Incra TS-LS Issues

[Jasun Brown]

I recently purchased the Incra TS-LS with the 52" rails. Took some time but got in on the saw with no major issues.
Question/issue is the slide seems to be very stiff. Do other Incra users have the same issue?
When I slide the fence in or out from the blade it's a real chore. I had a Bies clone before the Incra and it slid almost effortlessly..
Am I missing something? Other than it being really pretty, I am not overly impressed with the system, and I paid a bunch for it.
Do other Incra users have tips/tricks??

[Van Huskey]

I am gettng ready to buy mine so I can not help you with setup but the Incra fences that I have used have a lot less friction than a Beis. I am pretty sure something is amiss.

[Michael Drew]

Ya, that happened to me too. It’s your rails. You have them at an angle to the saw top. If you think about it, the mounting bolts are only about 20” apart or so. If you are a 1/64” crooked from one end of the saw to the other, at the end of the rail it severe. You’ll also want to support those rails, even though Incra tells you that you don’t have to.

[Jasun Brown]

I have the long rails so it came with the legs. I will check to make sure my rails are set right. Do they need to be square to the saw??

[Dan Forman]

It shouldn't bind at all if set up correctly. You end up adjusting the height of the fence twice. The first time, with the cardboard spacers provided - this is done with the fence near the miter slot. This is where you set the fore and aft locking thingies.

The second adjustment is done with the assembly retracted to about 30 inches from the blade. This is where you loosen the screws that hold the fence to the assembly, let gravity pull it down so that it rests on the locking thingies, then re-tighten the screws to lock it in place. This should now let you slide the fence in and out without binding.

A coat of paste wax on the sliding surfaces will add to the overall smoothness of operation.

Check to make sure you have done this correctly, I didn't the first time, and experienced some binding, as well as the fence riding quite high when set for a wider cut. Now it is very easy to set at any location. To minimize any binding, you should move it from near the "T" rather than from the end like you would the Beis.

Just read your last question. The rails should be parallel to the saw table.

Dan

[Chris Rosenberger]

I bought one with the long rails 5 years ago & I have had it on 2 different table saws. I have never had a problem with it sliding. I set it up following the manual.

[Michael Schapansky]

Mine also works very smoothly (as long as it isn't gunked up with sawdust). I love the precision, repeatability and absolute accuracy of the Incra system.

[Tom Hintz]

A friend of mine has this same system and it ws hard to move the fence initially, more so towards one end. We eventually found that the rails were not parallel to each other for some reason on the saw. We wound up putting about 1/16" spacer behind one of the mounts after measuring across the rails and that fixed it.

[Dan Galcik]

I had the same problem when setting mine up. Make sure the rails are perfectly level with the tabletop, then adjust the fence as Dan Forman describes. But the rails must be level first or the fence will never ride smoothly.

[Brian J Smith]

I just got my Incra TS System yesterday and installed it, and I was having the binding problem as well. I followed the well written instructions provided by INCRA (and great packaging) I was very frustrated, and viewed this thread went back and tried checking if the rails and the saw top were parallel to each other and they were not, it's not as smooth as I would like but it's getting closer, and I can do the full range of 32" now.

More later as I tune it in, but I do plan on getting the legs, you need them for the 32" and I am sure you would need them for the 52".

Bjs

[James Evers]

Wow that system looks really nice. It may be something to add to the table saw I get.

[Michael Drew]

If the rails dip or rise (go out of parallel to table) toward the ends where the LS positioner is, what happens is when you have it set up as Dan mentioned with the spacers, as you move the fence towards the positioner, it either wants to force presser down, onto the rails or lift away from the rails pulling on the rail clips. Either case will cause it to bind.

I learned this the hard way when I mounted an infield table and secured it to the rails; instead of supporting it first, then securing it to the rails. Also make sure you build the in field table as close to the exact table saw top width as you can or it makes it difficult to remove the fence and reinstall it. It took some fiddling, but I’m very happy with the way it slides now.

[Brian Tymchak]

Great thread! I just got my TSLS package and haven't set it up yet. This is great info I will keep in mind..

BTW, did anyone else have the same feeling I had when I opened the boxes?? All that gold anodized aluminum.. pieces and parts packed into every square inch.. I felt like a 6 year old on Christmas morning opening up the Deluxe version of the latest and greatest toy... Can't wait to get the current project done so I play with it..:D

Brian (49 going on 6)

[jason lambert]

Mind did bind a little once I lubed the top of the rails with some teflon where it rides and other areas where it rides it helped alot also make sure you loosen and alwas tighen the thumb screw on the frount part of the fence when moving. Also make sure the fence is not riding on the table itself.

