Replies

1. 
   RickL | Apr 24, 2006 04:43pm | #1

   Making the whole thing out of UHMW?  I made mine from baltic birch and if I was to use UHMW I'd apply a piece to the face with screws. There's not many glues you can use on UHMW. I know they sell UHMW tape with adhesive on it so there is something that sticks to it. My local plastic fab shop welds it together I believe. Have you ever done patter cutting on your saw?  You might want to modify your design to allow for pattern cutting. I use my auxillary fence mostly for pattern cutting.

1. 
   DarrellN | Apr 24, 2006 05:09pm | #2

   The grey areas in the picture are UHMW and the yellow is plywood. So in other words, I will have a 6"-8" piece on one side and a 4" piece on the other side and 2 pieces of plywood connecting them. The UHMW is 1" thick.

   I'm not sure what you mean by pattern making but am open to any suppestions at all to make it as versitle as possible.

1. 
   RickL | Apr 24, 2006 05:51pm | #3

   Just screw the UHMW on the plywood! 

    

   The technique is called pattern cutting and you use the fence to guide a pattern that is applied to the wood so you can repeat simple identical shapes on the table saw. There's a number of other things pattern cutting is used for. Any good table saw book should cover the topic. You can always add a block with your t track for the pattern cutting application. Most people have barely scratched the surface of the things that can be done on a table saw.

    

    

   Edited 4/24/2006 10:53 am ET by RickL

1. 
   forestgirl | Apr 25, 2006 07:50pm | #10

   Isn't there a reason they make the UMHW faces on the higher quality fences removeable?  Seems like that would be a hint. <g>forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

1. 
   DarrellN | Apr 25, 2006 08:00pm | #12

   Actually, I would assume it's because you somehow messed up the UHMW. If that isn't the only reason it would be nice to know about it.

   I bought this because I got a great deal on it. From what I had read it was the best material to use as a fence and could be worked like wood.

   The material I got is just over 1" thick so I figured I would joint it to exactly 1" thick so when I was setting my fence I would "burn an inch". I also wanted to be able to attach a featherboard to it and purchased some t-track for that purpose.

   If my assumptions here are wrong I can easily live with that and use the UHMW in jigs or other areas without making me unhappy.

2. 
   KeithNewton | Apr 25, 2006 01:22am | #4

   Darrell, UHMW is not very stable, and will warp pretty badly without something else holding it straight. You may want to think about using more wood, and less plastic, or you may have to deal with havinig to straightening it out every now and then.

1. 
   douglas2cats | Apr 25, 2006 01:42am | #5

   I second that. Even the force of drawing screws too tight through a hole countersunk into UHMW will cause it to flex and bulge. It's great stuff but nowhere near stiff enough for a fence made from the solid UHMW.If you build it he will come.

1. 
   DarrellN | Apr 25, 2006 04:45pm | #6

   So should I get some 3/4" plywood and make a 1/4" resaw of the UHMW and attach it to the plywood somehow?

2. 
   douglas2cats | Apr 25, 2006 04:59pm | #7

   If it were me I'd get some of the thin stuff with the adhesive already on it. Wish I knew what glue they used on that stuff - it might come in handy for glueing the thicker UHMW stuff too. Do a google search on Slik-Tape (or something like that). I've got a roll of 3" wide stuff but don't remember where I bought it. Putting plastic laminate on baltic birch or MDF would work good for a fence too.If you build it he will come.

3. 
   dgreen | Apr 25, 2006 07:01pm | #9

   Got my 3" roll from Lee Valley. I'd love to know what the adhesive is too.

4. 
   RickL | Apr 25, 2006 05:02pm | #8

   I'd keep it thick and screw it to the plywood jig.

3. 
   forestgirl | Apr 25, 2006 07:57pm | #11

   "I'm not sure what you mean by pattern making...."

   Here is an online article about pattern cutting.  And here is a picture of one fence attachment to facilitate.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

1. 
   DarrellN | Apr 25, 2006 08:04pm | #13

   Got it! Thansk for the info on the pattern cutting jig forestgirl, I understand how it is to work now.

   Now I just have to figure out if I can incorporate that into my idea hehe =).