Aftermarket rip fence?

[jstevens]

Hope this isn't sacrelige, but are there any aftermarket fences that fit the BT3100? Do any of you have one on your BT3100? Thanks in advance for your help.

Regards,

John

[Black wallnut]

Yes but they generally cost more than the saw. Jointech built one that Sam Conder tested but sadly the write-up is no longer working.

[LCHIEN]

there's not much point to one.
The whole saw was designed to sell for around 300 to 400 dollars.
Certain design decisions were made to provide a matched system, and good functionality at a low price point - the use of aluminum and both rails for clamping makes an inexpensive extrusion and modest head casting - very solid and immovable with the three point squaring and clamping. This avoids the kind of heavy rip fence as a Beisemeyer that uses only the front rail clamping thus requiring a very stiff fence and heavy T-head casting and solid steel rails and costs $2-300 all by itself.

My BT3 FAQ lists many of the advantages of the BT3 rip fence system.

[gsmittle]

I have the stock fence on my BT, but I have added a Tolpin-style auxiliary fence, and am making the various parts as I need them. As Loring said, another fence costs more than the saw.

I do find the taller fence and accoutrements very useful.

g.

[leehljp]

I added an "H" shaped wood fence about 36 inches long over the standard fence and it works great for me. It is very snug but will go on and off with mild pressure. I have used that for about 7 to 8 years now.

Are you needing a longer fence or are you having alignment problems with the current one?

[jstevens]

I added an "H" shaped wood fence about 36 inches long over the standard fence and it works great for me. It is very snug but will go on and off with mild pressure. I have used that for about 7 to 8 years now.

Are you needing a longer fence or are you having alignment problems with the current one?

Hi, Lee. I've made a longer fence, a sliding mortising jig for the fence, an auxiliary fence for rabbetting, another auxiliary fence for edge-mitering, but my problem is that the darned fence creeps toward the blade ever so slightly when I lock it down unless I finesse it just so. I've had the saw seven years and have tried every method to fix this problem that I've read. No luck.

The saw is usable, of course, I just have to baby it when I set the fence. I'm just tired of it, and I'm tired of working on the fence, trying to fix this problem. I'm ready for a new fence, even if it costs as much as the saw. Aside from this problem, the BT3100 does everything I ask of it, and I have yet to see a saw with a better fence that I could buy for the cost of an aftermarket fence.

Regards,

John

[dbhost]

Hi, Lee. I've made a longer fence, a sliding mortising jig for the fence, an auxiliary fence for rabbetting, another auxiliary fence for edge-mitering, but my problem is that the darned fence creeps toward the blade ever so slightly when I lock it down unless I finesse it just so. I've had the saw seven years and have tried every method to fix this problem that I've read. No luck.

The saw is usable, of course, I just have to baby it when I set the fence. I'm just tired of it, and I'm tired of working on the fence, trying to fix this problem. I'm ready for a new fence, even if it costs as much as the saw. Aside from this problem, the BT3100 does everything I ask of it, and I have yet to see a saw with a better fence that I could buy for the cost of an aftermarket fence.

Regards,

John

You say creeping toward the blade? By how much over what period of time? Do both ends of the fence lock down or are you having trouble with say the back end, what position is the handle in when the fence is locked down, and lastly, do you have a copy of the BT3K FAQ? On the last one if not, see LCHIEN's signature and contact him for a copy. That thing is a gold mine of information on these saws!

[leehljp]

. . . but my problem is that the darned fence creeps toward the blade ever so slightly when I lock it down unless I finesse it just so. I've had the saw seven years and have tried every method to fix this problem that I've read. No luck.

Regards,

John

That is what I kinda figured you might be having problems with. I don't mean to sound like a software slogan but that is a "feature".

The BT3000/3100 fence locks on both ends in a two step process. The first step is - as the handle starts down, the T-head is brought into alignment perpendicular to the front rail. It is this movement that is giving you problems as it moves the fence. Most fences just clamp where the user sets it, but the BT makes sure the front is in alignment with the rail.

Then the second step is that it locks the rear, as the handle continues down.

For you, if you understand this procedure, you can loosen the screws on top of the aluminum bar and make adjustments there so that when it is clamped, the aluminum bar will swing into perfect alignment and then clamp on the rear end also.

I think Loring's BT3K FAQs has more information on this, as DB wrote.

