couple of new holes to center it up on your table rather than cutting it. Cutting it is permanent. Drilling a couple of new holes lets you go back where you were if you don't like it or need the adjustment the old way for some reason.

[Clint Schlosser]

I have this same fence installed on my 12" jet bandsaw and you are right it does make blade changes difficult. I would agree that drilling new holes might help solve the problem. I have other tracking issues with my bandsaw so the fence is least of my concerns and I fear I will just be selling the saw before I attempt to fix the fence.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Hmm. I don't have any problems with the Kreg fence being in the way on my Delta 28-276. And the bottom door has plenty of room to swing open.

Maybe some photos would help us?

Paul

[Maurice Ungaro]

I have the same set up as Paul, and agree with him - send us photos.

[Ken Casser]

Thank you everyone. I took a closer look last night, and although redrilling the holes is an option, the downside of that is that the rail would then protrude a good five or six inches to the right. I'm sure I'd take it in the gut more than once while working around the saw.

Photos are a great idea - I'll take some tonight and post them tomorrow. To clarify, the rail isn't in the way of the door. The only time it's an issue is when changing blades. With the blade off the wheels but still running through the table cutout, I have to either tilt the table to get the blade around the open lower door, or twist it uncomfortably to remove it from between the door and the rail. If the rail was even with the left end of the table, and the door was open, the blade would simply come straight out from the left blade guard and rotate around the axis of the throat plate to remove it.

Clint - have you been reading up on how to solve the tracking issues? I'm not familiar with the Jet, but in tuning up my recently-bought-1992 Delta 14", I had similar problems, and was able to find great solutions here on SMC, in Lonnie Bird's book and from Louis Iturra. There may be hope what with new tires, coplanar wheels, shimming, etc.

[Clint Schlosser]

I have done a fairly thorough review of all the tune up techniques. The basic problem, that is difficult to describe in words, is the top wheel adjustments. Its near impossible to get the blade on and have it align properly due to the design.

I will take some pictures of my setup and show what I mean. I can at the same time also show the issue when replacing a blade with the fence.

[Ken Casser]

You know better than me! But, if other people have had the same issue, there must be a solution out there somewhere. Have you posted it as a separate issue? I'm not sure if anyone would find it on this thread.

If you could post photos of the rail/door issue, that would be terrific. I can't get to it until much later. (work always gets in the way...:()

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Oh! I understand now.

Yes, I do have to do that as well and it can be a bit annoying at times. I just try to be careful and not to mess up any of the teeth when removing or reinstalling blades.

Sorry I couldn't provide a better solution for you.

Paul


To clarify, the rail isn't in the way of the door. The only time it's an issue is when changing blades. With the blade off the wheels but still running through the table cutout, I have to either tilt the table to get the blade around the open lower door, or twist it uncomfortably to remove it from between the door and the rail. If the rail was even with the left end of the table, and the door was open, the blade would simply come straight out from the left blade guard and rotate around the axis of the throat plate to remove it.

[Ken Casser]

Thanks, Paul! Yeah, I try to be very careful, but between the rail and the door, (tilting the table up, then down), the guides, the dust chute which I have to open, slip the blade out of and then close, and rotating the blade in the throat to line it up with the slot in the table, it's a mean trick to get the blades on and off. The rail makes it so that I wish I had four hands instead of just three to remove the blade.:eek::eek:

[J. Greg Jones]

Ken, FWIW I open both doors, pull the blade off the wheels and then with my right hand I hold the left side of the blade up under the table, almost as if I am trying to stick the blade to the bottom of the table. I then close the lower door with my left hand and the blade will then clear the rail easily.

I can completely remove the blade with the lower door open, but I have to put an 'S' twist in it to get it to clear the top of the door and the fence rail-easier to just close the door.

[Ken Casser]

Greg, What's the right side of the blade doing while you're doing this? Is it clear of all the guides, dust chute, etc? Maybe I wasn't clearing the right side of the blade enough before working on the left side.

[Chris Rosenberger]

I have the Kregg fence on my Delta band saw. I enlarged my table to solve both issues.

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o303/chrisrosenb/100_0827.jpg

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o303/chrisrosenb/100_0829.jpg

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o303/chrisrosenb/100_0828.jpg

[Ken Casser]

Wow, Chris! That is nice. A very creative solution that also gives you a significantly larger work surface. What wood did you use for the supports under the table?

[Chris Rosenberger]

Thank you Ken.
I used red oak. Any wood will work. I just happened to have the oak on hand.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Ken, FWIW I open both doors, pull the blade off the wheels and then with my right hand I hold the left side of the blade up under the table, almost as if I am trying to stick the blade to the bottom of the table. I then close the lower door with my left hand and the blade will then clear the rail easily.

I can completely remove the blade with the lower door open, but I have to put an 'S' twist in it to get it to clear the top of the door and the fence rail-easier to just close the door.

Ah! Now that's a good idea. I'll have to try this at the next blade change.


I have the Kregg fence on my Delta band saw. I enlarged my table to solve both issues.


I really like that! Maybe one of these days I'll find some time to do the same to my BS. :D

Paul

[J. Greg Jones]

Greg, What's the right side of the blade doing while you're doing this? Is it clear of all the guides, dust chute, etc? Maybe I wasn't clearing the right side of the blade enough before working on the left side.

The blade is clear of everything, just as if I was about to turn it 90* and remove it from the machine.

Also, I don't know if you have the micro-adjuster or not, but it is one reason why the rail extends so far to the left. The adjuster mounts on the rail also, and it needs a few inches to the left of the fence. If you ever want to use one, that's something to consider before cutting the rail.

[Ken Casser]

Bingo! That's the reason the fence goes so far. I didn't know that. I thought it was to accommodate other, larger saws. Thanks for the follow up!

Ken

[Lance Norris]

Ken... I have the Kreg fence on my small bandsaw. I have a small basement shop and the spot I picked for this bandsaw to sit, the fence rail was in the way of a doorway. I mounted the rail on the back side of the table. Everything works fine, you just have to mount the fence backwards on the "head". Might be a different solution to your problem.

[Ken Casser]

Thanks, Lance! That's also an interesting and creative solution, and easy to achieve.:)