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Having A Miter Saw Fence Milled Flat - Wish Me Luck!
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DerbyDad03
Jan 15, 2015, 11:59:13 AM1/15/15
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I have beat up my Delta 36-220 miter saw over the years. I have cut everything from vinyl stock to hardwoods to 3/4" steel rod to 1/2" steel plates.
I am starting my first project in many years that will require precision square cuts and while attempting to square up the miter saw, I found that I could only square the blade to one side of the fence or the other but never both.
It turns out that my fence is concave. If I lay the 18" fence face down on a flat surface, a business card will just begin to slip under the fence starting about 2" from each end. At about 4", the card will slip fully under the fence with just a little bit of drag.
I contacted a local milling shop, sent then some pictures and they quoted me $50 to clamp the fence to their table and use a horizontal milling machine to flatten the face.
I'll be dropping it off tonight and probably get it back in a day or two. I'd like it back before the long weekend, but I doubt that will happen.
Wish me (them) luck!
I am starting my first project in many years that will require precision square cuts and while attempting to square up the miter saw, I found that I could only square the blade to one side of the fence or the other but never both.
It turns out that my fence is concave. If I lay the 18" fence face down on a flat surface, a business card will just begin to slip under the fence starting about 2" from each end. At about 4", the card will slip fully under the fence with just a little bit of drag.
I contacted a local milling shop, sent then some pictures and they quoted me $50 to clamp the fence to their table and use a horizontal milling machine to flatten the face.
I'll be dropping it off tonight and probably get it back in a day or two. I'd like it back before the long weekend, but I doubt that will happen.
Wish me (them) luck!
G. Ross
Jan 15, 2015, 7:35:20 PM1/15/15
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DerbyDad03 wrote: > I have beat up my Delta 36-220 miter saw over the years. I have cut everything from vinyl stock to hardwoods to 3/4" steel rod to 1/2" steel plates. > I am starting my first project in many years that will require precision square cuts and while attempting to square up the miter saw, I found that I could only square the blade to one side of the fence or the other but never both. > It turns out that my fence is concave. If I lay the 18" fence face down on a flat surface, a business card will just begin to slip under the fence starting about 2" from each end. At about 4", the card will slip fully under the fence with just a little bit of drag. > I contacted a local milling shop, sent then some pictures and they quoted me $50 to clamp the fence to their table and use a horizontal milling machine to flatten the face. > I'll be dropping it off tonight and probably get it back in a day or two. I'd like it back before the long weekend, but I doubt that will happen. > Wish me (them) luck! My Rigid had the same problem, but there was not enough aluminum on the face to to this. I glued a piece of quarter inch board to each side, then flattened it on the jointer. So far it is doing fine. GW Ross Please Tell Me if you Don't Get This Message.
SnA Higgins
Jan 15, 2015, 9:08:36 PM1/15/15
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"G. Ross" <gw...@comwest.net> wrote in message
news:4q2dnUhr8atYwSXJ...@giganews.com...
> GW Ross
>
> Please Tell Me if you Don't Get This
> Message.
>
>
>
>
>
>
I think I had the same saw. When I got it back from a friend I had loaned it
>
> Please Tell Me if you Don't Get This
> Message.
>
>
>
>
>
>
to, the fence was concave. I don't think he abused it. He was not very
experienced with power tools - I suspect he bound the blade somehow while
sawing. I bought a new fence for $21. I sold the saw the same year and
bought a Makita slider. I have since replaced its fence too.
Steve
DerbyDad03
Jan 16, 2015, 11:10:44 AM1/16/15
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If the local machine shop can flatten my fence for $50, I'll be satisfied. I dropped it off last night. The guy gave me a tour of the shop area and showed me the machine he plans to use. This is no small time operation. You could mill the side of a refrigerator on the machine he going to use for my little fence. It was just one of the many large machines in the shop. It was a cool tour.
Besides dropping off the fence at the machine shop, I also took a pair of skis to guy that does ski tune-ups in his garage. He used to own a ski-shop so he has all the equipment and now does it on the side. It turned out his place is just a few miles from the machine shop, so yesterday afternoon was kind of an adventure. I met 2 really nice guys and toured 2 interesting locations.
