Q:

Should a tablesaw fence be set parallel to the blade or angled slightly away from the back of the blade?

Brad Andrews, Independence, MO

A:

I don’t think it matters; just don’t toe it in toward the blade. I recently checked the four saws in our shop, and found that two had fences parallel and two had fences toed out. All four work just fine. However, the fence should not be skewed more than 1/32 in. away from the blade. If it’s skewed more than that, the blade, rather than the fence, will guide the workpiece, pulling it away from the fence, and that’s a dangerous situation you want to avoid. Also, to prevent the blade from throwing up chips, burning the stock, and lifting the workpiece off the table or jamming dangerously against the splitter, the fence should never be angled toward the blade.

Fine Woodworking Recommended Products

Makita LS1219L Miter Saw

This is the saw I want in my shop. For one, it’s easy to use. All of the controls are easy to reach and manipulate, and the glide mechanism is both robust and smooth. The handle works well for righties and lefties. Then there are added bonuses that no other saw has. For instance, its hold-down is superb, as it can move to different locations, hinges for a greater range of coverage, and actually holds down the work. In addition, the saw has two points of dust collection, letting it firmly beat the rest of the field. The one downside was the saw’s laser, which was so faint we had to turn off the shop lights to see it. Still, all these pluses in a package that fits tight to the wall? That’s a winner for me.

Buy at Amazon

Craftsman Random Orbit Sander

While this sander is among the least expensive models in the test, its performance ranks among the best. The stock removal was excellent, and dust collection was solid when used with a vacuum. It handles really smoothly, too, and has a tall body that fit my hand nicely whether I was holding it from above or around the waist.

Buy at Amazon

Veritas Precision Square

This precision square is incredibly versatile, from checking squareness to dialing in machine setups.

Buy at Lee Valley