When you’re using the table saw, the fence must be parallel with the blade and the miter slot. If it’s not, it can cause some serious problems.
The average person doesn’t have a lot of experience using a table saw, so they may not even realize if the fence is out of alignment. This can lead to some pretty big problems while you’re working.
We’ve put together this guide on how to align your table saw fence, so you can make sure that it’s always in line with the blade and the miter slot. With this guide, you’ll be able to work safely and accurately with your table saw.
Aligning Fence
Aligning your fence is an important part of woodworking. It’s something you need to do so that your cuts are straight. The best way to do this is to make sure the fence is aligned with the miter slot on your table saw, not the blade.
The fence on your saw can get knocked out of alignment over time. Checking and realigning it is something you should do regularly to make sure the saw is working properly.
There are a few different ways to check if the fence is aligned, but the easiest one that is still accurate is to use your finger as a gauge and feel along the miter slot in the fence.
To adjust the fence for a perfect fit, simply touch your finger to the side of the miter saw nearest to the fence and then lift up on
To ensure that your miter slot and fence are flush at the rear, slide your finger down the miter slot to the saw’s back edge. Examine whether the fence and miter slot are level at one end. If both ends aren’t equal, you’ll need to modify the fence.
We achieve this by changing some set screws. Each fence is unique, but in general, we’ll be turning one of these two set screws and moving these tabs inside or out, torquing the fence closer or further away from the blade.
We have all three sizes of these set screws, and they’re all Allen head screws. We can use the Allen wrench to make little changes. For us to torque the fence in that direction, thread it in and push this.
The fence is adjusted and rechecked; the process of tightening screws and checking until the fence is straightened continues until the fence is in alignment.
You may be a little doubtful that using your finger to check the fence’s alignment is accurate, but you may be surprised by the sensitivity of your sense of touch.
The distance from the fence to the miter slot at the back of the saw is only eight one-thousandth of an inch further than the distance from the fence to the miter slot at the front of the saw. This difference is acceptable.
If the difference between your fence and the miter slot is less than 15/1000 to 20/1000 of an inch, you’re good to go. But remember to periodically check the alignment of your fence against the miter slot so that you can get great results from your table saw.
Misaligned Fence
If your fence is not aligned correctly on your table saw, it will cause cuts to be crooked, burnt, and full of sawdust. The worst part is that it can cause a dangerous kickback of the wood. This happens when the fence pushes the wood against the blade and causes it to fly out. Some people even prefer to keep
Checking the alignment of your fence is something that should be done regularly, especially before each cutting job. The fence may become misaligned simply from frequent usage of the saw.
How To Align Your Table Saw Fence
To begin, disconnect the table saw and double-check that the blade and miter slot are aligned.
Option 1: Using your finger to feel and measure a gap on the front or rear side of your fence can be a quick method to detect significant misalignment.
Option 2: To fit in your miter slot at the front and rear of the table, cut two blocks of wood to match. Adjust parallelism and align the fence with the blocks by loosening or replacing the bolts or screws.
Option 3: Dial Indicator or Combination Square: Place the indicator in the miter slot and measure the fence’s front and rear ends. It will be acceptable provided that the difference is less than 15-20 thousandths of an inch.
Bowed Fence
If your table saw fence is bowed or bent, it can cause your cuts to be less than perfect. The wood can also move around on the table as you’re cutting it.
One solution is to replace the entire fence. But if that’s not possible, you can create an “auxiliary fence” that will fit over your original
How To Build An Auxiliary Fence.
There are several different kinds of auxiliary fences, and each one may have its own set of advantages for your specific project. A basic secondary fence is enough to solve a fence with a curve or bend in the middle.
Measure the length and height of your table saw fence. Cut a piece of plywood that is the same size. Make sure to cut a straight edge on both ends of the plywood.
To attach the plywood to the fence, use two clamps. This allows you greater freedom in terms of removing it as needed, but if necessary, you can always attach it more firmly.
To attach the plywood to the fence, you’ll need 2 Fence Clamps. While drilling a hole on both the front and rear faces of the plywood, be sure the clamps don’t interfere with any setting adjustments on your fence. You may then adhere it.
How to avoid problems when using the table saw
Before we dive into the guide on how to align your table saw fence, it’s important to make sure that you’re using it properly and safely. Even if the fence is correctly aligned, there are still some serious problems you need to be aware of.
If the table saw blade is higher than the top of the workpiece:
– The workpiece will tilt and bind against the fence, which can cause it to kick back towards you.
If the table saw blade is lower than the top of the workpiece:
– The cut will be uneven along its length, or there could even be a gap between them at one end.
– The teeth on the bottom of the blade will be exposed, which can result in the workpiece binding on them and kicking back towards you.
If the fence isn’t parallel with the blade:
– The cut will be at an angle instead of straight along its length.
– The saw marks could also be angled, which would make it much harder to see when ripping boards.
If the blade is too low, it can even result in the workpiece pinching the blade. This would cause an extremely dangerous kickback towards you. Pinched blades are also much harder to remove from your saw, so they’re very difficult to reuse.
You need to be aware of these dangers when you’re working with a table saw. If the fence is out of alignment, it can cause all sorts of these problems to occur. Make sure that you’re safe around your table saw at all times, and this guide on how to align your table saw fence will help you do just that.
How to use the table saw safely
It’s important to work with the table saw safely, so you don’t cause any of these problems mentioned above.
Always make sure that you’re using a sharp blade: Dull blades can be extremely dangerous and will bind easily.
You should always use your miter gauge whenever possible: This is one of the safest ways to make cuts on a table saw.
Use a push stick whenever you’re cutting small pieces, or using the miter gauge. This will help you avoid contact with the blade entirely.
Make cuts slowly: How fast your cuts are is directly related to how dangerous they are. If you make your cut too quickly, it can cause binding and kickback on the workpiece.
How to make sure you’re always cutting at 90 degrees with your miter slot
The first thing that you need to do is make sure that the blade is at 90 degrees with your miter slot. How can you tell if it’s not?
If you’re using a miter gauge, the blade should be directly under the bar on top of the miter gauge. As long as it is, then the fence will be at 90 degrees with the miter slot.
If you’re using a push stick, place it on top of the workpiece so that it’s directly under the blade. Now move it until the handle is against your body, and slide it along towards yourself to make your cut. How does this help?
You have just determined if the fence is at 90 degrees with the miter slot. How? Think about it this way: The handle on your push stick will be touching you at all times, so if the blade is not directly under it then there’s no way that the fence can be at 90 degrees with that same spot.
How can you tell if there’s a problem with the alignment of your table saw fence?
If you find yourself pushing your board away from the blade as you cut, it means that they’re going to be binding on one side. How can you tell if this has happened?
As soon as they start binding, bring the saw head down so that it meets the workpiece. Now slide your hand along towards yourself until there’s just a small gap between you and the blade. When the blade is touching the board, move your hand so it’s directly in line with your body.
If there’s too much space for your hand, the board could still bind on the blade and cause it to kick back towards you.
If there’s too little space, your fingers could line up with the point of the teeth on your saw. This would result in serious injury if they got caught in that position.
How can you prevent this from happening? Use either a push stick or another piece of wood to push the workpiece through when cutting. This will help you avoid any possible kickback, and keep your fingers safe at all times.
Conclusion
Always make sure that your table saw fence is parallel with the blade and the miter slot. This will help ensure accuracy and safety while you’re working. If you’re unsure how to do this, our guide can walk you through the process step-by-step. Remember to always use caution when using power tools, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us for help. Thanks for reading!
