adding wood to rip fence

[josephlor]

Hi I have a BT3100-1 table saw can any one tell me the best way to add wood on the front of the rip fence so I can put on or take it off for a shorter piece?

Thanks
Joe

[drumpriest]

If you are saying on the rip fence, blade side, then there are a couple of ways. I personally have done it with MDF (flat and stable) and made a U shaped shell that goes over the fence. This can be clamped on if need be. I use this for my dado setup.

There are also t-nuts available that allow you to attach something to the fence using bolts and nuts. Just burry these into the wood (countersink), and you are good to go.

http://www.t-nuts.com/

[RodKirby]

Not a BT3x fence and not a "U", but...

[leehljp]

I made mine in an "H" shape so that the sides would be higher. It is also about 32 inches long, which provides for a longer infeed and out feed alignment. Another thing that I did with the "H" shape is that the middle part of the "H" is precisely the same width as the fence, so that it fits very snugly and holds its place well, but at the same time is easily removed.

[JimD]

Mine is simplier. Just a piece of melamine particle board fastened to the blade side of the rip fence by thin 1/4 inch nuts filed about 25 long file strokes on each of two parallel sides so they will fit in the slot of the fence. Buying t-nuts would be less work (but they were not easily available when I set this up). Flat head 1/4 screws through the melamine hold the board to the fence. I used three screws but two would probably work and 4 would let you stay further away from the blade. Works fine for me. I put a t-slot in the melamine at the top that I use to attach a stop block and occasionally for a finger board. I have a similar board I put on the other side of the rip fence when making cuts with the blade at an angle (rip fence on the left side of the blade).

Jim