Table saw fence rail question

[MikeH]

I've had my used Craftsman table saw (Model# 113-298720) for several months and have only just started using it. When I bought the saw it didn't have a fence. I bought the OEM fence as I didin't have the budget for a "real"fence. I noticed last night the the fence rail (not sure if this is the correct term) is not perpendicular to the table. It is closer to the edge of the table clasest to the blade and widens out the further you get from the blade. I hope this makes sense.

What is the best way to align the rail so the fence will sit parallel and square to the blade?

 

[chris99z71]

Well, you can't move the blade. The fence is attached to the front rail and the front rail is attached to the table top. You need to loosen the table top from the base and first align the miter slots in the table so that they're parallel to the blade. Then align the fence with the miter slots. There have been several threads describing how to measure to see if everything is perfectly parallel.

This is a pretty good one that also has some other links:
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/showthread.php?t=4265&highlight=slot

Granted, it's not specific to your saw, but once you identify the mounting points for the table to the base, it's relatively straight forward.
Most of us here have had to do the tablesaw alignment dance at one point or another, so if you have questions - ask away!
Good luck!

 

[Joe Scharle]

Loosen #6 and align to miter slot is what it looks like to me.

 

[chris99z71]

True, but if your blade isn't parallel to the miter slot, you're still going to be off.

 

[Eaglesc]

First off I have never seen a saw with a cast top where the miter slots could be aligned with the blade.
They may exist but I have never seen one.
Since this is a belt driven saw it may be possible to realign the trunions that hold the blade but they are usually pretty accurately set.
I would look a the construction of the fence itself.
I have had inexpensive fences that were adjustable.At one time an accepted practice was to have the fence "run out" a bit at the far end to avoid kick back.
Without seeing your fence it is difficult to determine if it is adjustable.
Look for a bolt in the housing.

 

[chris99z71]

First off I have never seen a saw with a cast top where the miter slots could be aligned with the blade.
They may exist but I have never seen one.

So do you mean that you've tried and it's difficult, or there is physically no way to do it?

 

[pcooper]

I have one of those saws, and the only alignment I could do was loosen the trunyon and move the blade to align with the miter slot.I used a dial indicator mounted in the miter slot to get that adjusted properly. Now the fence is another problem, and my fence now sits in the attic of my shop where it belongs since it never would properly align with the blade. You should have about the thickness of a piece of paper taper from front to rear of the fence to keep from burning the wood after you cut it, but that is all, my fence would taper almost 1/8" and I never could get it right. I tried shims on the angle iron part that the fence attaches to, and also moving the fence and the holding area where they bolt together, but still can't get any real accuracy out of it. I saved my money and got an incra system and solved the problem. I have since looked at more craftsman saws in the stores and they still have the same problem from what I can see. Granted the ones in the stores are slapped together and are not really working models until fiine tuned, but they should be better than they are out of the box IMHO. There are lots of good fences systems on the market, but I personally like the incra system best for the money. Any upgrade will make the old fence look like "barbed wire". You may have to 'make' your fence adjustable to get the accuracy you seek.:-?

 

[walnutjerry]

Mike--------I had the same problem with my Sears table saw. After 30 years of measuring front and back of blade to fence to set the fence parallel, I solved the problem. I bought a Vega fence and installed it.

Jerry

 

[Eaglesc]

I aplogize, I miss read the original post.
The first thing to do is to make sure the rail itself is straight.If it isn't everything else is a bandaid and aggrivation.
It is not uncommon to shim the rail at the attatchment points. Everysaw that I have ever put together needed to be tweaked.
Any part of your fence that is beyond the front teeth doesn't matter, the wood has already been cut when it gets there.Look at saws made in Europe.The fence does not extend beyond the blade, that part is not necesary.
As long as the fence does not cause the wood to pince the blade causing a "kick back" situation you are O.K.
That being said parallel is better.

