How To Make A Sacrificial Fence For Table Saw

[@bryantchristensen7589]

Once again, after reviewing several designs, Rob has the very best. Thanks Rob for all your help!!!

[@fredwickwire2502]

Made one, turned out good. I'm gonna try it tomorrow. I was surprised it was square to the table first try! Thank you !!

[@andrewwilliston5798]

An oasis in this troubled world. Your videos help me forget the craziness for a while, thanks for doing what you do and sharing so generously.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Glad to immerse you in woodworking

[@ZOEng99]

Love the hockey tape on the clamp handles

[@markkoons7488]

Rewatched a couple months later. Everyone loves your videos, of course, but your cameraman (or woman) is really important to the experience and ought to be acknowledged. Thanks, videographer!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

That is Jake! Started when he was 17 back in 2011. Does it so well partly because he knows the process I am doing , inside and out.

[@danielgeng2306]

When Rob says “shoot” that ain’t good ! Love this guy !

[@TerryHarding-zu9jf]

Thanks for the video, really helpful. I've mahe one for my table saw. I can now use both sides of the fence to cut.

[@chrisjcichocki]

Thanks for video guys! This is my next project.. Easy and incredibly useful. I may cut in a t-track on the side facing the blade so I can put on a featherboard and use it to keep material pressed against the table top.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thats a good idea. Let me know how it works

[@andrewbrown8148]

Great accessory~! I've seen you use it dozens of times, so I'm definitely going to build one for my TS. Thanks, Rob~!!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Glad you liked it

[@frankpratt529]

1" MDF is good stuff and the water resistant type is even better. The edges don't split as badly & the corners are more durable.

[@williamredman-rz9vw]

I LOVED WATCHING THIS VIDEO, CAN YOU USE PLYWOOD INSTEAD OF MDF?

[@krenwregget7667]

great video Rob, and thanks for leaving in the moments when not everything turns out perfectly the first time. Those are invaluable learning opportunities. If you're going to do it, do it right, even if it takes a few tries.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Absolutley

[@rogerbarr2365]

I have a Sawstop similar to yours but the fence lock is a lever toggle above the fence just forward of the scale end of the fence. Your sacrificial fence top covers my fence lock mechanism. Can I shorten the 4' wide spacer to accommodate access to my locking mechanism without losing the integrity of the sacrificial fence? Is there a better solution for my particular situation?

[@blakemakison5296]

I don’t have a table saw. I’m just here for the like and comment.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thankyou for watching, liking, and commenting

[@rogerlyons209]

is there any chance of the Sacrificial Fence may kicking back or upward?

[@risby2]

Thanks, this beats a presidential debate any day

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

I am here for you

[@MANJITSINGH-ko2oi]

HI rob SO good and it does make so much sence to have one.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

I agree

[@davidbenson3491]

I was just looking to build one perfect timing

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

David Benson always thinking of how best to help you.

[@leehaelters6182]

David Benson that worked with Evan Hughes in Brooklyn?

[@davidbenson3491]

Lee Haelters yes I was getting pretty close to my fence and I knew it was just a matter of time before I hit it lol

[@davidbenson3491]

RobCosman.com you guys are always thinking of me

[@davidbenson3491]

@@leehaelters6182 no I have never been to Brooklyn sad this is I was stationed at ft drum in ny since 2007 and I have yet to go to the city

[@rondabuckner7580]

Very nice. I like it.

[@markkoons7488]

Thanks.

[@roscocsa]

this is very helpful. how would you feel about a single side clamping fence tutorial for those of us stuck with those jobsite clamp on both ends never quite square saws?

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

I have never used one of those table saws. I would have to go buy one and ifgure it out. Maybe one day

[@roscocsa]

RobCosman.com understand that. They're annoying and require fiddling for every single cut to get really square. If you can manage it at all.

[@barryomahony4983]

Good thing the "goof up" was MDF - no big loss and cheap to re-do

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Yes it is

[@davidanderson4166]

I have a similar tall fence arrangement for tenons, bridle joints and the like, but for buried blade operations, regular and dado, I use a “L” fence. You never cut into your fence. Have you ever used one? I’d be very interested in your opinion. Thanks for all of your great videos.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

No i have not

[@loulunetta425]

Are you using coarse or fine thread into the edge of the top? Will you go back and treat the holes with CA glue?

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

I am using course thread wood screws. I only treat the holes you see on the video

[@killawee118]

Thanks for this lesson! I have a cheap contractor saw and fence, so this will be a great addition and I will probably have done it by the end of next week. Is there any reason to not build the fence EVEN higher?

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

You can go higher, no problem

[@scottwillis5434]

At some point you get enough leverage to twist the fence...

[@killawee118]

@@scottwillis5434 makes sense.

