Upgraded TableSaw Fence

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  • jussi
    Veteran Member
    • Jan 2007
    • 2162

    Upgraded TableSaw Fence

    Picked up an Incra TS LS 32 fence a while back and just got around to installing it last week. I haven't put it to alot of use yet but so far I really like it. Well once I figured out I had initially installed the fence upside and backwards. Spent the first few days thinking something was broken. I love how repeatable the cuts are. Before the Incra I had a the powermatic version of a Bies fence. More than once did I need to make several cuts for a given width, move the fence to a new position and then realize I forgot to make one more cut of the first measurement. It was hard getting a dead on match on the Bies fence. You could get close and if you took a quick measurement you would think you were dead on but when you put the pieces together you could definitely feel the difference. The Incra gives me dead on results. Another thing I like about it is the fence is flat. The problem with my PM fence and it goes for the genuine Bies I had on my previous table saw is the pheonlic, umhw, etc fence they attach to the metal tube is never perfectly flat. For one the tube isn't ground flat so most of the time (at least in my experiences) it's not flat. 2nd the parts where the outside skin is attached to the tube always dips a bit and if you put a straight edge you can see all the hills and valleys. I spent hours trying to shim my previous fence flat and playing with the screw tightness to get the whole fence flat and never quite did. The Incra fence is ground flat and maybe not cast iron flat, it's much better than the Bies and Bies clones I used previously. Another feature that's nice (but I haven't really gotten to utilize yet) is the micro adjust ability. I forget the exact number, but I think you can dial it in to .002". I could see this being really useful in the future when you really need to dial in a piece to fit in a certain location. It does that it takes a LITTLE more time from moving from one location to another. But since I can dial it in to the exact setting I need without so much fussing I think it evens out. I also added a set of board buddies which makes doing dados and cutting wide boards much easier. The slots on the fence also make the board buddies much easier to install than on the Bies, which required drill and tapping the square tube.

    Only drawback, for my situation at least, is my router table is on the same side as the fence which means I can't easily convert the fence to use on the router table. I would have to take the entire fence assembly out of the rails and flip them over. I found that took too long so I put mounting holes on the extension table and am able to mount my Incra router fence on it. While not really necessary, I made a little setup block so the fence is parallel with the miter gauge. I assume this will only be beneficial if I use a miter gauge, so probably a waste of time, but what the heck. It's by no means ideal and a temporary fix. Eventually I'll build a second router table and use the Incra on that and just use a regular router fence on the tablesaw wing router table.







    Last edited by jussi; 10-28-2015, 08:48 AM.
    I reject your reality and substitute my own.
  • capncarl
    Veteran Member
    • Jan 2007
    • 3569
    • Leesburg Georgia USA
    • SawStop CTS

    #2
    Jussi, I couple of questions.
    How does the Incra rip fence attach to the cross bar on the table saw? The Bessi clone had some angle iron and a handle. It's not obvious on the photo.
    Which powermatic do you have?
    capncarl

    Comment

    • jussi
      Veteran Member
      • Jan 2007
      • 2162

      #3
      There are 2 fence glides that ride on top of the rails and both have a tab that locks onto the rail. The back one has an allen screw attached to the tab and the screw is tightened up just enough so fence remains flat to the table but still allows the fence to slide left and right. The front one has a knob which you tighten completely after you engage the lock on the fence base.

      I didn't take any pics of it so here are some I found online.

      Click image for larger version

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      Click image for larger version

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      Originally posted by capncarl
      Jussi, I couple of questions.
      How does the Incra rip fence attach to the cross bar on the table saw? The Bessi clone had some angle iron and a handle. It's not obvious on the photo.
      Which powermatic do you have?
      capncarl
      I reject your reality and substitute my own.

      Comment

      • jussi
        Veteran Member
        • Jan 2007
        • 2162

        #4
        I have a Powermatic PM2000
        I reject your reality and substitute my own.

        Comment

        • BadeMillsap
          Senior Member
          • Dec 2005
          • 868
          • Bulverde, Texas, USA.
          • Grizzly G1023SL

          #5
          I have the LS + Wonderfence on my router table and can't imagine living without it now ... takes a little practice to learn to use the templates for dovetails etc but once you get the hang of it , it's a very easy to use, precise system. Enjoy!
          "Like an old desperado, I paint the town beige ..." REK
          Bade Millsap
          Bulverde, Texas
          => Bade's Personal Web Log
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