Making a tablesaw fence longer

[Rusty Eads]

I started a thread yesterday about my progress on a walker turner cabinet saw and I had mentioned that I would post about how I made my old delta fence fit the saw. Well here is my solution to the problem of the too short fence. Sides are walnut and the middle is maple. It slides on prettily tightly and can be bolted through the original fence for added security. I can remove it and replace it with any other fence jig or the through holes allow me to attach jigs straight to this one. I thought about just bolting a straight board to the original fence but thought this added a bit of class plus a little more rigidity. Definitely not in league with a beismeyer or the likes but it is straight, rigid, and glides smooth so in other words it works. Maybe one of these days I will add an aftermarket fence but if this works I will be very hard pressed to spend the money.

Now that I have shown my modifications, what other modifications have people done to their fences? Either to make them work on a different saw or to make them work better.

[Jay Allen]

How much "too short" was it?

Do you realize that European table saws all have "short" rip fences by law? They actually go just beyond the blade. This is to prevent binding caused by ripping solid wood that is wanting to "open" in the kerf.

The only place you can push the stock against the fence is before the blade anyway, after that it is just riding there, and of no help to you.

[Rusty Eads]

My fence stopped just before midway of the blade. On this particular saw the back of the blade is just a couple of inches from the rear of the saw anyways so I extended the fence to there. Only about 2 inches of the fence actually extends past the blade if it were raised completely.

[John Messinger]

A long fence is nice when attempting to straighten a board. I clamp a 6 foot level to my Unifence when I need something longer.

[glenn bradley]

I added an extension to my old contractor's saw fence. The added control for sheet goods came in handy. The saw (and my working with sheet goods) has since moved on but, it was very handy and helped a lot with large sheet control.

[Mike Harrison]

Well done, wood faces should last for many years. I rolled my own fence years ago and used White Oak faces and still working well.

[Chip Lindley]

Good Job Rusty! Many forget that everything does not have to be "store-bought" off the shelf. If a shop-made modification saves bucks and works as intended, it's a good day! Your walnut-maple fence adds a little warmth to cold cast iron.

[Rusty Eads]

Chip I have to agree. I was in the shop and got to use the saw for its first project and everytime I walked by it I would look at it and think "man that just completes it" It works and I think it looks great doing it.