[@jamesnasmith984]

Are the bolts necessary? Unless this is used for heavy, unfinished lumber I would think that the weight of the MDF plus a snug would make it stay put.keep the box in place.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

I have never made it without them so i dont know. My goal was to squeeze the sides to the fence to ensure its square to the table

[@christophercrowle9753]

I suppose as well you could screw a feather board onto the fence to help keep what ever board you're cutting tight down to the table bed. Nice fence 👍🏻

[@larrychristensen5917]

Rob I don’t know if you will see this but can you tell me the actual dimension of the 1” MFD. The box stores here call it 1” but it is 21/32 1/32 over 5/8. I hope you see this. Great video.

[@briarfox637]

MDF should be what its labeled. 3/4 being 3/4 and so on. Make sure you're not looking at MDF core plywood. Straigth MDF sheets are usually exactly what the nominal size states.

[@fcschoenthal]

I have a Uni-Fence with a replacement extrusion that has built in tracks on all sides. I then have a tall sacrificial board that mounts on those tracks. Different method, but similar results. My question is, you check for square and advise to adjust the fence to align if not. Is there another way to adjust the auxiliary fence without messing up the original fence alignment? You're also assuming that the auxiliary fence panel is stable enough to keep the same fence alignment with the blade as the original (I used a wooden fence and had to shim in a couple of spots. May try MDF). Overall, as usual, a great tip on how to get more out of the tablesaw. I came for your hand tool expertise, but love the all around woodworking knowledge given. - Chris

[@sjeff70]

The fence should fit flat against the Saw Stop fence which should be square before building a fence to fit over it. What wasn’t mentioned was fitting the top. The top should fit the largest thickness of the Stop Saw fence since the factory fence won’t be the exact thickness throughout its length.

[@leehaelters6182]

Re: 4:10. For all those working at home, and without Rob’s considerable skill and experience, cut that board down with the shorter, unwanted piece against the fence; so not to violate a rule of thumb that holds such long, over-square proportioned workpieces as inherently unstable. It takes great concentration and focus of attention to the leading portion of stock which is touching the fence to avoid a disaster. Square and size your finished components crosscut-wise. Of course, this approach is not fail-safe either. It invites squeezing the kerf by pushing at the wrong spot on the cut off, and we can all imagine the ensuing mayhem then, also. I guess that Rob has already mentioned the use of the mitre gauge for this, but pieces that wide don’t always lend themselves to such an operation.

[@leehaelters6182]

Having worked most of my career on saws without benefit of riving knives, I have forgotten how much safer they make either operation. Still, even nowadays, not everyone has such.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Yes good advice

[@barryomahony4983]

Oh I strongly disagree. As you said, the key to doing this cut safely is to keep the edge sliding smoothly and tightly against the fence. This can be done if the workpiece slides well along the table, and you push evenly along the back edge of the piece so that it stays square against the fence. This is much easier if your two hands are evenly distributed along that back edge. With the larger of the two pieces between the blade and the fence, this can be done with both hands on that piece, as Rob did here. You don't care about what happens with the offcut piece as it will fall away as the cut is made. If the shorter piece is put against the fence, it's a bad idea to have both hands on it, as you'd have to exert some torsion force in order to move the entire piece squarely, while the hands are so unevenly placed. With the hands spread out, one hand would be on the offcut side. As the cut is made, once the board is partially cut, one risks pushing too much on the offcut and thereby pinching the kerf on the blade. Of course you need a board wide enough that it registers on the fence that it can be fed smoothly through the cut, and IMO this one was wide enough for someone with some experience using a table saw. But I think it's much safer to do it with the larger piece against the fence.

[@leehaelters6182]

Barry O'Mahony, no argument, just I believe I covered all those points already.

[@leehaelters6182]

Barry O'Mahony, when advising people who don’t have the skill and experience that you and Rob have, probably the more sensible thing to do is not make either cut, just rip the board to pieces and live with the inconvenience/waste of having many small offcuts.

[@oldreprobate2748]

By just screwing it without glue it makes it easy to replace your sacrificial side as needed and not have to build a whole new fence.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thats why I did it

[@johncoops6897]

Guess who didn't watch the video. Hint: the initials are D G

[@tthomasokc]

Rob: "I'm off by 1/32, I better cut it again on a new piece" Me" "I'm off by 1/32, a few layers of blue tape and it will be perfect"

[@leehaelters6182]

And me: I’ll edge band it and rip it again a few more times, until it’s big enough.

[@breyerssdb]

Off topic but question. Is it ok to make a cutting board using both side grain and face grain or will it ends up with issues?

[@breyerssdb]

As in joining side and face grain together. Sorry I should have clarified that earlier

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Yes thats the big issue is the strength or lack of in the joints in glue up. I would recommend sticking yo face grain to face grain

[@ScottBarrett-r6o]

Do u sell work benches 🎉🎉😊😊

[@JaredRandal]

To save a couple bucks, would it work just as well with wing nuts instead of knobs?

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

I think so, but why, thats just a few bucks to get the bigger better knobs

[@JaredRandal]

RobCosman.com well... touché lol. Great point. That was the miser in me speaking before really thinking about it.

[@glencrandall7051]

If you are concerned with expense, just make your own knobs. It just takes a bit of plywood. There are several You Tube videos on the subject.

