Popular Woodworking 2005-02 № 146, страница 53

TIPS & TRICKS

PRO TIP:

Cutting Irregular Pieces

Table saw sleds can be used for much more than just crosscuts and miters. At times there are situations where an irregular piece of wood needs trimming. By adding hold-down clamps to a crosscut sled, you can easily trim the wane from a rough piece of wood. You can even square off a cross-section of a log with relative ease, accuracy and safety.

GREAT TRICK:

Sled Add-ons

While you can make a separate tenoning fixture for your table saw (I'll show you how in Chapter 5 of this series), your miter sled can also serve as a platform to attach a number of very useful jigs - such as a tenoning fixture as shown above. The fixture is a basic plywood structure to support (and brace) the wood. It's adjustable from left to right (for the width of the tenon) and the supporting brace can even be pivoted for angled tenons.

Popular Woodworking

While certainly not the only good after-market rip fence available, the Biese-meyer is often considered the model to surpass. Accurate, stable, easy to remove and replace, it can be used on either side of the blade.

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be added to your new or existing table saw. A good upgrade, or replacement fence, will increase repeatable accuracy and can also increase the usable space on your table saw. Various brands of fences employ different mechanisms for perfect alignment, and most come with precise scales and hairline indicators. When you choose a replacement fence, consider these important features:

■ How long are the fence rails? Most replacement fences extend the ripping capacity - the maximum distance between the blade and fence. To do so, they use longer front and rear support rails (usually 35" to 50" in length) and a larger table extension, increasing the size of the saw. If you're cramped for space

in your shop you may not have room for this accessory. But the capacity gained is worth serious consideration.

■ Will the fence dismount easily? For many operations, you must remove the fence from the saw. This task is easier with some brands than others. Some aftermarket fences have a rear lock that slows removal and replacement. Others connect to the front rail and need to be released or slid off the rail to remove. These mountings can improve accuracy, but they can be a trade-off.

■ Can the fence be used easily on both sides of the blade? Many factory and replacement fences can be used on the right and left sides of the blade. But on some, the fence face must be removed and reversed when changing sides.

■ Can you easily mount jigs on the fence? Many table saw operations require you to mount shop-made jigs on the fence. It's easier to drill bolt holes in some replacement fences than others. You may also find a fence that can't be drilled at all - for this, you need to clamp a jig to it. Some fences actually include T-slots in the fence to make attaching

accessories easier.

Aftermarket rip fences can cost hundreds of dollars - potentially one-third the price of your saw - so when possible, getting a good rip fence on a new table saw is preferable. If you're upgrading, choose carefully.

Miter Gauges

Factory miter gauges often are as inadequate as factory fences, but deciding

Aftermarket miter gauges offer increased accuracy, capacity and built-in adjustable stops. They also allow the workpiece to remain flat on the table saw surface.