[Jasun Brown]

I messed with my Incra system a bit a few nights ago. Found that I had used a thinner washer on one mount than on the other so I was 1/16 narrower at one end than the other. I fixed that problem but still not at smooth as I think it should be.
I will check the level of the table to the rails. I am using a shop fox table saw so I am guessing that my tables may not be as exact as a non-clone type saw.
I do like using the LS positioner, moving my fenced a 1/32 is really cool.

I purchased through Amazon and mine came slightly damaged, one of the long rails was crushed on the end. I did not try and return as it is on the underside on the left of the blade so merely cosmetic, BUT!! Packaging could have been better for the rails.
I will keep fiddling with it and hopefully I will get the results from this tool, which is why I purchased it over other brands.
It is pretty though, can't take that away from the TL-LS

[Larry Maykin]

I have had the 32 inch fence for some time and had no problems with it at all... I am in the process of ordering the LS17 Router table set up... will be set then...:D

[Jeff Brandenburg]

I recently purchased the Incra TS-LS with the 52" rails. Took some time but got in on the saw with no major issues. Question/issue is the slide seems to be very stiff. Do other Incra users have the same issue? When I slide the fence in or out from the blade it's a real chore. I had a Bies clone before the Incra and it slid almost effortlessly..Am I missing something? Other than it being really pretty, I am not overly impressed with the system, and I paid a bunch for it.Do other Incra users have tips/tricks??I used my TS-LS for years without issues but over time it became stiffer and stiffer and started making a grinding noise when I would slide it. I searched forums and couldn't really get a handle on how to sort things out, until I saw a couple comments that said to just really carefully follow the instructions. I had built a router table into the side extension table area of my table saw, and I think it was in the taking apart of the TS-LS during this time that things got out of alignment.I found the original instructions and followed them step by step. I aligned the mounting cross piece first so that it would slide effortlessly by itself, which required flipping it over because I couldn't tighten the screws underneath because of the extension table. I moved the fence the whole assembly to about 37 inches from the near rail brackets, with all the screws loose, then put the cardboard shims under the fence and tightened the little outrigger sliding bracket thingies that the fence rides on. Then I slid the fence back to within four inches of the positioner and tightened the screws that hold the fence to the long arm with the rulers on it.My big issue was a grinding noise when sliding it in and out of the positioner. It turns out that there are shims behind the metal spring with the rack gear thing on it that clamps against the threaded rod. Those shims had slid down over time so that when I clamped it, it put pressure against the lower part of the rack gear and over time that pressure slid the metal spring piece forward toward the middle of the positioner. I removed the shims, removed the four screws holding the metal spring in, bored them out a bit so I could slide the metal spring outward toward the clamp, reinstalled everything, and tested. No more grinding of the rod against the rack gear, but when fully extended, the fence was a tad looser, meaning I could move it and rack it a bit even when clamped. The instructions say to always clamp the front outrigger thingie when cutting, and by doing this the fence is rock solid. I think I'll experiment with adding more shims to find a sweet spot with more clamping pressure but without so much that it starts grinding again. Incidentally, the instructions that came with the TS-LS didn't mention shims. Luckily I had a buddy helping me trying to figure out what was causing the grinding, and he was standing on the back side of the extension table and so had a view of the black, UHMW plastic piece with the 1/8" allen insert and the shims behind it. Hope this helps somebody with similar issues. If you dig out your installation instructions and follow them to a T in the order that they are written, binding and other issues should be solved.

[Christopher Charles]

I've had one for ten years + with no issues. Mine has the long rails and does not have legs, though they are set somewhat to the left b/c I have a router table set up to the left of the blade. Good system, the only thing I'd change is that I'd go metric if I were to do again. Does take up a bunch of room though since the center arm sticks out the side.

Good luck and enjoy.
Chris

[ChrisA Edwards]

I see the two replies today were in response to an 11 year old thread.

[Clint Baxter]

I've had one for ten years + with no issues. Mine has the long rails and does not have legs, though they are set somewhat to the left b/c I have a router table set up to the left of the blade. Good system, the only thing I'd change is that I'd go metric if I were to do again. Does take up a bunch of room though since the center arm sticks out the side.

Good luck and enjoy.
Chris

FWIW, Incra sells a conversion kit for the TS-LS to change it to metric. I did mine several years ago when I went to metric.

Clint

[ChrisA Edwards]

Yes, did mine about a year ago, pretty straight forward


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkyRYVj6aL0

[Bob Potter]

I have a Incra 25" L.S. positioner and really enjoyed the video on changing over to metric. It helped me see just how it is put together. Always amazes me how it you follow the templates and go step by step it all works together. There are some very smart people who figure this all out. Except for taking up extra room the Incra system can really make some beautiful dovetails and box joints plus al the normal routing jobs..
Bob