[@bevanstuart9013]

1) What brand of countersinking tapered drill bits are being used in this video and 2) Are the screws sold in your store best used with a tapered bits?

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

My tapered bits are nothing special, i think I picked them up from Woodcraft. I am using the Robertson screws that are available on my website. The only reason i used the tapered drill bit is because the wood is MDF. Even self driving coarse thread screws dont do well in MDF without a pilot hole

[@bevanstuart9013]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking Thank you for your prompt reply. My question should have been stated more clearly - was there a reason for using tapered bits vs non-tapered bits or is it not important with the screws you sell?

[@robertbattle9011]

Rob & Jake 2020

[@SlowFlight]

If you had used a larger Forsener bit on the back plate then you could have used regular nuts and a socket. That would allow you to use either side; thus doubling the life of your sacrificial fence.

[@cwell2112]

Notice how he has to wiggle the impact driver to get the bit loose after driving those Robertson screws? That's *exactly* why I prefer Torx to Robertson.

[@leehaelters6182]

A legit point, no arguing.

[@leehaelters6182]

In counterpoint, though, of all the tip designs, slotted and Robertson are the only ones sharpenable with a file. Some might have favorite or heirloom solid shaft screwdrivers that they enjoy working with.

[@cwell2112]

@@leehaelters6182 That's true, I hadn't considered that. I will say the sticking issue with Robertson typically only happens with an impact driver. In that case, you'll be using disposable bits anyway, so Torx is the better drive. Robertson has an elegance to it but it's just so frustrating to use with power tools.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Yes you do have to wiggle to seperate the Robertson tip from the screw becuase they fit so tight. The benfit is that the screw is held solidly on the tip and will not fall off so you dont need to hold the screw with your other hand.

[@barryomahony4983]

I like that though, so the screw tends to stay on the end of the bit while you're placing it. Comes in handy when you need the other hand to hold things in place

[@1deerndingo]

1. I learnt about the effect of super glue with MDF. Yes it stiffens it but I have to be aware that it swells it just a fraction. Cool 2. I can't use a table saw in my tiny work space. My work bench (in front of my wife's car) is a little less than half the area of your table saw bench. Hand tools only. It's the challenge - or that's what I'm telling myself anyway.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thats cool. Being unplugged is perfectly fine and you will learn so much. You dont need power to woodwork

[@johncoops6897]

Simply shift the wife's car OUTSIDE while you use your work bench. Many people use a garage as a work space, but they are smart enough to realise that they can move the cars out of the way DOH..

[@1deerndingo]

@@johncoops6897 My work bench location, size and range of use is by choice. Hobby wood working is an individual pursuit and each person makes their own, variable rules of that pursuit. Mine are; to be unplugged, to use minimal space and to be accurate.

[@johncoops6897]

@@1deerndingo Yes, that's precisely my point. Your *choice* not to use power tools has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with your *choice* to have a small work space or your *choice* of location. Therefore it's pointless complaining what you cannot do in your "tiny work space", since that's your *choice* rather than any real (or even perceived) limitation or restriction. TL;DR: It's ridiculous to moan about "I *CAN'T* use a table saw...", when it's simply your *choice* not to do so.

[@1deerndingo]

@@johncoops6897 You need to either halve or double your medication dose. This isn't the site for trash talk. Calm down. End

[@hernancoronel]

Thanks for the video but it is really noisy, I really prefer the more quieter ones. Even the presentation with the three blows is too loud, it’d be great if you could lower that volume as well. Keep up the great content Rob!

[@barryomahony4983]

Why didn't you just turn it down yourself?

[@brianmiller6304]

@@barryomahony4983 because then it's hard to hear rob talking.

[@hernancoronel]

@@barryomahony4983 sure but the voice is difficult to hear. More info on loudness and how to manage levels here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXrMlIZunbCVm7M. Also you can check the growth mindset and how to better react to honest and candid feedback here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2KmeYOkj8t5o7c.

[@joehirschegger7723]

And wouldn't you know, I have some spare 1" MDF from a Cosman Bench build to make this for my saw.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

There you go!!!!

[@ivanafanador1832]

I liked everything I saw but you said you were shows newbies you didn't use push rod on your close cuts

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Must have been a slip up. I use push sticks on close cuts

[@neilallen2144]

I've watched numerous of your videos Rob an have come to a conclusion....... You are NOT a woodworker but a wood machinist.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Maybe a wood crazy-man. It has just been engrained in my way of doing things to do it as perfect as possible. Thanks to good teachers

[@coachwalrus3158]

All Canadians tape everything up like a hockey stick.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

We even tape our maple syrup bottles

[@dukeengine1339]

As I often write comments when I found a video interesting, it would be correct to let you know also if I didn’t. This time I found it boring, and not at the level of yours. I think there’s much more of a craftsmanship to learn from you, as you always teach us! Anyway, thank you for the video, I understand it’s always an effort.

[@heystarfish100]

🤬 I have a Delta Uni-Fence! 😫

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

You can still use the basic concept with a little ingenuity