Sometimes, it's just a little thing that makes something better

[Jim Becker]

I only had a short time in the shop today due to a few other obligations and errands, so I took those few minutes to do a small task that's been on "the list" for awhile now...replacing the end of the miter bar on my sliding table saw. The end that engages the blade to be specific. I've been running the OEM plastic one since I bought the saw back in the mid-2000s with the exception of a short period of time when I made a wooden one poorly and reverted. The OEM part has gotten too worn and too sloppy. So it's been retired other than for "emergencies" and replaced with a nice piece of oak. A little measuring, a little line drawing, a little cutting with the table saw and band saw, a little refining with a flush cut saw, a chisel and some sandpaper and...we're back to zero clearance business and being flush with the guide fence. :) Sometimes it's the little things!

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[Patrick Walsh]

That’s sweet but you have cnc right. Oh you’d need a multi axis one to make that right?

You should have your buddy scan it an then have them made.

I know that’s one accessory for every slider everyone never replaces when it needs it.

[John TenEyck]

Why can't you just put a piece over the front of the fence, and then just slide it sideways as the end gets chewed up? I have no clue about sliders so maybe that's not possible, but there ought to be some simple solution.

[Rick Potter]

That depends on what kind of stops are on the fence, John. Some are the flip type which take what Jim just built. They use the actual fence to set the workpiece against. You make the sacrificial piece fit the fence, like above, and the lower part for the blade is to clear the blade guard.

Others have the spring loaded lever that springs out from a bracket to form the stop, and shove back into the bracket if the stop is not used, like when you use two stops for two different measurements. The bracket itself is half an inch or so in thickness, and you can make any height sacrificial piece as long as it is the same thickness as the bracket.

Just to be different, my MM 310 Smart uses both types, flip ups on the big crosscut fence, and levers on the short crosscut fence. My old Felder also used the levers.

[Jim Becker]

That’s sweet but you have cnc right. Oh you’d need a multi axis one to make that right?

You should have your buddy scan it an then have them made.

I know that’s one accessory for every slider everyone never replaces when it needs it.

I could have done this on the CNC no problem, Patrick. No scanning is necessary...it's a simple two sided cut. It was just faster to use the already sized piece of oak I made a number of years ago with a few quick saw cuts. I likely will create a CNC version at some point, however. Love my CNC, but my small hand saws and chisels still get appropriate work. :)


Why can't you just put a piece over the front of the fence, and then just slide it sideways as the end gets chewed up? I have no clue about sliders so maybe that's not possible, but there ought to be some simple solution.

The stops are unusable if you put a sacrificial fence in place. I only use one when I'm cutting with the blade tilted so I have a reference for the cut line and then I use blocks and clamps for stops.

[Derek Cohen]

This is what I did recently, Jim. It is indeed a small addition, but makes such a big difference.

I still need to trim mine down so as to lower the blade ...

https://i.postimg.cc/0yfwT6DT/FF2a.jpg
Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Becker]

I left mine tall for now, Derek, as it's rare I use the over blade guard because it can't be used for non-through cuts, given it attaches to the riving knife. The OEM piece is only about 20mm tall for the last 30mm or so of its length.

[Bob Riefer]

....with the exception of a short period of time when I made a wooden one poorly and reverted....

This was my favorite part. It somehow makes me feel good to know that guys at your level once in awhile do something poorly, and have to do it twice, like guys at my level :-)

(Side note... the major difference being, that this is basically how EVERYTHING goes for me at this stage of the game)

[Jim Becker]

I appreciate your confidence, Bob, but I make a LOT of mistakes. I've just tried become a little more skilled in hiding them. :) :D Sometimes I'm successful; sometimes, well...nope. :o

[Joe Calhoon]

I did something similar to Jim when I fitted a Felder short fence to my T17. I made a tight fitting shaft to go inside the extrusion then have a replaceable add on block for the chipbreaker. I was going to screw the shaft to the fence but it fits tight and doesn’t move. I slide the fence out of the way for ripping a lot and have a setting gauge to reset the stops.
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[John TenEyck]

Now that's a clever approach, Joe, and could easily be adapted to what you made Jim. Just cut away maybe 1/2" of your piece between the extrusion and blade and screw a piece of 1/2" wood, UHMW, etc. to it. Slot it and it could be extended as needed. Or just replace it.

John

[Jim Becker]

Joe, the piece for the fence end does indeed go into the extrusion...about three inches so nothing like that "fence post" you show :D ...and I was very careful to size that so it was just barely snug and couldn't move laterally. I actually had to put a little material back ON the 'tenon' to make that so. A nice long tenon into the extrusion is absolutely the way to do it and the OEM was similar...but sloppy. I decided today that I'm going to make a replacement for the end of the fence on my outrigger, too. It's not as bad as the smaller one was on the miter fence, but it's not as precise as I want it to be. The size is different, so new stock will need to be assembled to fit the task.

[Derek Cohen]

Here is the way I did it for the Hammer K3 (I did post this at another time).

The material used is UHMW.

A plug was made for the fence. The was secured by a screw from inside the track above ...

https://i.postimg.cc/qMpp0Vr8/3a.jpg

The bolt is M8 ..

https://i.postimg.cc/kg496QBG/4a.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/B6WGVRNP/7a.jpg

I need to recess the bolt head and lower the fence extension to clear the blade guard, which is at full height currently.

The next step is to make a few more, especially for angles, such as 45 degrees.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Becker]

I like the way you did that Derek.

[Joe Calhoon]

Joe, the piece for the fence end does indeed go into the extrusion...about three inches so nothing like that "fence post" you show :D ...and I was very careful to size that so it was just barely snug and couldn't move laterally. I actually had to put a little material back ON the 'tenon' to make that so. A nice long tenon into the extrusion is absolutely the way to do it and the OEM was similar...but sloppy. I decided today that I'm going to make a replacement for the end of the fence on my outrigger, too. It's not as bad as the smaller one was on the miter fence, but it's not as precise as I want it to be. The size is different, so new stock will need to be assembled to fit the task.

Jim, you should try the 2 piece chipbreaker. It is easier to build and easier to get a precise flush fit with the add on front piece. I made extras of the front piece but still on the first one I made. My fence can be adjusted sideways and the scale also so I can freshen it a little when needed. With this adjustability also possible to do angles using the chipbreaker and fence scale.
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[Jim Becker]

Joe, that's a truly good idea and your photo shows one reason why...miters with zero clearance on the fence. I'll have to put together a little machining project to create a mounting system like that. The fence on my saw doesn't "extend" when swung for a miter cut, so the portion that goes to the blade would have to be longer and custom. Interchangable is a boon for that! Sometime to do in between personal and client projects during "the lockdown". :) :D