Table saw rip fence problem

Stan in Oly, WA

Well-known Member
I bought a used Rockwell table saw which was pretty rusty and dirty. It looked poorly maintained, but not abused. I thought it wouldn’t be too much trouble to clean it up and adjust it to get it back into decent running condition. That didn’t exactly turn out to be the case, but it ought to be good enough for me to get the projects done that I’ve got lined up for the next six or eight months. The problem is with the rip fence. The knob that is supposed to tighten up the back end of the fence doesn’t hold it in place. If anyone has a table saw that uses this style of rip fence, could you take a look at the mechanism of the back end and tell me how it’s supposed to work. I've had it apart several times and it appears that nothing is missing and everything is in place. After studying it for a while I can't even figure out exactly how it's supposed to work---which is the first thing you have to know to solve this kind of problem, of course.

Stan
This type of rip fence
 
For what its worth ;
I have an old turd of a table saw that is probably worse off than the one you have.
All I did was take a piece of 1" x 2" about 24" long and put two screws in one end, protruding out so they hold firm against both sides of the top of the guide.
the other end of the stick I just use a c-clamp to lock it to the edge of the table.
The knob end gets locked down with a c-clamp as well.
For something I only use a few times a year, the little extra time I spend to set it up does not justify replacing it.
 
I've got a Rockwell, has that same fence. The clamp on the back end has never worked (got the whole saw out of a dumpster at work about 30 years ago).

I've always intended to buy a good aftermarket fence, but haven't done it yet. My solution has been to get it straight with the table and put a welding clamp on it.

The whole fence is pretty much worthless, I would not waste my time trying to fix it, especially once you've used a good one, you'll know what I mean!
 
That's essentially what I've been doing for many years with the POS portable table saw I have. I have several projects coming up that will be reasonably table saw intensive so I thought I'd give myself a break and buy a saw with a rip fence that didn't require so much set up time every time I needed to change the width of the cut. Oh well, $50 ventured, nothing gained.

Stan
 
Used to have one of them,

Take it apart....the little knob rod or the rear clamp may have stripped threads.

They work fine if properly set up.

Other option is to get a Vega, Besemeyer(sp), Unifence etc to replace it.

I have a Vega on my unisaw and their smaller version on my contractor saw and it is a great improvement.

http://vegawoodworking.com/product/table-saw-fence/


mvphoto17659.jpg
 
Hi Steve;

Thanks for the information. At least it will keep me from wasting more time with it.

I have used a good table saw---the Delta Unisaw that my brother in law uses a to cut the blanks for the native American style flutes he makes (and sells more than a thousand of every year). It had the best rip fence I'd ever used when he got it, but since then he's upgraded to an aftermarket fence which is simply amazing. Fortunately, I guess, I don't need that.

Stan
 
If you do decide to change fences, if unrepairable, I really can testify to the quality of the Vega! I recently added the Vega 50 to my good old Craftsman (Emerson)113. saw. Slick and accurate. I got so motivated I started building a cabinet for it and a router. The drawers are almost finished, but that really doesn't apply to your thread. Good luck!
Dave
a186832.jpg
 
Nice saw, Kevin, and nice shop. There's no point in me buying a high quality rip fence because I haven't got a saw that would accommodate it (much less deserve it). There's no point in me getting a good quality saw because I haven't got a shop to keep it in.

Stan
 
It doesn't have to apply to my thread, Dave. About half the time I post here, I'm as interested in what people have to say about their own experiences as I am in getting an answer to my specific question.

Stan
 
(quoted from post at 22:12:25 03/18/15) It doesn't have to apply to my thread, Dave. About half the time I post here, I'm as interested in what people have to say about their own experiences as I am in getting an answer to my specific question.

Stan

Put up a pic of the Rockwell, some of them like my old 9" was about as good as the Unisaw when the fence was right.

About the only thing that makes a table saw is the fence.

The small Vega is quite inexpensive, and I am sure if you open up your current fence that it is repairable as well.

I always used the old fence like you show on the old 9" and it worked very well.
 
The front is what locks it in. The back end is a fixed point along for the ride. What makes it work is it's a tad shorter than the guide rails so it pulls against the back rail when you pull against the front one. If the top knob won't help add a shim at each rear guide rail bolt to spread it out. "washer, paper stock, etc."
 
Download this manual.
http://api.viglink.com/api/click?format=go&jsonp=vglnk_142679532512912&key=7480ef029b6d60b2e931c19360e0c889&libId=i7gkvgsi0100zey7000DLb45uqy8&loc=http%3A%2F%2Flumberjocks.com%2Ftopics%2F47686&v=1&out=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.2helpu.com%2FUSPDMSDocuments%2F%2Fenglish%2Finstruction%2520manual%2Fdelta%2Fen422-19-651-0024.pdf&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%26esrc%3Ds%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D2%26ved%3D0CCcQFjAB%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Flumberjocks.com%252Ftopics%252F47686%26ei%3DsikLVbqZLsGlNseTgsgG%26usg%3DAFQjCNEOxNq9i_DfwWd25i4nWC7ZkXu7zA%26bvm%3Dbv.88528373%2Cd.eXY&title=Help%20with%20tablesaw%20fence%20problem%20-%20by%20Steve%20K%20%40%20LumberJocks.com%20~%20woodworking%20community&txt=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.2helpu.com%2FUSPDMSDocuments%2F%2Fenglish%2Finstruction%2520manual%2Fdelta%2Fen422-19-651-0024.pdf
It's for a Delta, essentially the same saw. You should be able to adjust the fence so it works well. Not as good as a Beis, but ok.
 

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