New Table Saw Fence System

Hi Forum Fraternity

Well it's been a while since I posted. My wife and I have been in Texas for the last four months with our son and his family with the not so highlight having to endure Mr. Harvey, which resulted in an unexpected extra weeks stay. But enough of that.

While whiling the hours away on U Tube I came upon a Texas company selling a new type of table saw fence which piqued my interest, namely Supercooltools.com.

Stepping back a bit. I have a very good table saw with one problem i.e. The fence is connected front and back as seen in the photos thus I am lacking an out feed table as any wood being cut falls off the end. I decided I wanted a good table attached to my saw but the make up of my fence didn't allow for this. In comes Supercooltools, and where my problems start.

If you have read any of my previous posts you will be aware of the very delicate balance between man and woman in my household. This imbalance as I like to refer to it occurs when I see a tool or machine that deserves a place in my workshop where I have to convince my good wife it’s something I need rather than something I desire or want. Broaching the subject can be a hazardous journey, and many hours of personal intensive internal debate as to how I am to achieve my goal renders me mentally exhausted.

You see my wife thinks she can read me like a book, but little does she know I am not War and Peace, no I am more a thin magazine with knitting patterns contained within, difficult to understand and not much content. In the end I decided to take the route of least resistance. I explained that the purchase of said fence system and consequent out-feed table would keep me in the workshop for weeks. How many weeks she asked, could run into a month maybe more I countered. I was quite overcome with emotion when she paid the extra out of her own pocket for express next day delivery. As I watched her on the tablet arranging delivery, she turned to me and asked if there was such a thing as same day delivery, and observing her speed typing the order I could tell she was as excited as I was about my new woodworking project. I am so blessed to have her.

The reason I choose said fence was its ability to fit to most tables, it’s generic concept allows it to be adapted though the installation of the steel work required before you actually fit the fence. As you can see from the section drawing you need a length of sectional box and angle iron. I was lucky in that I was able to use the existing bolt holes only having to tap only one hole. It also helps that you are using virgin steel with no pre- drilled holes, which allows you the scope to fix anywhere.
After I attached the angle iron I then fitted the box section to the angle iron again boring and tapping the box section. I made the holes on the angle iron slightly larger in order to set the gap at exactly 3/4inch. It took a bit of fettling as the steel is not exactly straight, but got there in the end.

I had a number of issues to overcome, with the main one being the operation of my table for changing the blade. Firstly, my table has a sliding carriage but the design, age and weight renders it very difficult to slide, I therefore decided to render it fixed, but again due to its age and design you need to be able to separate the table to change a blade. It does not have a removable plate. I therefore could not attach my new fence rail to that part of the table to allow it open.

So, what you see before you is the finished product part one and I have to admit it was not perfect. I did not like the amount of play when traversing the fence back and forward and therefore redesigned the carriage with pvc adjustable slides which made a world of difference. The locking cam I felt was crude and I engineered an alternative eccentric one which again worked very well and gives a more exacting locking action which I am delighted with.

Now I am now into part two which is the out-feed table which presents its own unique set of problems, not with design or practicality, but with how to convince my other half that I need this. Watch this space.

Colin
Scotland