Nick2cd Posted January 4, 2011 Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 I just got a new table saw for Christmas. I want to make a sacrificial fence for it and im wondering what the best material would be. i know plywood is stable but would something synthetic be better? ultra high molecular weight plastic? a piece of jointed hardwood? whadda ya think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan S Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 I wouldn't worry to much about what it's made of, as it a consumable. I have used plywood, hardwood, MDF, & plastic, and they all worked equally well. Grab what you have on hand, and make sure it's strait and slick. sandpaper & paste wax will take care of the slick part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Pants Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 Anything flat that you don't mind getting torn up. Slick is good too. I usually keep a little melamine around (easily picked up at a BORG) for sacrificial fences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmac Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 First, you want something that is straight and flat, with uniform thickness, so that the outboard surface of the sacrifical fence stays parallel to the miter slots. Then you want something that's cheap, because (by definition) eventually it's going to get torn up and replaced. The plywood I've run across lately is often warped, so I tend to stick with MDF or particle board for the reasons given above. I like Mr. Pants's idea of melamine, too, which really boils down to MDF or particle board with a nice slick surface already applied. -- Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick2cd Posted January 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 Anything flat that you don't mind getting torn up. Slick is good too. I usually keep a little melamine around (easily picked up at a BORG) for sacrificial fences. i think this is my winner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nateswoodworks Posted January 8, 2011 Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 If you have a cabinet shop around you that makes their own countertops you would probably be able to get scraps that would be perfect for this. I have never had this happen but a couple of yrs ago I was talking to a guy in Barnes and Noble that stopped by a shop by him on a somewhat regular basis and scored big time on scraps of countertops, laminate, mdf, and hardwood. Just a thought. One last thing, a set of these make attaching the fence quick and no clamps to get in the way, which for me means I will be more likely to do it. Nate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick2cd Posted January 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 If you have a cabinet shop around you that makes their own countertops you would probably be able to get scraps that would be perfect for this. I have never had this happen but a couple of yrs ago I was talking to a guy in Barnes and Noble that stopped by a shop by him on a somewhat regular basis and scored big time on scraps of countertops, laminate, mdf, and hardwood. Just a thought. One last thing, a set of these make attaching the fence quick and no clamps to get in the way, which for me means I will be more likely to do it. Nate "these" are on my short list. i definitely need to get some of these guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Pants Posted January 9, 2011 Report Share Posted January 9, 2011 Just a thought. One last thing, a set of these make attaching the fence quick and no clamps to get in the way, which for me means I will be more likely to do it. Nate Yeah I picked up a set of those to replace another brand (I'd name them but I have no idea who made them got the others from Woodcraft). The Rockler ones seem a lot sturdier, especially the knobs. Very handy and I like that I don't have to worry about accidentally setting a clamp too low and blocking my cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kesac Posted January 14, 2011 Report Share Posted January 14, 2011 I just got a new table saw for Christmas. I want to make a sacrificial fence for it and im wondering what the best material would be. i know plywood is stable but would something synthetic be better? ultra high molecular weight plastic? a piece of jointed hardwood? whadda ya think? MDF. You are going to make several of them over the years. You want cheap, stable, and nothing you will get all proud of and fall in love with, and resist throwing out when it is old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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