mikm
24th November 2008, 04:59 PM
Hi all.
I purchased a TSC 10HB table saw from Carbatec last week and got around to setting it up on the weekend. The saw in general seems to perform well so far, but as someone (sorry, I forget who) has previously mentioned, the stick on tape measure that comes with the "Align A Rip" fence is pretty ordinary.
Firstly, the units are centimeters and inches - we are not dressmakers, nor is this the 16th century. :) Secondly, a tape or rule usually has longer marks every 5 mm to aid reading, but this one does not. Neither issue is a serious deal-breaker, but I didnt like it. Further to this, the red index line and associated magnifier attached to the rip fence are high enough off the tape to introduce significant opportunity for parallax error to appear.
My solution fixed both the readability and accuracy issues at once:
I grabbed a 1 m steel rule, cut it down to 800 mm to fit the rip fence front guide rail and stuck it on with some liquid nails. Problem(s) solved! The scale on the rule is very easy to read and the reflection in the polished stainless surface entirely removes the parallax error, guaranteeing repeatable accuracy. If you have ever used an old analogue multimeter or something similar with a moving coil meter, you will know what I mean. Move your head laterally to like up the mark on the guide with the reflection of it in the rule and your measurement of choice. The attached photo shows the fence adjusted to 20 cm (ignore what I said above about dressmakers, that ruler was all I had on a sunday afternoon) at an off-angle to show all three lines.
In gory detail:
1) Fix the fence or ripping guide somewhere on the table. Suit your self where
2) Ensure the index marker (the clear plastic bit with red line in the middle in the photo) on the fence is in the centre of its lateral adjustment. You will need to fine tune it later.
3) Note the measurement from your blade to the fence.
4) Run a small bead of liquid nails (or other fast acting adhesive) along the length of the rule using a scraper to spread it thinly across the surface.
5) Stick the rule to the guide rail so that it reads the measurement taken earlier.
6) Get some scrap and take a test cut.
7) Adjust the index maker as necessary to suit the measurement of an actual cut.
Hope that makes enough sense to be understood. I cant see why this cant be adapted to other saw fences as well...
Enjoy.
Mick
I purchased a TSC 10HB table saw from Carbatec last week and got around to setting it up on the weekend. The saw in general seems to perform well so far, but as someone (sorry, I forget who) has previously mentioned, the stick on tape measure that comes with the "Align A Rip" fence is pretty ordinary.
Firstly, the units are centimeters and inches - we are not dressmakers, nor is this the 16th century. :) Secondly, a tape or rule usually has longer marks every 5 mm to aid reading, but this one does not. Neither issue is a serious deal-breaker, but I didnt like it. Further to this, the red index line and associated magnifier attached to the rip fence are high enough off the tape to introduce significant opportunity for parallax error to appear.
My solution fixed both the readability and accuracy issues at once:
I grabbed a 1 m steel rule, cut it down to 800 mm to fit the rip fence front guide rail and stuck it on with some liquid nails. Problem(s) solved! The scale on the rule is very easy to read and the reflection in the polished stainless surface entirely removes the parallax error, guaranteeing repeatable accuracy. If you have ever used an old analogue multimeter or something similar with a moving coil meter, you will know what I mean. Move your head laterally to like up the mark on the guide with the reflection of it in the rule and your measurement of choice. The attached photo shows the fence adjusted to 20 cm (ignore what I said above about dressmakers, that ruler was all I had on a sunday afternoon) at an off-angle to show all three lines.
In gory detail:
1) Fix the fence or ripping guide somewhere on the table. Suit your self where
2) Ensure the index marker (the clear plastic bit with red line in the middle in the photo) on the fence is in the centre of its lateral adjustment. You will need to fine tune it later.
3) Note the measurement from your blade to the fence.
4) Run a small bead of liquid nails (or other fast acting adhesive) along the length of the rule using a scraper to spread it thinly across the surface.
5) Stick the rule to the guide rail so that it reads the measurement taken earlier.
6) Get some scrap and take a test cut.
7) Adjust the index maker as necessary to suit the measurement of an actual cut.
Hope that makes enough sense to be understood. I cant see why this cant be adapted to other saw fences as well...
Enjoy.
Mick