Building SMT fence

[nicer20]

Hello,

I have finally tuned my miter fence to deliver precise crosscuts (thanks to a lot of guidance through posts and articles). I am just loving it.

Now I am looking into building a longer SMT fence (similar to Rod Kirby's design) with a sacrificial blade kerf and a T-track on top for clamping a stop block.

I have a fundamental question - how do I ensure the plywood I use is super flat and doesn't mess up my accuracy? Or should I use MDF board (which for some reason I feel is flatter).

I don't have a jointer or planner so I don't have a way of creating super flat board from a hardwood piece.

Are there any tricks or steps to make sure it is nice and flat?

Thanks for all your help as always.

- NG

[Black walnut]

Rod Kirby used two woods, marine plywood and MDF. In the USA you could use baltic birch plywood and it will likely be dead flat. I have used it extensively in jigs and fixtures and never a problem. Good quality, north American produced plywwod would be my third choice and in the finer grades is flat usually. If you buy your plywood from a lumber yard that caters to the building trades the plywood may or may not be flat.

[nicer20]

Thanks Black walnut I will try to find Baltic Birch plywood. I am in California (Bay Area) - looks like neither Home Depot nor Lowe's carries it. I will have to find some other source - I would have thought of checking out a lumber yard but looks like lumber yards to be avoided

BTW, thanks for your detailed write up on SMT service guide. I am so much loving the accuracy now after the tune up. That's why I am being very cautious about adding an auxiliary face. Don't want to loose that precision - it's all your fault

[LCHIEN]

I had known Rod for a long time and actually met him once.
I have pictures of his miter fence.


And I am unique because I actually have his miter fence after he retired his BT3000. - he literally willed it to me and mailed it from Australia.



And I have gotten a piece of the long extrusion (same as the rip fence extrusion) and made an extended length miter fence about, I think 23 inches long.

I will offer this advice.

The long miter fence hangs out to the side quite a bit and is irritating me since I installed it about 6 months ago. Its useful but It messes up me getting around the left side of my saw. Since I have two compete miter fence assemblies I'll keep the long one off and the short one mounted and be able to switch in a minute it need be, https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...ng-miter-fence



Now my other advice is this: you can do the same thing I do to extend the rip fence... Use a standard level, available in 2 and 4 and 6 foot lengths. Usually with some openings in them. Use the opening to attach the level to the fence you want to extend, like the picture for the rip fence below, except clamping to the miter fence. Now the level will be very straight, and also the sides will be very parallel, so it solves both problems for you and they're not expensive (Lowes carries 48" level starting under $10) and easily attached in 2 minutes or less. You give up a little crosscut width capacity. But if your piece is very wide and the end cut square, heck, I'd use the rip fence to guide it and not the miter fence.

[nicer20]

I had known Rod for a long time and actually met him once.
I have pictures of his miter fence.
......
And I am unique because I actually have his miter fence after he retired his BT3000. - he literally willed it to me and mailed it from Australia.

.......

And I have gotten a piece of the long extrusion (same as the rip fence extrusion) and made an extended length miter fence about, I think 23 inches long.

I will offer this advice.

The long miter fence hangs out to the side quite a bit and is irritating me since I installed it about 6 months ago. Its useful but It messes up me getting around the left side of my saw. Since I have two compete miter fence assemblies I'll keep the long one off and the short one mounted and be able to switch in a minute it need be, https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...ng-miter-fence

........

Now my other advice is this: you can do the same thing I do to extend the rip fence... Use a standard level, available in 2 and 4 and 6 foot lengths. Usually with some openings in them. Use the opening to attach the level to the fence you want to extend, like the picture for the rip fence below, except clamping to the miter fence. Now the level will be very straight, and also the sides will be very parallel, so it solves both problems for you and they're not expensive (Lowes carries 48" level starting under $10) and easily attached in 2 minutes or less. You give up a little crosscut width capacity. But if your piece is very wide and the end cut square, heck, I'd use the rip fence to guide it and not the miter fence.
...............

Lucky you to have met Rod (I am finding his genius through his many posts and jigs. Hats off to him).

Mainly there are three reasons I got into the thinking of building the auxiliary miter fence in the first place -
1. It seems having a sacrificial backing to the board being crosscut is a desired feature
2. Want to have a T slot on the face to put a stop block
3. Want to put a 220 grit sandpaper on the face to get better grip.

