[Sleeper]

I’m asking because I went to buy a piece of popular for my new Miter Gauge fence. Everything I looked at was warped, cupped or just had the grain swirling in every direction and I thought by the time I run it through the joiner and then the planer, I wouldn’t have much left.

I don’t have a lot of choices and I do have a piece of red oak that I could use, but I just don’t like the grain on it. So I’m thinking about cutting a 2ft section of clear fir 2x4 stud and ripping it down to a good size before finishing it off in the joiner and planer.

Anyway it started me thinking about what others prefer to use as a fence or if you have no preference..


Sorry if this has already been covered, but I didn't find anything with the search

 

[knotscott]

I'm fond of anodized aluminum wood.... :laughing:

 

[Sleeper]

I'm fond of anodized aluminum wood.... :laughing:

Hmm, :huh:
I wounder if that's what I'm going to have, I have the aluminum and I'm going to attach wood. :smile:

 

[yank]

Miter fence? Not heard that term before. Miter gauge in my shop is what I call it. That being said, my Incra miter gauge is perfect just the way it is, as is my Incra TS LS fence. However, I do have a plywood aux, fence I can add to my Incra FENCE and my MITER GAUGE if needed.

 

[Sleeper]

Miter fence? .

Ok wood fence on my miter gauge, but it doesn't have to be. Any old fence on a table saw will do. :thumbdown:

 

[MattS]

I pretty much use anything flat and smooth - I have a chunk of 5/8'ths oak hardwood ply on it right now. Usually a piece of poplar, but I needed the one that was on it recently so I had to pull it off.

 

[Sleeper]

I pretty much use anything flat and smooth - I have a chunk of 5/8'ths oak hardwood ply on it right now. Usually a piece of poplar, but I needed the one that was on it recently so I had to pull it off.

Humm, I didn't think about plywood :shifty:

 

[toolguy1000]

good, flat plywood is usually my choice. doesn't move as much as dimensional material does.

 

[Gilgaron]

You could use some MDF. Flat, cuts easy, cheap. Makes a mess of dust, but is disposable once you booger it up. If you want hardwood look for something quartersawn like white oak. It'll resist warping better than a pine stud.

 

[Sleeper]

good, flat plywood is usually my choice. doesn't move as much as dimensional material does.

I didn't think of plywood because I was planing on running the wood through the planer, but as soon as it was mentioned i went out to the shop and found a piece of 3/4 that was just the right size. I haven't checked it yet for being straight and flat which is the most important. I also want it strong enough to be able to continue being straight with saw cuts in it.

I did think of MDF but I think the end piece would break after a few cuts. I like having the cuts to see where to line up the wood.

I'll probably just continue with my plan to make one out of a 2x4 stud because I know I can get it straight. The only question is will it stay straight.

 

[GeorgeC]

For any sacrificial fence attached to the metal fence on my table saw I will normally use plywood. I have never seen a table saw fence made of wood.

George

 

[Sleeper]

OMG you people sure get hung-up up on words. Ok I have a wood fence on my freaking sled and before I bought me Biesemeyer Table Saw Fence, I had a piece of wood as the face on my craftsman fence as was recommended in the stinking craftsman manual. And now I’m attaching another piece of stinking wood onto my aluminum “MITER GAUGE” .
Is everybody stuck in a stinking box? George check out YouTube someday there hundreds of wood table saw fences. Well now I’m late for work.

 

[tvman44]

How about Melamine.

 

[rrich]

Now that I understand......

I have the old Rockler (Poker Chip) miter gauge. (It's the one with positive stops every 2.5° and the two parts mesh together like poker chips.) I have replaced the wood several times. Each time I used 3/4" Baltic Birch and then used 3M 77 to glue some 400 grit paper to the fence. The Baltic Birch takes kindly to a "T" track being routed along the back side.

If I ever have to replace the face of my Biesemeyer fence it will be Baltic Birch with HPL.

 

[Sleeper]

I’ve been thinking about this today at work and I think George said it like it is when he referred to it as a “sacrificial fence”. Up to that point I was thinking of this as a permanent addition to the miter gauge and wanted it to last. Plus when I built my sled I was advised to build the fence out of a good straight piece of hardwood so that's why I was focused on poplar.

Now I understand it differently and realize that it’s going to get ruined as I rotate it around for different angles and ¾” plywood I found that just happened to be a perfect size and fit may actually be a sign. :smile:

So I’ve decided to use the plywood. I don’t know how hard it will be to adjust it for different angles, but I guess I could scribe marks to align the wood up for various angles so it doesn’t completely destroy my piece.

The Melamine would also be nice, but I wouldn’t want my piece to move when making my cut and I like Rich’s idea of the sandpaper to grip it although I’m not sure how it will be affected when I cut through it. :confused1:

 

[mike1950]

persimmon- hard and very slick+ I have a bunch of it.

 

[toolguy1000]

....... and I like Rich’s idea of the sandpaper to grip it although I’m not sure how it will be affected when I cut through it. :confused1:

that's kind of an interesting question. Wood, Shopnotes and Woodsmith have all published jigs/accessories for miter gauges that routinely suggest adding a strip of sandpaper to the face of the jig/accessory to prevent the work piece from sliding along the face of the jig.

 

[rrich]

that's kind of an interesting question. Wood, Shopnotes and Woodsmith have all published jigs/accessories for miter gauges that routinely suggest adding a strip of sandpaper to the face of the jig/accessory to prevent the work piece from sliding along the face of the jig.

Maybe that is where I got the idea from. I'm not smart enough to think that one up on my own.

 

[nostrildamus]

I used a scrap of particle board, with a light paste wax finish.