Looking to start using your precision router table saw more frequently? Well, then, you’re definitely going to need to know how to use it and how to use all of the pieces that go along with it to ensure accuracy. So, how are you going to do that? There are so many features to think about, such as dust collection via a dust port, a miter slot, holes, fence rail or guide rail, a blade guard, and the table saw miter itself for those perfect cut every time.
We’re going to help you figure out some of the most important tips and tricks to get everything you’re looking for when it comes to using your router table saw and getting the perfect fit for your rip fence as well as each of your project pieces.
Precision is everything. Make sure your fence is perfectly straight for the perfect alignment and accuracy. You want to be sure that each piece of the fence is formed properly and create a 90° angle. This is going to make sure that everything you cut with your table saw is perfectly straight as well.- That way, each of the projects that you work on is going to be exactly the way that you want it to be rather than having a curve or other angle that could cause you problems over the long term, depending on what you want to create and how you’re doing it.
- Always keep the safety on when you’re using your table saw and use your fence as an additional protective barrier. You never want to get too close when you’re using any type of blade and especially an uncovered style blade like the one on your table saw. You definitely don’t want to spend a whole lot of time building everything up only to find yourself injured the first time that you decide to use it, right? You want to make sure that you are safe and comfortable using the unit every time that it comes down to it.
- Connect the fence carefully to ensure perfect alignment and that it is tight against your table saw and also make sure that it isn’t going to cause any damage to the saw itself or the table that you’re using it on. You definitely want to make sure that you’re tightening the fence down, after all, but you don’t want to do it onto a piece of your saw and you don’t want to do it in a crooked or less than ideal way. After all, it’s extremely easy to put your fence together at an angle if you’re not careful and that only causes more trouble than anything else.
- While you’re pushing your boards through the table saw you want to have a way to support them on the other side of the blade. That’s how you’re going to keep them from breaking away or ending up with an angled piece that won’t work for your project at all. A support system should be long enough that you can support the entire piece of wood on it as you push through the blade. You shouldn’t have to worry about anything sliding off the end and you may even want your fence to support a good section of this as well to keep the straight edge.
Put a fence on your miter gauge as well to make sure you have the support that you need when you’re cutting additional pieces or cutting in different directions. This will help with crosscuts and will also assist you when it comes to making angles in your wood pieces. That way you don’t have to worry about getting something that isn’t quite what you’re looking for or that has a slightly different angle than you were expecting it to have. It’s easy to do with a small piece of wood as well.- If you don’t have a longer fence to use for your longer pieces you can just clamp something on that will keep your piece lined up and sliding exactly where you want it to be. You don’t need to make a special fence for these longer pieces unless you’re going to be using them a lot. You can just use something that you already have such as a long level or another piece that will help you keep balance and continue cutting the way you need to.
- If you have something difficult to work with as far as the grain or anything else in your wood you want to put not only a regular fence but also a half fence that will help to keep the amount of pressure that you need but not too much. You want something thinner and something that will keep your wood piece cutting right. You don’t want to lose a good cut or piece of wood just because it’s got a lot of grain or knots to it. Maybe that’s what you’re looking for so make sure that you’re cutting it properly.
- Use a sliding jig to cut down on the difficulty you have in arranging your fence. If you want to cut a lot of pieces you would generally need to move the fence each time, but if you have a sliding jig you can definitely reduce the number of times you need to adjust the fence because you’ll be able to just put the board where you need and push the jig where it needs to be. This is going to help you keep your hands back and keep your fence exactly where you want it to be without a lot of extra time.
No matter what you’re actually working on with your fence you want to make sure that you know what you’re doing and you definitely want to make sure that you have a good quality fence. That’s how you’re going to keep everything operating properly and it’s how you’re going to accomplish more than you might think.
You definitely don’t want to spend a lot of time and effort trying to create a fence and then trying to move the fence around whenever you want to cut something else as this makes it even more difficult. With these tips, you should be a little better prepared.