Heightening saw fence

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NikkiC

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Anyone know a way of extending the height of the Kity 419 saw's fence without drilling holes into it? I need to fix a piece of 3/4"x8" plywood to it to make it feasible to cut raised panels, safely.

Here's one attempt, but with the standard fence. Never again though. I probably need to make a second pass to raise the panels further.
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/gallery/det ... ode=search

I love the saw. I cut all the tenons and then the notches in the posts with it.
 
Well, I can't find any useful images of the fence for your saw. Even the Kity UK site seems to be rather poor. Still, I think you could make a tall fence that straddles the fence and clamps on the back side with machine screws in threaded inserts.
Maybe there's a T-slot available on the fence extrusion that would make it easy to attach the high fence without drilling holes.

Edited to add, you could also build a jig similar to a tenoning jig that holds the panel and is guided by the fence but doesn't actually attach to the fence. Or even guide it with a rail in a mitre gauge slot. I could do a drawing of that if it is interesting to you.
 
NikkiC":dpx2l79d said:
Anyone know a way of extending the height of the Kity 419 saw's fence without drilling holes into it? I need to fix a piece of 3/4"x8" plywood to it to make it feasible to cut raised panels, safely.
Sorry, Nikki, but even with a high fence your way of cutting a raised panel is not safe because you need to remove the crown guard and possibly the riving knife to make the cut. No wonder you're concerned.

Have you thought about a nice badger plane? :wink:

Scrit
 
Dave R":13e5wbvv said:
Edited to add, you could also build a jig similar to a tenoning jig that holds the panel and is guided by the fence but doesn't actually attach to the fence. Or even guide it with a rail in a mitre gauge slot. I could do a drawing of that if it is interesting to you.

Brilliant, just found a jig as you have described! Keeps your hands well clear of the blade. http://www.newwoodworker.com/pnlrasjig.html

Nikki
 
Nikki

It doesn't protect you in the case of a slip or kick back as the blade in still exposed. Having your hands well back is only part of the solution.

Sorry, but I view this differently. If anyone working for me tried using a jig like that and had an accident I'd be in the dock - it's simply not a safe way of working!

Scrit
 
Scrit":1ry108i5 said:
Nikki

It doesn't protect you in the case of a slip or kick back as the blade in still exposed. Having your hands well back is only part of the solution.

Sorry, but I view this differently. If anyone working for me tried using a jig like that and had an accident I'd be in the dock - it's simply not a safe way of working!

Scrit

I completely agree with you concerning the safety issues. I wouldn't dream of allowing anyone else to use my table saw, let alone use such a jig with it. And I don't personally encourage anyone to cut raised panels in this way unless they are fully aware of the inherent dangers that go along with it and take complete responsibility for any mishaps. That said, I will have a look at building the jig myself and weigh up the pros and cons, and if I don't feel completely satisfied with the safety, I'll bin it.

So, do you have any links to tutorials on raising panels with a badger plane, if I may be so bold to ask?


Nikki
 
If you look carefully you can see my fence:

100_2758.jpg


I made a 3 sided cover in chip board to go fully over the fence, it can be pulled back and locked with butterfly nuts (bolts in the top slot of the fence), so to create clearance after the blade when ripping (very useful saves me changing to the small fence all the time and re-squaring it). I made a new pointer in aluminium so the scale can still be used, and a stop (just visible nut n bolt at the rear of the new fence) to stop me ramming the pointer into the aluminium extrusion. To this fence I can attach a taller fence as on the inside there are 2 T nuts which 2 counter sunk screws go into. (not visible)

Along with the rear extension table (also visible simple ply wood torsion box hinged on angle aluminium, with a stick to hold it in place), these are the best home made additions to my llittle saw.
 
Andy, nice fence but I think I'd still want something taller for guiding panels. Following the discussion between Nikki and Scrit has me thinking about a sled-based jig for doing this. The sled could have a blade guard if desired.

I've also been thinking about Scrit's comments and considering the interesting difference between the UK (EU?) and US regarding the use of tablesaws and their safety accessories. Hmmm....
 
I would not dream of using my TS for making raised panels, IMHO it is too dangerous,

I made my own router table size is 50" x 32", it has the Incra Ultra Jig with the Incra Intelifence attached. Also I have the Axminster Routalift fitted

Raised panels are a breeze using a raised panel cutter, also extremely safe
 
Hi Nikki

Perhaps I should have been more constructive and offered you some safer alternatives. Here's seven safer alternatives to be going on with:

Method 1 - Mark out with pencil and hand plane using a jack or fore plane. Skew the plane to deal with the crossgrain at the panel top/bottom

Method 2 - As above but a lot faster- use a power planer to rough out then take a final cut with a hand plane or sand off to remove the scallops

Method 3 - Heavy (1/2in - 2HP+) router inverted in a router table with a panel raising router cutter. Make sure there's a safety guard above the cutter (piece of acrylic or polycarbonate. Because the cut is on the underside and the top of the cutter is covered this is pretty safe.

Method 4 - For smaller routers use a horizontal router table with a horizontal router raising cutter. Needs a much smaller router. I'd still recommend adding a guard, though.

Method 5 - As method 4, but angle the router base plate on a wedge and use a long (2in) straight cutter to emulate the shape you'd get using a panel raising cutter. Cheaper still.

Method 6 - Also for smaller routers. Make up an L-section support piece and clamp it, together with your panel in your workbench vice. Machine using your router fence as here at the bottom of the page

Method 7 - Use a spindle moulder with a panel raising cutter (look at page 11). Probably too expensive for most, but commonly used in the commercial world and included for completeness

There are other methods, but all of them involve exposed cutters and/or kickback risk to some extent. None of the above methods require any major amount of clean-up (or any at all for the router/spindle methods).

Think smarter - work safer

Scrit
 
Scrit,

Thanks for the ideas. I can't use a panel raising bit because I only need a 5 degree chamfer for this particluar project. I wonder how long it would take to raise a panel on a CNC mill? :lol:

Nikki
 
Nikki

I'd suggest looking at methods 1, 2 or 5. Alternatively method 6 could be used with a straight cutter and a 5 degree wedge beneath the sole plate of the router.

"CNC mill"? Do you mean something like this Biesse Rover CNC point-to-point machining centre? You'd still need the appropriate tooling and with brazed carbide and a one-pass cut you're looking at somewhere in the 4 to 8 metres/min rate depending on the panel size and whether or not the panel was side/undercut (small panels can be fiendishly difficult to hold down). A spindle moulder with a power feeder will do a quicker job, I assure you.

Just bear in mind what they try to instill into City & Guilds trainees - the aim is to find the most appropriate and safest method of completing a task with existing equipment. If your equipment is such that the task cannot be accomplished safely on it, then don't do it.

Scrit
 
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