sliding table with T fence

[Jerome Zaavy]

Hi,
This is my first post here. I would like to thank you all for the unbelivable amount of infos in here.

I have a question:
I am about to buy a excalibur sliding table to go on a cheap general inter. table saw (until I can afford a real sliding tablesaw).
Than, suddenly I am wondering how I am supposed to use a sliding table with a T fence.

Since the rip fense doesn't 'slide', do you guys have any hints to use a sliding table efficently?

Thank you.

Jerome

[Frederick Rowe]

Jerome, Welcome to SMC. As for your question regarding use of a rip fence or T fence; the sliding table typically is installed on the left side of the saw. It will replace the left side extension table. The rip fence is then only used on the right side. I'm not familiar with the the Excalibur, but I have the Jessem Mast-R-Slide, and I only needed to slide my fence rail to the right to clear the sliding table. So, for ripping operations you use the fence on the right (the Mast-R-Slide table locks in a center position so it won't slide when not required) and for sliding table cross cuts, us the left side. For smaller cross cutting, you can still use your miter gauge as that slot is ground in the main or center table.

[Jerome Zaavy]

Hi Frederick,
The way I usualy work with a sliding table is set to depth of crosscut with the rip fence (with the rip fence slided out to clear the blade). Since, the T fence does move back and forth, i guess it is not possible to work that way?

Jerome

[Jim Becker]

Jerome, working with a sliding table is a little different in that your "good" material is on the sled/slider, not between the blade and the fence. The fence on the slider would usually have stops available to set the length for consistent cross cut lengths and the rip fence no longer is in play for that operation as it might with a miter gage. This is consistent with how a true sliding table saw works, too.

BTW, Welcome to SMC!

[Jerome Zaavy]

Well, I work for almost a year with a MM panel saw and I would like to know if there is any way to convince that table saw+sliding table+rip fence combo to behave the same way.
And sorry if I'm not very clear, still hard to think and translate aT the same time...

Thank you for your replies.

Jerome

[Jim Becker]

Jerome, my comments above came as a user of a MM S315WS sliding saw in my shop. If you are referring to the ability to slide the fence back to use as a stop for initial length setting, you cannot duplicate that "exactly" with a typical tee-square type fence outside of using a block of wood and calculating the fence setting minus the thickness of the wood stop. (You do not want the fence in contact with the workpiece during the cross cut for safety reasons) I would use a 1" block (or 3cm if that is your measuring scale) to keep the math quick and easy.

A UniFence has the same capability as the Euro fence for the sliding face, however. The Vega fence also has a stop provision.

[Jerome Zaavy]

Thank you Jim!
You just answered my question. I was actually hoping to find a better way, but I guess it is not possible. At least I tried...
Thank for the unit conversion!! :) lol
I am in Montreal. Here we use every single units available. I don't know if it makes us more or less smart.

Anyway, thank you.

Jerome

[Jim Becker]

Which unit of measure you use is not important...just make the stop block to a thickness that makes it easy to calculate the actual length of your workpiece since it will not match the fence scale like it did with the MiniMax machine.
------

Quelle unité de mesure que vous utilisez n'est pas importante... juste font le bloc d'arrêt à une épaisseur qui rend facile de calculer la longueur réelle de votre pièce de fabrication comme il ne s'accordera pas l'échelle de clôture comme cela a fait avec la machine MiniMax