Bandsaw fence problem. Any ideas?

[Charles LaMont]

Rookie here. Got a new Shopfox W1706. Everything's great except the fence. When I lock it down, any sideways pressure from the work piece moves the fence. If I press down hard on the cam lever, the fence stays in position when I push on it, but of course I can't do that while I'm actually sawing something. Is this something I can adjust?

The fence locked down fine the first day I used it, though it was very hard to slide when unlocked. Then suddenly it became very easy to slide when unlocked, and also easy to slide when locked. Since that's a change I figure there must be something I can do to make it work right.

Thanks, all.

[John Sanford]

Rookie here. Got a new Shopfox W1706. Everything's great except the fence. When I lock it down, any sideways pressure from the work piece moves the fence. If I press down hard on the cam lever, the fence stays in position when I push on it, but of course I can't do that while I'm actually sawing something. Is this something I can adjust?

The fence locked down fine the first day I used it, though it was very hard to slide when unlocked. Then suddenly it became very easy to slide when unlocked, and also easy to slide when locked. Since that's a change I figure there must be something I can do to make it work right.

Thanks, all.

Sounds like there is probably a set screw in there that holds the locking lever in that has vibrated loose. Pull the fence off and look for it. If so, snug it up a bit, reinstall, test, repeat. Once you have a "workable" setting, figure some way of marking it, pull the setscrew, dab it with a wee bit of BLUE threadlock, reinstall. That should keep it from working loose again. IF there's no set screw, you're on your own. :p (Well, unless the lever itself just needs to be screwed in a bit and threadlocked.)

[Nick Decker]

I don't know that saw, but if you can't figure out a way to secure the fence look for a way to clamp it in place.

Also, Google Carter Bandsaw Fence. They make one that is held in place with magnets.

[Charles LaMont]

Well it took some sniffing, but John put me on the right track. It was a set screw in the slider pads - it'd backed all the way out so the pad wasn't contacting the rail. I tightened it back, and it's good now, but the screw can be screwed with just fingertips, so as soon as I use the saw again it'll loosen up again. I figure blue threadlocker will fix that and let me break it when the pad wears down, but figured I'd ask if anyone with more experience knows if that's a bad idea?

Thanks for the solve!