- Joined
- Sep 22, 2007
- Messages
- 636
I decided to flip the MDF top and started thinking (oh oh, trouble...). The MDF top is perfectly square and the holes are aligned perfectly in reference to the sides. So why not align the guide rail so it is square to the front side of the MDF top? It is easier to use a framers square here since the square's edge is slightly raised on the guide rail and sits above the radius bottom edge of the guide rail.
Better yet, you can use the holes in the table top to align the rail. Example is shown in another post further down in this subject.
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And now you can align the auxiliary fence to the guide rail (actually, you don't even need this fence anymore unless making angled cuts). Now everything on the table top is squared. I can now use bench dogs in a vertical row of holes (Rockler example) as a board stop and get a perfect parallel cut. Simply slide the guide rail down to where the cut needs to be made. Oh yeah, get rid of those guide rail clamp stops on the sides of the table (you know, the ones the factory says don't move).
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Or, I can make a parallelogram and make parallel cuts. Simply keep the parallelogram closed and cut the first edge, open the parallelogram and make my second cut. My parallelogram was made out of some excess T rails I had sitting around (it is 8020 Inc. part numbers 25-5013 and 25-2514) and some aluminum bars with holes on 2 inch centers. The 1/4-20 bolts are slightly long so they go through the nut and bottom out in the stock rather than holding the top bar tight.
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While I had the top off, I decided to route a 1/4 inch dado into the top edges of the MDF top. I can put an aluminum bar into the slots and use these as an auxiliary fence. More on this later. I'm waiting on some parts to show up.
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Before this, I always aligned my guide rail to the aux fence but I knew the aux fence was not square or parallel to the table top. The holes were only good for clamping. But now, I see a whole new world opening up.
Is this setup something I missed when beginning, or did everyone else miss this too?
Better yet, you can use the holes in the table top to align the rail. Example is shown in another post further down in this subject.
[attachthumb=1]
And now you can align the auxiliary fence to the guide rail (actually, you don't even need this fence anymore unless making angled cuts). Now everything on the table top is squared. I can now use bench dogs in a vertical row of holes (Rockler example) as a board stop and get a perfect parallel cut. Simply slide the guide rail down to where the cut needs to be made. Oh yeah, get rid of those guide rail clamp stops on the sides of the table (you know, the ones the factory says don't move).
[attachthumb=2]
[attachthumb=3]
Or, I can make a parallelogram and make parallel cuts. Simply keep the parallelogram closed and cut the first edge, open the parallelogram and make my second cut. My parallelogram was made out of some excess T rails I had sitting around (it is 8020 Inc. part numbers 25-5013 and 25-2514) and some aluminum bars with holes on 2 inch centers. The 1/4-20 bolts are slightly long so they go through the nut and bottom out in the stock rather than holding the top bar tight.
[attachthumb=4]
While I had the top off, I decided to route a 1/4 inch dado into the top edges of the MDF top. I can put an aluminum bar into the slots and use these as an auxiliary fence. More on this later. I'm waiting on some parts to show up.
[attachthumb=5]
[attachthumb=6]
[attachthumb=7]
Before this, I always aligned my guide rail to the aux fence but I knew the aux fence was not square or parallel to the table top. The holes were only good for clamping. But now, I see a whole new world opening up.
Is this setup something I missed when beginning, or did everyone else miss this too?