I have just purchased a Wickes 1500 table saw (very similar to the
equivalent Draper model) and have used it extensively over the holidays.
I have mastered right angle and mitre cuts, I have built a crosscutting sled
for sheet materials BUT I can't seem to set the fence accurately.

Any ideas how to do it?

Steve

Stephen Williams wrote:
I have just purchased a Wickes 1500 table saw (very similar to the
equivalent Draper model) and have used it extensively over the holidays.
I have mastered right angle and mitre cuts, I have built a crosscutting sled
for sheet materials BUT I can't seem to set the fence accurately.

Any ideas how to do it?

There are usually some grubscrews that work against a bolt somwhere near
the handle.

Steve

"Steve" wrote in message
.. .
Stephen Williams wrote:
I have just purchased a Wickes 1500 table saw (very similar to the
equivalent Draper model) and have used it extensively over the holidays.
I have mastered right angle and mitre cuts, I have built a crosscutting
sled
for sheet materials BUT I can't seem to set the fence accurately.

Any ideas how to do it?

There are usually some grubscrews that work against a bolt somwhere near
the handle.

Steve


Thanks Steve

No grub screws just a lever that exerts pressure at both ends of the fence.
When pushing the lever down the fence tends to move out of position.

Steve

"Stephen Williams" wrote in message
...

"Steve" wrote in message
.. .
Stephen Williams wrote:
I have just purchased a Wickes 1500 table saw (very similar to the
equivalent Draper model) and have used it extensively over the
holidays.
I have mastered right angle and mitre cuts, I have built a
crosscutting
sled
for sheet materials BUT I can't seem to set the fence accurately.

Any ideas how to do it?

There are usually some grubscrews that work against a bolt somwhere near
the handle.

Steve


Thanks Steve

No grub screws just a lever that exerts pressure at both ends of the
fence.
When pushing the lever down the fence tends to move out of position.

Steve

Have similar problem with my bench saw.
Solution seems to be to measure the distance from blade to fence at front
AND back of the blade, then clamp the fence?
Sometimes I've had the blade closer (even by say a mm or two) at back than
front, whereupon the material binds and burns as it travels through the
blade. :-(.
My fence slides on circular rails, at front and rear of the cutting
surface/deck, but the slider is only single bolted at one end i.e. not
rigidly connected to the fence and can move slightly out of square as one
latches/clamps it into position.(have entertained idea of welding it!) looks
like I'll have to redesign it. maybe the slider has to be longer and more
rigidly bolted to the fence.
Cheers.

On Sun, 4 Jan 2004 00:11:53 -0330, "Terry"
wrote:

snip

Have similar problem with my bench saw.
Solution seems to be to measure the distance from blade to fence at front
AND back of the blade, then clamp the fence?
Sometimes I've had the blade closer (even by say a mm or two) at back than
front, whereupon the material binds and burns as it travels through the
blade. :-(.

You run a great risk of kick back doing this. The rear of the fence
should always be a fraction further away from the blade compared to
the front.

Bear in mind that the rip fence has served its purpose once it clears
the blade. The fence on my machine can be puled back through the clamp
and I often use this facilityi f cutting pieces to length using the
rip fence


Paul Mc Cann

Maybe you have a different cross cut sled to mine.

My TS has T slots [2] which run parallel to the saw blade. These slots
are used in "my" sled to guide it as it runs past the blade.
The fence is not used, thus it's accuracy is irrelevant.

On Fri, 02 Jan 2004 12:39:37 +0000, Steve
wrote:

Stephen Williams wrote:
I have just purchased a Wickes 1500 table saw (very similar to the
equivalent Draper model) and have used it extensively over the holidays.
I have mastered right angle and mitre cuts, I have built a crosscutting sled
for sheet materials BUT I can't seem to set the fence accurately.

Any ideas how to do it?

There are usually some grubscrews that work against a bolt somwhere near
the handle.

Steve

"John Hewitt" wrote in message
...
Maybe you have a different cross cut sled to mine.

My TS has T slots [2] which run parallel to the saw blade. These slots
are used in "my" sled to guide it as it runs past the blade.
The fence is not used, thus it's accuracy is irrelevant.

On Fri, 02 Jan 2004 12:39:37 +0000, Steve
wrote:

Stephen Williams wrote:
I have just purchased a Wickes 1500 table saw (very similar to the
equivalent Draper model) and have used it extensively over the
holidays.
I have mastered right angle and mitre cuts, I have built a crosscutting
sled
for sheet materials BUT I can't seem to set the fence accurately.

Any ideas how to do it?



Sorry John, reading my OP again I see that it is not very clear.
The sled works fine even though I built it! I use it for cutting sheets of
ply and cutting short rails to length.
It's the rip fence supplied with the TS that is causing me the problem. For
instance if I want to cut a long rail in half I can't seem to get the fence
to cut at the width I thought I set it at, and yes I have allowed for the
thickness of the blade.
I might just have to make a fence that will work off one of the runners I
guess.

Has anyone done this?

Steve

On Sun, 4 Jan 2004 18:31:21 -0000, "Stephen Williams"
wrote:




Sorry John, reading my OP again I see that it is not very clear.
The sled works fine even though I built it! I use it for cutting sheets of
ply and cutting short rails to length.
It's the rip fence supplied with the TS that is causing me the problem. For
instance if I want to cut a long rail in half I can't seem to get the fence
to cut at the width I thought I set it at, and yes I have allowed for the
thickness of the blade.
I might just have to make a fence that will work off one of the runners I
guess.

Has anyone done this?

Steve

It may be the mounting arrangement of the fence flexing as you run
material through.

Try using a clamp such as a Quick-grip clamp arranged vertically front
and back on the fence (angled to be out of the way). This would hold
the fence firmly down to the table and may help.
..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

On Sun, 4 Jan 2004 18:31:21 -0000, "Stephen Williams"
wrote:

Can't picture the setup you have - not familiar with that TS. I have a
cheapie TS [Taiwan] that uses a steel fence that clamps to a rail
front and back. The front clamp is a pushdown quick lock, the rear
uses a screw clamp that has to be turned down. For short rips the
front clamp is OK, for longer rips the front and rear clamps need to
be set. [note] The front rail has a tape attached, but it's not
accurate and I always check the width of cut with a rule [ graduated
set square is better still ]. Allowing for the blade kerf of course.
I usually get the cut I want, to be certain I make a short cut first [
just a fraction of an inch ] measure and adjust. If you are certain
the fence is not moving during the rip [have you re-measured the
setting after the rip?] then the problem is likely the blade is not
parallel to the fence. That is, the blade is "tilted" - the tips of
the teeth you measured during set up are closer / further to/from the
fence than the blade body. Try checking the blade with a set square
against the table surface.
There's one other possibility, Run Out. Which means that you have a
TS with bad bearings - since it's new, return it.

[note] Some time see a Biesmeyer fence on a US made TS, it's smooth,
precision, repeatable cuts always - but the price!


Snip
It's the rip fence supplied with the TS that is causing me the problem. For
instance if I want to cut a long rail in half I can't seem to get the fence
to cut at the width I thought I set it at, and yes I have allowed for the
thickness of the blade.
I might just have to make a fence that will work off one of the runners I
guess.

Has anyone done this?

Steve