Rip Fence Maintainence

Forum for Maintenance and Repair topics. Feel free to ask questions or contribute.

Moderator: admin

Post Reply
bluekayak
Gold Member
Posts: 110
Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:35 pm
Location: St. Peter, MN

Rip Fence Maintainence

Post by bluekayak »

I have been disappointed with both the rip fences that came with my used Greenie and Gray that I got last month. The knobs on both fences were difficult to turn, and I was never sure if the fence was securely mounted to the table.

Last night I sprayed the hidden parts good with WD 40 and let them sit for an hour or two. Then I took them apart, cleaned off any rust, put on some wax, and put them back together.

I could not believe the difference. Now they tighten easily with just a thumb and finger, and it is easy to tell they are securely on the table. If you bought a used machine, or if you are struggling with your rip fence, maybe you just need to give it a good cleaning.

Jerry Floren
St. Peter, MN
User avatar
beeg
Platinum Member
Posts: 4790
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2007 2:33 pm
Location: St. Louis,Mo.

Post by beeg »

GREAT you were able to fix the problem so easily.
SS 500(09/1980), DC3300, jointer, bandsaw, belt sander, Strip Sander, drum sanders,molder, dado, biscuit joiner, universal lathe tool rest, Oneway talon chuck, router bits & chucks and a De Walt 735 planer,a #5,#6, block planes. ALL in a 100 square foot shop.
.
.

Bob
User avatar
dlbristol
Platinum Member
Posts: 874
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2006 4:57 pm
Location: Collbran, Colorado

Post by dlbristol »

One thing that I have learned about the SS is that lots of problems can be avoided with good mainatence and keeping it clean and waxed.
Saw dust heals many wounds. RLTW
Dave
nllaeder
Gold Member
Posts: 43
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2009 6:00 pm
Location: Colorado Springs, CO

Post by nllaeder »

What did you wax?
User avatar
JPG
Platinum Member
Posts: 35600
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2008 7:42 pm
Location: Lexington, Ky (TAMECAT territory)

Post by JPG »

nllaeder wrote:What did you wax?

The unthreaded part of the tightening 'bolt'????? The spring??? The exterior??
╔═══╗
╟JPG ╢
╚═══╝

Goldie(Bought New SN 377425)/4" jointer/6" beltsander/12" planer/stripsander/bandsaw/powerstation /Scroll saw/Jig saw /Craftsman 10" ras/Craftsman 6" thicknessplaner/ Dayton10"tablesaw(restoredfromneighborstrashpile)/ Mark VII restoration in 'progress'/ 10
E[/size](SN E3779) restoration in progress, a 510 on the back burner and a growing pile of items to be eventually returned to useful life. - aka Red Grange
bluekayak
Gold Member
Posts: 110
Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:35 pm
Location: St. Peter, MN

What did I wax

Post by bluekayak »

I polished and waxed the exterior, the tightening rod, and the threads on the rod. I did not wax the spring or the tube that slides into the fence. That tube surprised the heck out of me; I did not know where it came from. I took out the rod, and almost by magic there was a cylinder (tube) on the rod.

If you unscrew the rod there are three washers, a spring, and that cylinder that ends up on the rod when you pull it out of the fence. Putting it back together is pretty easy, which is not often the case when springs are involved. Just put the tube back on the rod and slide it just into the fence and through a washer (before the fence latch). Then put second washer on the rod just as it passes the latch. Next is the spring. Slightly compress the spring so you can thread on the final washer.

I had to compress the back latch (and I did not take this area apart) to get the threads on the rod started in the hole on the back of the fence. The rod goes through the end of the fence when it is fully assembled.

The rod on my 1955 Greenie was bare metal and had some rust that polished up fine. My 1980 Gray had a black coated rod and tube and did not need polishing.

Jerry Floren
St. Peter, MN
User avatar
JPG
Platinum Member
Posts: 35600
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2008 7:42 pm
Location: Lexington, Ky (TAMECAT territory)

Post by JPG »

[quote="bluekayak"]I polished and waxed the exterior, the tightening rod, and the threads on the rod. I did not wax the spring or the tube that slides into the fence. That tube surprised the heck out of me]

fwiw that 'black coating' is black oxide. It will rust. Wax it also.
╔═══╗
╟JPG ╢
╚═══╝

Goldie(Bought New SN 377425)/4" jointer/6" beltsander/12" planer/stripsander/bandsaw/powerstation /Scroll saw/Jig saw /Craftsman 10" ras/Craftsman 6" thicknessplaner/ Dayton10"tablesaw(restoredfromneighborstrashpile)/ Mark VII restoration in 'progress'/ 10
E[/size](SN E3779) restoration in progress, a 510 on the back burner and a growing pile of items to be eventually returned to useful life. - aka Red Grange
bluekayak
Gold Member
Posts: 110
Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:35 pm
Location: St. Peter, MN

Post by bluekayak »

Thanks for the reminder JPG. I did wax the black rod, but it was in much better shape than the bare metal rod, which I had to polish first to remove the rust. I did not see any rust on the black rod. That fence with the black rod is from my Gray, and it is 25 years newer. The Gray also had very little use.

Jerry Floren
St. Peter, MN
Post Reply