[LCHIEN]

... but my problem is that the darned fence creeps toward the blade ever so slightly when I lock it down unless I finesse it just so. I've had the saw seven years and have tried every method to fix this problem that I've read. No luck.

...
Regards,

John

the fence has a complex alignment mechanism that assures the fence is consistently parallel to the blade. Part of this is that as you lower the locking handle the front clamps two points to the front rail which may swing the back of the fence around a bit. after the front is clamped then the continued depression of the lock lever will then lock the rear of the fence so it won't move while cutting.

Note that while the rip fence is not necessarily squre to the rail, proper setup has the fence set parallel to the blade and the angle to the rail is repeatable and consistent and close to 90 degrees.

What you may be seeing is the motion of the fence between the front clamping and the rear clamping where the fence swings to the consistent rail angle. This is quite normal - and quite clever. you should read my FAQ it goes into more detail.

[leehljp]

I think Loring said it better than I did! And His FAQs are great too!

[pelligrini]

but my problem is that the darned fence creeps toward the blade ever so slightly when I lock it down unless I finesse it just so.

Assuming everything is working properly; when you go to lock the fence are you pulling it towards you slightly? I found that the fence doesn't shift if im pulling on the handle with some light pressure.

If you watch the clamping mechanism operate with the fence flipped over the cam will first engage the part that goes against the face of the front rail, pulling the T-square like bracket against the back face of the front rail. After that movement, the rear clamping mechanism will fully engage.

If I pull forward on the fence lever as I'm locking it down the fence will not creep. Basically, I'm squaring (more or less) the fence to the front rail before the clamping mechanism does. Making sure that the top part of the front rail is clean as well as the clamping areas of the fence will help too.

[Cochese]

Hi, Lee. I've made a longer fence, a sliding mortising jig for the fence, an auxiliary fence for rabbetting, another auxiliary fence for edge-mitering, but my problem is that the darned fence creeps toward the blade ever so slightly when I lock it down unless I finesse it just so. I've had the saw seven years and have tried every method to fix this problem that I've read. No luck.

The saw is usable, of course, I just have to baby it when I set the fence. I'm just tired of it, and I'm tired of working on the fence, trying to fix this problem. I'm ready for a new fence, even if it costs as much as the saw. Aside from this problem, the BT3100 does everything I ask of it, and I have yet to see a saw with a better fence that I could buy for the cost of an aftermarket fence.

Regards,

John

I have this problem as well. And it's irrespective of having the fence properly set up. I can be perfectly parallel at one distance, but moving it slightly toward or away from the saw does exactly what you state, depending on who knows what. No method of 'adjusting' the fence makes it consistently do one or the other.

Example: I set the gauge to 2" lock. Measure. 2" in front, 1.80" in back. Try it again. 2" in front, 2" in back.

I feel like I'm a game show contestant each time I play. Sometimes I get Big Money, sometimes I get the Wammy.

[JSUPreston]

I feel like I'm a game show contestant each time I play. Sometimes I get Big Money, sometimes I get the Wammy.

You've just got to memorize the patterns.

[twistsol]

As mentioned, the saw train does have a kit that will work and costs twice what the saw did. I've looked at the Incra TS and at the Biesmeyer and Unifence. The issue is that all of them expect about 27" of table top front to rear and the BT3's only have 22-23 or so. I think it could be made to work if there were a way to attach a new front rail for the fence to the existing front rail of the BT3. That would give the overall depth necessary. I just haven't had a few hundred dollars laying around to try it and don't want to potentially screw up a new fence and my current saw.

[Poobah]

I've been dreaming of the Incra setup for a while. Jointech uses a long aluminum L-bracket that mounts into the bottom track of the front rail to provide a face to mount the Saw Train rail. For Incra you have to make this bracket yourself or drill new holes into your saw at about 1.5 inches from the table top (the Ryobi rails mount too low for the Incra brackets).

I don't think you need 27 inches for an Incra TS3 system. It might be better to have it, but looking at the bridge they use for the LS positioner I have to say it looks very flexible.

My plan is to use a 2x3x1/4 alu bracket on the front to mount the Incra rails outside of the front Ryobi rails and either use the rear rails t-slot or another bracket like on the front for the rear rail. That will give me about 28 inches between the Incra rails, which I need because I bought a nice 27x36 router table top I would like to mount.

Was thinking of mounting the router table top to the left of the blade, where it would obstrut the Ryobi rails. Then I could still use the Ryobi fence on the left of the blade if/when necessary and the SMT as well.