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Best Fence for Grizzly router wing

6896 Views 8 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Lynden, May 28, 2010

MisterCat

Discussion Starter · May 25, 2010 (Edited by Moderator)

Lumberjocks,

A while ago I bought a Grizly 1023RLW 10" table saw. The table saw works great, and was pretty simple to set up, though the process of putting 220 into my garage was slightly complicated by a full main breaker panels (some of the new half-height circuit breakers helped solve that issue).

On the right, the picture shows the cut out for the router wing. I'm looking to add a good fence to make the undertable router to the best advantage.

Here are the things I learned/decided as I've gotten into the design:

1. Clamping a truly separate fence across the table is difficult do to the support rails for the standard fence and the fact that the extension wing is webbed underneath. Using something like the Rockler Universal fence clamps seems like the way to go, or some other method of attaching to the standard fence.

I liked this idea of this fence, but I have to modify the design because of the clamping difficulties, and it doesn't address #3 below.

2. I originally wanted some sort of T-track parallel to the standard fence to help guide parts, but that would mean putting a collet extension on the router. I'm not sure if this is a good idea, as it will certainly increase the horizontal forces on the router bearings. I don't have enough experience with routers to judge the pro-cons of the collet extension.

3. I like the idea of being able to 'bury the bit' in a replaceable, sacrificial center insert around the router bit. Tongue in grove would be easy enough to do, as I could manufacture the inserts out of 3/4" plywood using a dado blade.

4. This fence is not likely to be the last one I buy/make, so experiment to see what I like/use/find useful is entirely appropriate for this project. Conversely, I don't want to spend many hundreds of dollars on it for the very same reason.

Hints, resources, or ideas that have worked for you in the past would be appreciated.

Thank you,
MisterCat

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thatwoodworkingguy

· #2 · May 25, 2010

Make a jig that fits over the table saw fence so that you can bury the bit and still adjust the fence

just a thought. what do you think of the new saw? I have been eyeing this one myself

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MisterCat

Discussion Starter · #3 · May 26, 2010

Thatwoodworkingguy,
I don't have a lot of experience with different table saws, but I guess one of the highest compliments someone can give a tool was it was so well designed that an amateur could use it. And that applies here. I've had it just over a year now, so here are my thoughts:

I really like the fence. Super simple to install and simple to get adjusted just right.
The tables were as flat as I could measure. They came coated with a sticky protective wax that was a pain to scrub off and took lots of citrus cleaner to deal with. The wing attachment (4 3/8" bolts) make it pretty easy to get them level. I did have to use some tape as shim on one side by not the other.
I didn't have to make any adjustments to the blade alignment with respect to the t-slots. I used a dial indicator to measure runout (less than a 1/1000th), and parallel (2/1000ths).
Spend the $25 for the zero clearance insert from grizzly so you have one right from the start. My first couple of sessions included some rather anxious moments as small waste bits nearly fell into the standard throat plate opening.
The hardest part of setting the saw up was getting it up and into the mobile base as the thing weighs nearly 700 pounds. I ended up borrowing a friends engine hoist to get mine off the ground.
The motor is more than powerful enough for anything I've thrown at it so far.
The biggest negative is that the splitter on mine is very hard to get centered correctly. Even after a year I still have issues with it on long rips. I understand why a lot of people are tempted to remove them. If you buy one, make sure it's the new model with the riving knife instead of a splitter.
The miter gage is nice and heavy but doesn't have any through holes for adding aux fences. If you buy a new one, see if they'll swap out the standard ones for one of the better types. I had to take mine down to a local machine shop to get the holes added. Cost me $25.

Hope this gives you an idea of what to expect,
MisterCat

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davidpettinger

· #4 · May 26, 2010

http://www.tylertool.com/benchdog-40-132.html
I own this fence, and its edge clamping ability makes it easy to move into position, while keeping a tight grip to the tables edges. It has an aluminum back with long slots and can handle a top 27" to 34" easily. My router table top is a Bench Dog Pro Max 32" wide but the Grizzly will be no problem.

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mikedddd

· #5 · May 26, 2010

Mister Cat:

Not sure if this will help, but here are a few pictures of the fence I built out of scrap MDF, I routed some short pieces of T-track into the extension of my table saw, the faces of the fence can be replaced as needed. I find this better than using the fence on the table saw as this way you can use the saw and the router table at the same time.

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MisterCat

Discussion Starter · #6 · May 26, 2010

Mikedddd,
The table I have is cast iron, so I don't have the nice slots (though I might write Grizzly and make the suggestion), but the the pictures of the back of the fence gives me some ideas of how to put some 'claw' ends on a fence to make it grab the sides pretty firmly.
Time to go sketch out some idea and see what I can't come up with.

Thanks,
MisterCat

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mikedddd

· #7 · May 27, 2010

Mister Cat:
I did not realize that the table your router is mounted in was cast, nice table saw by the way. I have never tried these magnets, they would for sure stick to your table, I'm just not sure if they would stay put if you banged the fence. I'm going to try and find a review on them.
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=56000&cat=1,42363,42356&ap=1

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Jim Jakosh

· #8 · May 27, 2010

That is one nice saw! I love Grizzley tools. One suggestion for an auxillary fence. Being the top is cast , you can drill and tap it. On my old router table, I use a pivoting fence for years. You put in a pivot hole on one side and install a shoulder bolt and then tap a hole on the other and make a slotted base board on the fence that you can swing to adjust.

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Lynden

· #9 · May 28, 2010 (Edited by Moderator)

Here are some pictures of a nice saddle fence from a thread at Sawmill Creek, and some other pictures of fences that attach to the side of the table saw fence.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?referrerid=5960&t=90392

http://www.binkyswoodworking.com/RouterTableImprove.html

http://htc.tool-box-hardware.com/HTC-HMS-400-Multi-Fence-Router-system-B0001LQXNG.htm

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=98335

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