 

[MikeH]

Thanks for everyone's input. :icon_thum I need to get a dial indicator and spend some time tweaking. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[Mark Fogleman]

Mike,
If you can wait until Sunday you can borrow my dial indicator/mag base.
As far as the fence....on my former Sears and Roebuck tablesaw I used a combination square and set it to the width of the stock I needed. Then set the square against the infeed side of the blade and slid the fence tight to the other end of the square. Repeat on the outfeed side side of the blade and recheck the infeed. Lock the fence (which moves the fence:-( ) and recheck the measurements, unlock the fence adjust, re-lock the fence, check, unlock fence adjust, place ad on craigslist: charlotte classifieds for jobs, apartments, personals, for sale, services, community, and events, sell the saw, buy a Unisaw and a Biessemeyer fence, end of problem.:lol: Sorry...I never was very happy with the old style fence but I was able to get it close enough using a square.
Mark

 

[MikeH]

Mike,
If you can wait until Sunday you can borrow my dial indicator/mag base.
As far as the fence....on my former Sears and Roebuck tablesaw I used a combination square and set it to the width of the stock I needed. Then set the square against the infeed side of the blade and slid the fence tight to the other end of the square. Repeat on the outfeed side side of the blade and recheck the infeed. Lock the fence (which moves the fence:-( ) and recheck the measurements, unlock the fence adjust, re-lock the fence, check, unlock fence adjust, place ad on craigslist: charlotte classifieds for jobs, apartments, personals, for sale, services, community, and events, sell the saw, buy a Unisaw and a Biessemeyer fence, end of problem.:lol: Sorry...I never was very happy with the old style fence but I was able to get it close enough using a square.
Mark

Mark you're too funny. :lol: :lol: :lol: I can wait until Sunday. I can always get creative in how I set the fence.

 

[Gofor]

On my old Craftsman (which I no longer have), I had to shim the front rail (used washers along with the supplied spacers) to get it straight as well as parallel to the back rail. I believe there is an adjustment for the fence underneath (one or two small bolts) that allow you to align it with the blade once you get the rail straight. That said, the fence was a POC because it would not lock solid and was easy to clamp down at an angle. I always pushed in the front "t" to get it as square as possible and then still measured to the blade at front and back. A wooden mallet works well for the final tweaking. :lol::lol:

Go

 

[MikeH]

On my old Craftsman (which I no longer have), I had to shim the front rail (used washers along with the supplied spacers) to get it straight as well as parallel to the back rail. I believe there is an adjustment for the fence underneath (one or two small bolts) that allow you to align it with the blade once you get the rail straight. That said, the fence was a POC because it would not lock solid and was easy to clamp down at an angle. I always pushed in the front "t" to get it as square as possible and then still measured to the blade at front and back. A wooden mallet works well for the final tweaking. :lol::lol:

Go

Thanks Go. I've found the fence to be a POC also. I like Tarhead's suggestion about listing on CL.

 

[Gofor]

On my old Craftsman (which I no longer have), I had to shim the front rail part # 18 (used washers along with the supplied spacers) to get it straight as well as parallel to the back rail. I believe there is an adjustment for the fence underneath (one or two small bolts) that allow you to align it with the blade once you get the rail straight. Check the length of the spacer rod (part #16) to make sure it is of the same length as the distance between the front and back rail at the table end. If the original owner put washers inside the rails against the shoulders of it, it could be pressing the outside of the rails apart.
That said, the fence would not lock solid and was easy to clamp down at an angle. I always pushed in the front "t" to get it as square as possible and then still measured to the blade at front and back. A wooden mallet works well for the final tweaking. :lol::lol:

Go

 

[cpowell]

Mike, I haven't owned that saw but my first Delta TS was bargain basement cheap with a T-Square style fence that was a real aggravation to set. Worse, the fence would move slightly if pressure was applied against its face (ie, featherboards).

I upgraded to a cab saw with a Biese fence and was absolutely amazed at the difference. The fence is repeatable, has not lost its set (still parallel to blade and miter slot) after several years of use and it will not budge once locked down.

I kept the first saw for a year so I feel your pain. Measuring before each cut was a bit tedious but it was the only way I could get good cuts.

Chuck