I am such a kid sometimes. ;-)
DerbyDad03
Jan 18, 2015, 9:43:44 AM1/18/15
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I got my miter saw fence back Friday afternoon and couldn't be happier. When I brought the fence to the machine shop the face was concave to the extent that you could slip a business card under the center. When the guy was done with it, I tested it with a brand new $20 bill and it wouldn't go under the fence at any point.
The guy originally quoted me $50, but only charged me $40. He said he milled the fence with a one day turnaround because "I figured you would want it for the weekend." He was right! I cut all the parts for my kitchen drawers on Saturday with each part being as square as I could possibly want.
There are still a lot of nice people in this world and I like it when I stumble across one.
The guy originally quoted me $50, but only charged me $40. He said he milled the fence with a one day turnaround because "I figured you would want it for the weekend." He was right! I cut all the parts for my kitchen drawers on Saturday with each part being as square as I could possibly want.
There are still a lot of nice people in this world and I like it when I stumble across one.
woodchucker
Jan 18, 2015, 11:09:58 AM1/18/15
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takes a lot of setup to zero it out before milling.
Glad to hear it worked out.
BTW we woodworkers can learn a lot from the metal workers.
And vise versa. I have learned to do some things differently.
--
Jeff
mcp6453
Jan 18, 2015, 3:34:36 PM1/18/15
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How would I go about finding a shop to do the same for my crappy Hitachi CMS? I'm sure the fence on it is bad.
On 1/18/2015 9:43 AM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On 1/18/2015 9:43 AM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
DerbyDad03
Jan 19, 2015, 9:59:38 AM1/19/15
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I called three places. I left a message at one place but never got a call back. Another place gave me the number of the guy that runs the machinist program at the local community college. I left him a message but never got a call back. The third place listened to my tale of woe and asked me to email a picture of the fence mainly to make that they could clamp it down without too much trouble. Once he looked at the picture, he said bring it over and the next day it was done.
-MIKE-
Jan 19, 2015, 11:51:57 AM1/19/15
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On 1/18/15 2:34 PM, mcp6453 wrote:
> How would I go about finding a shop to do the same for my crappy
> Hitachi CMS? I'm sure the fence on it is bad.
>
I don't know if you have a piece of granite around, but you might be
> How would I go about finding a shop to do the same for my crappy
> Hitachi CMS? I'm sure the fence on it is bad.
>
able to do that yourself. I did it with a jointer fence that was a bit
warped.
You need a perfectly flat surface or something really darn close.
Granite is usually extremely flat. If you have a workbench and can
check for a good flat section, it could work as well. You can build a
flat-table quickly by screwing down 3/4" sheet material to strong-backs
that have been jointed flat or run through a properly set-up table saw.
Basically you stick a sheet of sandpaper to the flat surface and run the
fence face over the sandpaper by hand, over and over. The first run
would use a very course grit like 80 grit or even 60. You sand until
the surface sheen looks even everywhere, then check with your reference
straight-edge. Every shop should have a real straight-edge, IMO. You
can check the width flatness with an engineer's square (another
must-have) and the length flatness with the straight-edge.
Once it's flat in both directions, switch to a finer grit to sand out
the course scratches, always using your flat sanding surface. Keep
going to finer grits until it's as smooth as you like. You can actually
get a decent glossy buff using this technique.
You can attach the sandpaper to your flat surface with double backed
tape or spray adhesive. For spray adhesive, use the directions for a
temporary bond. The paper will peel back off like a heavy-duty Post-It
note.
If you don't have granite or a real straight-edge to make a flat
surface, it may not be worth the effort to do it yourself. I have
granite and a couple other flat surfaces because I use them to flatten
the bearing edges or drum shells. I also found that the sandpaper
doesn't have to be as long or longer than the surface you're sanding.
On objects that are longer than the sandpaper, it sort of averages out
from multiple passes. On a SCMS split fence, one sheet should work well.
All that, plus tax. :-)
--
-MIKE-
"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com
mi...@mikedrumsDOT.com
---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply
Lew Hodgett
Jan 19, 2015, 3:01:15 PM1/19/15
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You just documented what a deal $40 spent at
a local machine shop really was.<G>
Lew
-MIKE-
Jan 19, 2015, 3:35:58 PM1/19/15
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You might be right.
