Replies

1. 
   Jamie_Buxton | Sep 08, 2006 05:50pm | #1

   I had the same frustration with that fence.   I removed the floppy plastic and its weird little mounting devices.  Then I drilled and tapped holes into the steel fence.   I use solid lumber for the fence faces, and machine screws going through the wood into the steel.   The holes through the wood are counterbored so that the heads are recessed.  I also found that the steel in my fence is not straight, so I put shims between the wood and the steel.  The shims are very thin.   They're Post-it notes, AKA yellow stickies.

    

2. 
   jackplane | Sep 08, 2006 07:52pm | #2

   Use a laminate covered fence. It works fine and will last longer.

    

3. 
   douglas2cats | Sep 10, 2006 12:48am | #3

   Sounds like a good idea. You could attach the thinner UHMW tape to the MDF or melamine fence if you still want the slipperiness of the UHMW. That UHMW distorts pretty easily under screw pressure. I made some miter slot guide bars out of it for the bottom of a TS sled. 1/4 turn of the screws makes a difference in whether the thing will slide smoothly in the slot vs. hanging up due to the UHMW bulging out from the screw pressure.

   If you build it he will come.

1. 
   highfigh | Sep 10, 2006 04:52pm | #4

   ANother thing I have noticed is that as the air temperature increases, the waviness of my fence also increases. This stuff "grows" when it gets hot and while I haven't needed my saw much lately, the faces of my fence and my UHMW (or HDPE) zero clearance insert are going away soon. I may ust the Finnish Birch plywood with the laminated faces that they sell at Woodcraft. It's very flat and smooth, and since they use something other than contact cement, I doubt it will come off easily. It also seems that it would be great for jigs.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

1. 
   Jamie_Buxton | Sep 10, 2006 06:23pm | #5

   While grumbling at the UHMW faces on my saw, I could just visualize the product planning meeting...

   One guy says "We're selling to woodworkers -- that is guys who like wood.  Wood is inexpensive.  Wood is pretty stable.   Wood is easily replaced if it gets dinged.  We could use wood for the fence faces."   The next guy says "We could use UHMW.   It is expensive, it bends easily, it changes dimensions with temperature, and isn't expecially attractive to our customers."  For some crazy reason, the second guy wins.

2. 
   Rennie | Sep 11, 2006 05:29pm | #6

   I may use the Finnish Birch plywood with the laminated faces that they sell at Woodcraft.

   Highfigh,

   I had the same idea. I've used this material for a couple of jigs and really like it (though the price can be a bit scary). I checked my fence and there is plenty of play in the index window for me to go to 3/4" material as a face for the fence. This stuff is super stiff and flat. I'm planning on making the change this week. I'll post pics when it is done.

   Thanks!Rennie

   A man is a fool if he drinks before he reaches the age of 50, and a fool if he doesn't afterward. Frank Lloyd Wright

1. 
   BG | Sep 11, 2006 08:36pm | #7

   Rennie,
   I've been wanting to swap out the plastic for the last two years....so I'll be looking forward to your experiment. My concern has been the shiming between the new face and the steel...if needed, with what, how much and will it stay put. Good Luck