520 Fence

[iclark]

I want to mount a Rip-Strate safety hold-down/guide.
The 2 holes are for the front "feet" of the body. A screw on the back then applies pressure to that side of the fence to hold the assembly. That clamping stress (not big) would be between the screw pad and the edges of the two drilled holes. This would be a bit more stress than using the Rockler fence clamp.

if the rip-strate mount is deep enough, you could drill the 2 holes in a sacrificial fence. mount the sacrificial fence with T-nuts and you should be good to go.

if you use a wooden plate thick enough to drill for the feet, you could top-mount that with T-nuts, but I cannot tell from the pictur if the vertical arms wold be tall/long enough to get the wheels all the way down to the stock.

if the rip-strate does what I think it does, woodcraft has something similar.
http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/200379 ... kwise.aspx

it seems to me that the problems include that you cannot use an upper saw guard, a fence straddler, or a regular push-stick when you are using these.

did I miss something about using these?

also, SS does stock all parts of the 520 fence as replacement parts (in case you try drilling the fence and it does not work out)

Ivan

[keakap]

Keakap,

Does your rip-strate look like the pictures on the link that Tim provided in the other tread where you mentioned this item? If so, I was thinking you could you make a metal plate that would lay down inside the frame. You could drill holes in the plate to pass 1/4 inch or 3/8 inch screws that would thread into four SS sliding t-nuts sitting in the dual tracks of the 520 fence.

Mike

Sounds like a workable option, if I decide to cut off the legs and clamping bracket. In fact that should do quite nicely.

[keakap]

i...a sacrificial fence. ...Ivan

that is how the R-S is mounted for the 510 system. Complicated to describe. I'll have to take some pics. And it may be the key here, by moving the sacfen to the other side of the 520 fence.

Thanks for the woodcraft link. I'll take a look. (Might save takin pics.)
UPDATE: Yes, the Woodcraft device(s) are along similar lines, but it (they) are more for anti kickback if I remember correctly, and that works similarly. (I don't know quite why the two pieces are shown positioned that way.)
The R-S wheels are on a plane angled into the fence, which drives the work into the fence. If memory serves, that function and the greater strength were what made R-S stand out.

The upper saw guard, fence straddler and push stick are not a problem in situations where the R-S is used. Try to picture ripping a 2" strip from a 8' 2x6, where your hands never come closer than 3' from the blade-- you start out about 8' from the table, push the work through until the outfeed is about 4', walk around to the rear of the table and pull the board the rest of the way through.
The R-S both holds things down (usually rather large things) and simultaneously acts as a fingerboard pushing the piece against the fence, and prevents kick-back. The wheels remove the friction components. I wouldn't use it for very small or very thin pieces-- no need.

That is an excellent tip about SS stocking individual fence parts. A real trepidation tamer.

** But an hour of staring, scratching and picking has me convinced that I can make it work by reconfiguring the sacfen to the right and mount the whole thing on two T-nuts, thereby avoiding the drilling holes in my new fence.

Thanks for the input guys.

[JPG]

that is how the R-S is mounted for the 510 system. Complicated to describe. I'll have to take some pics. And it may be the key here, by moving the sacfen to the other side of the 520 fence.

Thanks for the woodcraft link. I'll take a look. (Might save takin pics.)
UPDATE: Yes, the Woodcraft device(s) are along similar lines, but it (they) are more for anti kickback if I remember correctly, and that works similarly. (I don't know quite why the two pieces are shown positioned that way.)
The R-S wheels are on a plane angled into the fence, which drives the work into the fence. If memory serves, that function and the greater strength were what made R-S stand out.

The upper saw guard, fence straddler and push stick are not a problem in situations where the R-S is used. Try to picture ripping a 2" strip from a 8' 2x6, where your hands never come closer than 3' from the blade-- you start out about 8' from the table, push the work through until the outfeed is about 4', walk around to the rear of the table and pull the board the rest of the way through.
The R-S both holds things down (usually rather large things) and simultaneously acts as a fingerboard pushing the piece against the fence, and prevents kick-back. The wheels remove the friction components. I wouldn't use it for very small or very thin pieces-- no need.

That is an excellent tip about SS stocking individual fence parts. A real trepidation tamer.

** But an hour of staring, scratching and picking has me convinced that I can make it work by reconfiguring the sacfen to the right and mount the whole thing on two T-nuts, thereby avoiding the drilling holes in my new fence.

Thanks for the input guys.

For OUR education, take pix after you are done! PLEASE!

[keakap]

For OUR education, take pix after you are done! PLEASE!

I'll get started on that right now (or in a few minutes).

[keakap]

For OUR education, take pix after you are done! PLEASE!

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[keakap]

...pics...

How's that for planning? Pics w/o captions. This for the previous 5 pics:
1. star= spring peg for left miter slot use]6057[/ATTACH]
stars= placement for T-nut bolt holes; (T-nut sitting in side T-slot)
[ATTACH]6058[/ATTACH]
the rods are angled in the R-S Base; the Base is further angled in the aux fence, to accentuate the force driving the workpiece in to the fence (this may be something I "added").

So, the "sacrificial fence" and adjustment range mentioned together woke me up to moving the Aux fence to the other side. I didn't think it would fit. (ahem) I didn't think.

I'll just use threaded inserts and two 1/4-20 bolts to engage 2 T-nuts in the right side.
'Tis a relief. I've gotten to rely on this old thang, for safety and ease of use when ripping most stuff.

[wood4fun]

keakap,
Nice pix...helps a bunch.

Does anyone know where you can get a Rip-Strate these days? I haven't seen any on ebay or craigslist. Looks like a tried & true design. Is anyone still making them?

I did find a similar but different design at Woodworker's Supply:

http://woodworker.com/fullpres.asp?PARTNUM=96974&LARGEVIEW=ON

But it is 2 separate jigs (one wheel each) with wheels that can be adjusted to be anti-kickback ratcheted or not. Each jig lookslike it has enough slop in the bolt slots to ride the wheel slightly toward the fence. Based on your knowledge of the Ripstrate, is this 2-jig product equivalent or missing some major features? Seems like twice the setup adjustments.

-w4f

[keakap]

[quote="wood4fun"]keakap,

I'll try a search, but I'm not very good at it, so don't hold yo breath!

Fisher Hill Products Inc
572 Rhododendron Rd
Fitzwilliam, NH 03447
Phone: (603) 585-6883
Website: Information not found (?)

Woodworking machinery in Fitzwilliam, NH
Mfg Woodworking Machinery, Sawmill and Woodworking Machinery Manufacturing
Fisher Hill Products Inc Business Information
Fisher Hill Products Inc is a private company categorized under Woodworking machinery and located in Fitzwilliam, NH. Current estimates show this company has an annual revenue of $160,000 and employs a staff of approximately 2.

FWIW

[tryinhard]

I was just reading about sanding disks, and found out that the 520 fence does not provide the setscrew that angles the fence for edge sanding using the flat 12" sanding disk. It seems to me that this results in the sanding disk can only be used for freehand sanding (like curves or rounding edges), end-grain sanding and tool sharpening, and that true edge sanding can only be accomplished with a conical disk. But, I figure this can't be right.

Would you guys explain what I am missing?

Thanks, Mike