Bob La Londe
Jan 19, 2015, 7:43:45 PM1/19/15
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"DerbyDad03" <teama...@eznet.net> wrote in message
news:1905dd70-414c-4ab4...@googlegroups.com...
$50 is a very fair price for a job like that. Its not excessively
difficult, but it does take a little time.
That being said, I've seen a number of miter saws with the same problem.
Sometimes brand new out of the box. Others twist the moment you tighten
down the bolts that hold them to the saw. You may want to see if you can
lay a good straight edge across the areas where the fence rests and spend
some time with a file taking off the high spots and making it flat.
news:1905dd70-414c-4ab4...@googlegroups.com...
difficult, but it does take a little time.
That being said, I've seen a number of miter saws with the same problem.
Sometimes brand new out of the box. Others twist the moment you tighten
down the bolts that hold them to the saw. You may want to see if you can
lay a good straight edge across the areas where the fence rests and spend
some time with a file taking off the high spots and making it flat.
k...@attt.bizz
Jan 19, 2015, 7:57:15 PM1/19/15
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On Mon, 19 Jan 2015 17:43:44 -0700, "Bob La Londe" <no...@none.com99>
wrote:
If that's the case (twist the moment you tighten the bolts), what
chance do you have of keeping it flat/true?
wrote:
chance do you have of keeping it flat/true?
Leon
Jan 20, 2015, 10:05:20 AM1/20/15
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instruments so much as a tool that can survive bounding around in the
back of a pick up. I have a Delta CMS that I thought was pretty good
after I tweaked it. I quit using it 15 years ago when I stepped up to a
Cabinet saw and found that I got superior repeated accuracy from the TS.
No doubt these saws are better than they used to be but the fences still
tend to have a potential for problems. I am not quite sure why fences
are not indexed to lock flat in place.
Now the Festool on the other hand may not have these issues but you are
paying for 3 saws. IIRC even the Bosch articulating SCMS has issues
with accuracy, especially if carried to a job site.
DerbyDad03
Jan 20, 2015, 11:02:14 AM1/20/15
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I used the saw extensively this weekend and every cut was square.
Swingman
Jan 20, 2015, 12:59:04 PM1/20/15
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On 1/20/2015 9:05 AM, Leon wrote:
> Now the Festool on the other hand may not have these issues but you are
> paying for 3 saws. IIRC even the Bosch articulating SCMS has issues
> with accuracy, especially if carried to a job site.
My Makita LS1013, locked down for travel but obviously not fastened
> Now the Festool on the other hand may not have these issues but you are
> paying for 3 saws. IIRC even the Bosch articulating SCMS has issues
> with accuracy, especially if carried to a job site.
properly to the stand, took a tumble off said stand, hit the driveway,
flipped end over end, bounced twice on the concrete and landed, upside
down, in a flowerbed.
It was one of those rare jobs that don't go well from start to finish,
mainly because of ignorance and indecision on the part of the client. By
now, operating on a thin margin due to that ignorance and indecision but
still trying to please the client, I sighed, resigned that it was just
more of the same and it was new saw time ... c'est la vie.
Put the damned thing back on the stand, plugged it in, and it went right
back to doing its business with its usual spot on accuracy.
Another reason I like Makita.
Built-in karma...
--
eWoodShop: www.eWoodShop.com
Wood Shop: www.e-WoodShop.net
https://www.google.com/+eWoodShop
https://plus.google.com/+KarlCaillouet/posts
http://www.custommade.com/by/ewoodshop/
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)
Harold Hill
Jan 20, 2015, 1:52:00 PM1/20/15
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On Monday, January 19, 2015 at 11:51:57 AM UTC-5, -MIKE- wrote:
> I don't know if you have a piece of granite around, but you might be
> able to do that yourself.
Scary Flat (TM)
> I don't know if you have a piece of granite around, but you might be
> able to do that yourself.