I think I can achieve #1 by building a small extension end to the existing miter fence and make it sacrificial. I am not as gifted as Rod to make it as sleek but will try something on those lines.

I may be able to do #2 in some other way.

I hear your advice and things you suggest are making perfect sense to me. In fact, I will also start using the long rip fence idea when needed. Thanks so much to you and the group as I learn everyday and finding the joy of owning a BT3100

- NG

[LCHIEN]

Nicer,
have you seen these fence clamps?
https://www.sawdustzone.org/articles...amp-comparison



They are great for attaching longer fences and devices like stop blocks to fences without having the clamp protrude on the side you want to guide things.
I highly recommend getting some. I have 3 pairs. No need for T-tracks in your fence.

Now, just buy a nice straight 1x2 and cut it 3-4 feet long. Drill some 3/8" holes on the skinny side for the fence clamps
Now you have an extended fence for the miter with pretty good and straight support. And can make a sacrificial fence from it as well.
Hint if you need to pick a straight piece of lumber, put a 6-foot level in your basket and wheel it over to the premium white-wood lumber and pick a straight, knot free piece of white wood 1x2 and you can check its straightness against the level. If you can see light between them, its not straight.
Be a nice customer and put it back in the tool dept when done.

[Black walnut]

Loring's use in a box store of a level to help shop for straight lumber is simply brilliant!

Nicer20 don't be afraid to venture to lumber yards just be picky abut which ones you do business with. I live in a small town and both our lumber yards cater to the home building trade. The closest medium sized city is 40 miles away and has a lumber yard with higher grades of hardwood plywood as well as hardwoods. Sadly they are closed on weekends. When I am shopping for project lumber, which usually means hardwood I have to drive to Seattle or Spokane. Since it is so far I always buy extra.

Thanks for the kind words.

[nicer20]

Nicer,
have you seen these
......

They are great for attaching longer fences and devices like stop blocks to fences without having the clamp protrude on the side you want to guide things.
I highly recommend getting some. I have 3 pairs. No need for T-tracks in your fence.

Now, just buy a nice straight 1x2 and cut it 3-4 feet long. Drill some 3/8" holes on the skinny side for the fence clamps
Now you have an extended fence for the miter with pretty good and straight support. And can make a sacrificial fence from it as well.
Hint if you need to pick a straight piece of lumber, put a 6-foot level in your basket and wheel it over to the premium white-wood lumber and pick a straight, knot free piece of white wood 1x2 and you can check its straightness against the level. If you can see light between them, its not straight.
Be a nice customer and put it back in the tool dept when done.

LCHIEN
Thanks Loring for the suggestion. Yes I have them - bought as a Right Angle kit from Rockler with the right angle bracket and two of these !! Had kind of forgotten that I could use them for mounting the fence. So thanks for that idea.

Now at the risk of showing my ignorance - Premium White-wood lumber: Is that like Poplar/Oak/Maple or is it like select Pine?? And shouldn't it be more like a 1X3 (2.5" wide) for a good fence?

Thanks in advance.

- NG

[LCHIEN]

Yeah, I think that means select pine the white stuff, not the yellow.

Its for when you don't need premium hardwoods but want clear (knot-free and defect free) and reasonably straight wood.

[Dedpedal]

Nicer,
have you seen these fence clamps?
https://www.sawdustzone.org/articles...amp-comparison



They are great for attaching longer fences and devices like stop blocks to fences without having the clamp protrude on the side you want to guide things.
I highly recommend getting some. I have 3 pairs. No need for T-tracks in your fence.

Now, just buy a nice straight 1x2 and cut it 3-4 feet long. Drill some 3/8" holes on the skinny side for the fence clamps
Now you have an extended fence for the miter with pretty good and straight support. And can make a sacrificial fence from it as well.
Hint if you need to pick a straight piece of lumber, put a 6-foot level in your basket and wheel it over to the premium white-wood lumber and pick a straight, knot free piece of white wood 1x2 and you can check its straightness against the level. If you can see light between them, its not straight.
Be a nice customer and put it back in the tool dept when done.

I’ve bought a couple sets on Amazon and they are great.

[LCHIEN]

1x3 wood probably good for fence. Maybe Taller if you want to make a sacrificial cut in it.