Having trouble making good rabbet

[hazmat]

Fence is all metal.

I clamped a piece of wood to it for the rabbet.

Any recommendations as to what wood to use? Hardwood or maybe MDF (supposed to be very stable) or even plastic? Do I laminate the fence for less friction?

The fence is a rectangular aluminum extrusion. I don't want to bolt all the way thru it as this will compress the center of the tube & distort it. Should I tap the aluminum & use a counter bored or counter sunk screw thru the wood into the aluminum? Or make a relief hole on the other side of the fence and screw thru the fence into the wood?

Wish I had a drill press to make a nice perpendicular hole.

Now I'll have to figure out how to adjust the fence indicator so that it reads the right measurement when the fence gets wider. [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

[Hank]

<font color="purple"> Any recommendations as to what wood to use? Hardwood or maybe MDF </font color>

I always used good straight-grained birch, well oiled with kerosene and oil.

But your fence poses some problems with simply bolting the wood on, being the extruded aluminum and I believe a bit wider (more space inside) than the Unisaws I am used to. Ours had steel fences with holes already in them for this purpose. Using a flat-head wood screw, you could get enough tension with the flat head trying to wedge itself into the hole without applying too much collapsing force. I suppose you could double-nut a bolt, pulling it up tight without collapsing, and then using a second nut to keep it from backing off.

You might be better off simply clamping a piece on for occasional up close work. Perhaps someone else has ideas for these aluminum fences.

<font color="purple"> Now I'll have to figure out how to adjust the fence indicator so that it reads the right measurement when the fence gets wider </font color>

Say what!! [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] Your folding zig-zag rule should always be on hand for these setups, measuring right between the fence and the blade. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[hazmat]

<font color="blue"> Say what!! Your folding zig-zag rule should always be on hand for these setups, measuring right between the fence and the blade </font color>

But it is dead nuts on right now! set it a 6", the wood comes out at 6"! [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[Hank]

OK, maybe they're better than they used to be [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] We had so many "home made" things, fences, tables, etc., and were constantly measuring stuff while cutting and building, that that's the only method we used. First thing I always wore out in a pair of jeans for work was the bottom of the back pocket, where the rule lived. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img]

[wingnut]

I got tired of fighting with mine all the time .... it was always getting out of true ....s o last year I bit the bullet and bought a new fence system. Now I have an accurate fence and a long extension!
I found using MDF (which I used for the extension bed) for the sacrificial fence worked well. I find most of the hardwoods move (warp) too much in an unheated shop.
Although I also keep my rule(s) close at hand, setting the fence for the additional sacrificial depth was a breeze.

[gobbler]

Make a saddle for your fence. Make it so it will slip right on. It should fit snug.
See attachment.

Jim

[hazmat]

Jim,

I like it! Might add a tab on the front that catches the fence to keep it from moving as I rip a board.

Got to hurry up these home improvement projects so I'll have time to soup up the table saw. Tractor is also feeling very neglected. I think she'll be happy when the white stuff starts to fall.

[Hank]

Jim,
Very good idea!, as it eliminates the problems of clamps being in the way for temporary fences.

wingnut (and hazmat), MDF sounds like the best material for a home shop fence. Unfortunately, my first recollections and biases are jaded from working in a shop where I could pick out a nice piece of birch for a fence...straight-grained birch is almost an oxymoron...but when you several hundred bd ft to pick from...well. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]...and of course we never had to deal with an unheated shop, either, so my opinions are colored by unusual experience (though I never had problems with the birch "moving" in super heated, humid MD summers).

I'll be looking to implementing these excellent suggestions when I set up my home shop.

[hazmat]

<font color="blue">I'll be looking to implementing these excellent suggestions when I set up my home shop </font color>

When do we put our orders in for furniture?

[Hank]

<font color="purple"> When do we put our orders in for furniture? </font color>

That's very kind [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img] but I could only refer you to your own thread,
Woodworking: for Love or Money?

I swear, I cannot see how our shop ever made any money on furniture or other fancy millwork items. But...those things probably did bring in lots of bread and butter work.