Leon
Jan 20, 2015, 2:01:13 PM1/20/15
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On 1/20/2015 11:58 AM, Swingman wrote:
> On 1/20/2015 9:05 AM, Leon wrote:
>
>> Now the Festool on the other hand may not have these issues but you are
>> paying for 3 saws. IIRC even the Bosch articulating SCMS has issues
>> with accuracy, especially if carried to a job site.
>
> My Makita LS1013, locked down for travel but obviously not fastened
> properly to the stand, took a tumble off said stand, hit the driveway,
> flipped end over end, bounced twice on the concrete and landed, upside
> down, in a flowerbed.
>
> It was one of those rare jobs that don't go well from start to finish,
> mainly because of ignorance and indecision on the part of the client. By
> now, operating on a thin margin due to that ignorance and indecision but
> still trying to please the client, I sighed, resigned that it was just
> more of the same and it was new saw time ... c'est la vie.
>
> Put the damned thing back on the stand, plugged it in, and it went right
> back to doing its business with its usual spot on accuracy.
>
> Another reason I like Makita.
>
> Built-in karma...
>
>
Yeah! If I were to buy another miter saw it most likely will be Makita.
> On 1/20/2015 9:05 AM, Leon wrote:
>
>> Now the Festool on the other hand may not have these issues but you are
>> paying for 3 saws. IIRC even the Bosch articulating SCMS has issues
>> with accuracy, especially if carried to a job site.
>
> My Makita LS1013, locked down for travel but obviously not fastened
> properly to the stand, took a tumble off said stand, hit the driveway,
> flipped end over end, bounced twice on the concrete and landed, upside
> down, in a flowerbed.
>
> It was one of those rare jobs that don't go well from start to finish,
> mainly because of ignorance and indecision on the part of the client. By
> now, operating on a thin margin due to that ignorance and indecision but
> still trying to please the client, I sighed, resigned that it was just
> more of the same and it was new saw time ... c'est la vie.
>
> Put the damned thing back on the stand, plugged it in, and it went right
> back to doing its business with its usual spot on accuracy.
>
> Another reason I like Makita.
>
> Built-in karma...
>
>
Their tools still seem to have a very consistent quality and are
reasonably priced. But you have to admit, you were lucky! LOL
-MIKE-
Jan 20, 2015, 7:26:09 PM1/20/15
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SnA Higgins
Jan 20, 2015, 8:34:43 PM1/20/15
to
news:dc9e4f04-4b41-455c...@googlegroups.com...
So, when the guy does a tune up on your skis, what's he do? plugs and
points? A new carb kit? Sorry. I couldn't resist.
Steve
points? A new carb kit? Sorry. I couldn't resist.
Steve
DerbyDad03
Jan 21, 2015, 2:44:30 PM1/21/15
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On Tuesday, January 20, 2015 at 8:34:43 PM UTC-5, SnA Higgins wrote:
> "DerbyDad03" <teama...@eznet.net> wrote in message
...Snip...
> "DerbyDad03" <teama...@eznet.net> wrote in message
>
> Besides dropping off the fence at the machine shop, I also took a pair of
> skis to guy that does ski tune-ups in his garage.
>
> So, when the guy does a tune up on your skis, what's he do? plugs and
> points? A new carb kit? Sorry. I couldn't resist.
>
> Steve
You are close. Besides tuning up the engines, he is also a computer whiz. I started with a single one of these, but now strap one to each foot. They use radio communications and feedback loops so that both skis stay in sync regardless of the snow conditions that each one encounters as well as the differential in power requirements for turns, stops, etc.
> So, when the guy does a tune up on your skis, what's he do? plugs and
> points? A new carb kit? Sorry. I couldn't resist.
>
> Steve
http://www.a2xtreme.com/2000/art3/plank8.jpg
http://www.a2xtreme.com/2000/art2/apwrplank3.jpg
I save a lot of money on lift tickets.
SnA Higgins
Jan 25, 2015, 9:49:16 PM1/25/15
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news:719f47d6-0235-412b...@googlegroups.com...
LOL! If I had a pair of those, I'd surly be followed by a kid that says,
"hey Dad! Why is that snowsuit pasted to that tree?"
Steve
"hey Dad! Why is that snowsuit pasted to that tree?"
Steve
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