How to set 90 on an older PM66 Accu-fence

[Dolfo Picanco]

Hey All,
I got what I believe is a 2001 PM66 recently and I'm currently getting it back to working condition. I'm working on the fence currently and can't find the specifically manual for this version of the fence. It's the Pm logo powermatic model. This fence doesn't have the two nylon set screws that adjusts 90 on all the current fences, so my question is how do you set 90 on this fence without those set screws. I'll post a picture of the T-rail so you can all see.

IMG_6959.jpg

[Bill Dufour]

I suppose you may have to shim the rail.
Bill D

[Bobby Robbinett]

Hey All,
I got what I believe is a 2001 PM66 recently and I'm currently getting it back to working condition. I'm working on the fence currently and can't find the specifically manual for this version of the fence. It's the Pm logo powermatic model. This fence doesn't have the two nylon set screws that adjusts 90 on all the current fences, so my question is how do you set 90 on this fence without those set screws. I'll post a picture of the T-rail so you can all see.

IMG_6959.jpg

Are you referring to the side face of the fence being 90 degrees to the cast iron table top of the saw? Those set screws are for getting the fence parallel to the miter slot, not 90 degrees to the cast iron top. I could be misinformed but to my knowledge there are no set screws in a Biesemeyer for setting it 90 degrees to the saw top. I believe what you would need to do is adjust the guide rails. One side might be too high or too low.

[glenn bradley]

Bill and Bobbie are on track for setting the fence face perpendicular to the table top. The front rail and therefor the tube are adjusted for this setting. Crude but, reliable.

If you are talking parallel to the miter slot, give us a pic of the underside of the fence head. The pads opposite the cam and lever that the fence locks to the tube with should be adjustable for this setting.

There are variations so a pic of the underside will help.

[Dolfo Picanco]

Guess I should have been more clear. I am talking about setting 90 to the table top, NOT parallel to the saw blade. I do have and see the set screws for adjusting parallel, but I do not have adjustments for setting 90 to the table top. Looks like all the modern, B style fences have some sort of screw and nylon pad that adjusts that. I was thinking it might have to be adjusted with the nylon runners and shims on the fence itself but found it odd the I couldn't find any manuals or instructions on fences like mine out there. I could only find manuals for the model that came right after mine (with the nylon adjustments) that the older non-beise style powermatic fence.

[Bobby Robbinett]

Guess I should have been more clear. I am talking about setting 90 to the table top, NOT parallel to the saw blade. I do have and see the set screws for adjusting parallel, but I do not have adjustments for setting 90 to the table top. Looks like all the modern, B style fences have some sort of screw and nylon pad that adjusts that. I was thinking it might have to be adjusted with the nylon runners and shims on the fence itself but found it odd the I couldn't find any manuals or instructions on fences like mine out there. I could only find manuals for the model that came right after mine (with the nylon adjustments) that the older non-beise style powermatic fence.

Again, the way to adjust the fence to make it 90 degrees to the cast iron table top is to adjust the guide rails on the front of the saw. It uses 2 piece front guide rails that consist of a piece of 2” x 3” (or so) angle iron mounted to the cast iron top and a 2” x 3” rectangular tubing connected to the angle iron. You must move one end of the angle iron up or down to adjust how the fence ultimately sits on the cast iron top. I suppose you could shim in between the 2x3 rectangular tubing and the angle iron if you have no way to adjust the position of the angle iron itself.

[Alex Zeller]

I don't know if they are all like mine but my PM66 has countersunk screws on the fence rail. There's no way to adjust them up or down. I guess you could remove the rail and drill out the holes to introduce play but that doesn't seam like the right thing to do. What I did was shim under the pad to raise one side up after using a feeler gauge to determine how much it had to go up. I used aluminum tape for a shim. Each pad just push into two holes on the bracket on the fence. I removed the pad I needed to shim, put two layers of tape, and reinstalled the pad. Adjusting the rail could add new problems like the fence not riding close to the table. If you lower one side too much it could drag and if you raise the other side too much there could be a gap between the fence and table.

[glenn bradley]

I don't know if they are all like mine but my PM66 has countersunk screws on the fence rail. There's no way to adjust them up or down. I guess you could remove the rail and drill out the holes to introduce play but that doesn't seam like the right thing to do.

The holes allowed some play on my mid-2000's saw that came with a Biesemeyer. I also had an old Delta that you couldn't adjust worth a darn so there's that . Shimming could work but, you would have to use carefully graduated shims along the length to avoid putting a subtle bow in the path.

[Alex Zeller]

The holes allowed some play on my mid-2000's saw that came with a Biesemeyer. I also had an old Delta that you couldn't adjust worth a darn so there's that . Shimming could work but, you would have to use carefully graduated shims along the length to avoid putting a subtle bow in the path.

My fence has two pads, one at each end. I just shimmed the left one to raise it up to make the face of the fence 90 to the table. It might wear the edge of the pads unevenly but the amount of shimming needed was like .005".