Fritz and Franz jig for a sliding table saw - getting repeatable and accurate cuts

[Andy Giddings]

Like a lot of sliding table saw users, I made myself a Fritz and Franz jig for accurate cross cuts, parallel rips and smaller work. As much as I would like a Digital Read Out with stops to improve the accuracy of the jig, its just way too expensive for me, and I've always struggled with the idea that you still have to nudge the stop to get a repeatable dimension. I used to have the Incra TS-LS rip fence on my old table saw and loved its repeatability. I didn't want to modify my slider to accept one of these as it would frequently get in the way of other operations.


I was looking at the Incra product range recently and tried a couple of Incra 18 inch track systems with stops included. These give repeatable and accurate cuts either every 1/32 inch or every 1mm by using a toothed indexing system. As I nearly always use metric these days, I went with the mm scales and now get repeatability out to about 450mm width without the expense of Digital Read Out. If I need accurate cuts within a mm (eg 23.5mm) then there is an adjustment screw on the stop that allows for this without messing up the zero setting or the toothed indexing. Total cost was about $105 for the two tracks, the two stops and all of the fasteners. Tracks screw directly onto the top of the Fritz and Franz using wood screws so you can be up and running in no time. Just thought I'd pass this on in case other jig users were experiencing the same challenge

[Frank Martin]

This sounds like a great idea. Can you please post pictures of your setup.

[Brian W Evans]

I'll second that! Pics, please.

[Jeff Bartley]

Third for pics please!

[James Zhu]

Andy, great idea!

I am making my Fritz and Franz jig now, was thinking how to get the accurate cut.

If you do not know what Fritz and Franz is, watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0PyFjtSHrE&t=532s.

What Andy did is to screw the Incra track (http://www.incrementaltools.com/INCRA_Track_System_18_p/tracksys18.htm) on the Fritz and Franz.

[Andy Giddings]

Thanks James - here are some photos showing a scrap of ply cut to 140mm. I'm sure you can make it into a neater setup than mine but I went for simplicity. The accuracy (ie plus/minus the desired dimension) can be improved depending on how much of a perfectionist you are (and how many test cuts you want to make! I'm more interested in repeatability so that I can always go back to the same measurement. When I'm cutting smaller parts, I only use one stop as two get in the way of small cuts. Two stops are necessary for long, narrow work as there isn't sufficient bearing surface to ensure a square cut.

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[David Davies]

Where did you get the green edging on the jigs?

[Andy Giddings]

David, its called Ergosoft, made by a European company called Ostermann https://www.ostermann.eu/en/product/47618. Has some give in it so grips very well - its also the same profile as they used in the original jig. The Ostermann distributor I used in the US is Summa Solutions - no min order but shipping is expensive!

[Brian Backner]

David, its called Ergosoft, ... The Ostermann distributor I used in the US is Summa Solutions - no min order but shipping is expensive!

Hi Andy,

Do you have a web address for Summa Solutions? I Googled the name and all I get is a web commerce site out of Buenos Aires with a US office in Cleveland!

Thanx,

Brian

[Andy Giddings]

Hi Andy,

Do you have a web address for Summa Solutions? I Googled the name and all I get is a web commerce site out of Buenos Aires with a US office in Cleveland!

Thanx,

Brian

Here you go Brian http://summasol.com/. The contact I worked with was John Hines

[David L Morse]

The Green stuff looks pretty nice. I've had good results using a piece of old bicycle inner tube. Availability is good since I seem to have a lifetime supply of them (you never know when you might be able to use something like that :rolleyes:).
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[Jeff Bartley]

Thanks for the pics Andy! Nice set up. What kind of saw do you use?

[Frank Martin]

Looks really nice. I have not yet made my jig and will likely incorporate this.

[Andy Giddings]

David, as you state there are a lot of alternatives and no such thing as the "right" material. I've seen examples that use sandpaper, foam rubber and solid wood edging as examples.

Jeff, the saw is part of a Hammer C3-31 combo machine

[Chris Parks]

A bit of a thread dredge but it may help others, Andy I have looked on the Incra and Incremental tools site but can't see the same fence as you appear to have used, can you link it for me please. Thanks.

[Andy Giddings]

Here you go Chris - you can buy the stop separately or as a kit with a track. Kit is here http://www.incrementaltools.com/INCRA_Track_System_18_p/tracksys18.htm and track only here https://www.incrementaltools.com/INCRA_Track_System_18_Track_ONLY_p/track18.htm

[Chris Parks]

Thanks Andy, I looked at that one and wasn't sure but now I see the slot for adjusting the base.