Aligning the fence

heathicus · Post by **heathicus** » Mon Jan 07, 2013 2:50 pm

Maybe I'm not understanding the link in #2, or maybe I'm not being clear... but I've studied that link and it looks like he's fixing a problem with movement on a different plane. In fact, when I encountered this problem yesterday, having seen that page recently, that was the first place on my fence base that I looked. It was smooth.

His fix seems to fix a problem with the fence rocking on a vertical plane (perpendicular to the table) whereas mine is a horizontal plane (parallel to the table). Am I confused about that "fix" and what it is fixing?

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Mon Jan 07, 2013 3:04 pm

heathicus wrote:Maybe I'm not understanding the link in #2, or maybe I'm not being clear... but I've studied that link and it looks like he's fixing a problem with movement on a different plane. In fact, when I encountered this problem yesterday, having seen that page recently, that was the first place on my fence base that I looked. It was smooth.

His fix seems to fix a problem with the fence rocking on a vertical plane (perpendicular to the table) whereas mine is a horizontal plane (parallel to the table). Am I confused about that "fix" and what it is fixing?

See additions to my previous post.

No hump, then I agree #2 is not relevant.

Corner clearance is still 'on de table'! Or any other funkiness!;)

heathicus · Post by **heathicus** » Mon Jan 07, 2013 3:18 pm

Good additional info in that previous post! Gives me a lot to look at when I get a chance. Maybe I can sneak out to the shop tonight...

edflorence · Post by **edflorence** » Mon Jan 07, 2013 4:03 pm

JPG40504 wrote:
FWIW it is 'mentioned'(albeit very briefly) in all 5 versions of PTWFE that I have.

The 510 fence went back to a single screw, but that second screw made it into the bandsaw and 500 upgrade(I think) fences.

Thanks for the reply...that is helpful information.

You are correct the second screw is in the 500 upgrade, which is what I currently have.

Did you find the setscrews mentioned in the fence section of the saw chapter or elsewhere in PTWFE?

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Mon Jan 07, 2013 4:18 pm

edflorence wrote:Thanks for the reply...that is helpful information.

You are correct the second screw is in the 500 upgrade, which is what I currently have.

Did you find the setscrews mentioned in the fence section of the saw chapter or elsewhere in PTWFE?

All are in the sanding/abrasive machine chapters.

PTWFE..Chapter..Page
53........7...........218 10E/R no offset screw
55........7...........261
??........7...........261
84........16.........268
89....... 17.........216

edflorence · Post by **edflorence** » Mon Jan 07, 2013 8:55 pm

JPG40504 wrote:All are in the sanding/abrasive machine chapters.

PTWFE..Chapter..Page
53........7...........218 10E/R no offset screw
55........7...........261
??........7...........261
84........16.........268
89....... 17.........216

got it! thanks very much

heathicus · Post by **heathicus** » Mon Jan 07, 2013 9:44 pm

Perhaps the issue from the link in post 2 is my problem after all. I just took another look and couldn't see but could kind of feel the bumps. I retracted the set screws and tried the fence on the extension table and it fit solidly. No swinging. Tried it back on the main table and it just didn't seem to fit the bar very well in comparison.

I colored the area with a black sharpie and wrapped some 320 sandpaper around a flat bar and lightly sanded the area from "the fix". The two bumps were very visible then.

reible · Post by **reible** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 6:29 pm

Hi,

Noticed a couple of assumptions that were made here in this thread.

First the conical sanding idea was introduced way back in the 1960's. The "disk" looked like a saw blade, one side flat, the other conical (2 degrees I seem to remember). They mounted either way like a saw blade without teeth. (The version that is now sold is much newer, as a guess, 1990 or so. (The instructions on mine do not have the 520 listed.))

I still have a version I got in the early 1970's for the rockwell table saw I had at the time, it was sold by Sears. I believe this was also a thread on this forum but I'm not sure what to search on to find it.

The rip fence in this case can be used on either side of the sanding disk thus needs to tilt both ways for full functionality. This would also be functional on the bandsaw (shared part).

My original rip fence for my 1976 shopsmith has the dual tilt ability as does the upgrade rip fence. The 510 had only one side, the 520 has none. I have a fence attachment to create the off set on the 520 if I want the function. (If you do decide to use the rip fence for flat disk sanding it has to be offset.)

Ed

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 12:34 pm

The Mark VII came with a flat/conical disk. The angle is less than the current one. The Mark VII fence has two offset screws.

I am unclear how one would set up to sand on 'either side' of the fence(bandsaw makes sense though).

heathicus · Post by **heathicus** » Sun Jan 13, 2013 4:49 pm

Looks like the problem is fixed and post #2 did indeed point to the cause. I took a file and some sandpaper to that part of the base today,and after a bit I had a nice flat surface (verified by marking it with a sharpie and taking a couple swipes with some very fine sandpaper around a flat bar. The base fits a lot better now. No swinging side to side. No longer necessary to use the set screws.