Congrats on the new saw.
Pictures would help…
Pictures would help…
Old craftsman table saw miter gage extension problem
I got a late 50's model craftsman 113.27521 off of cl. This saw is amazing. Beats anything I could get new for under $400. With new bearings, belt, and blade, it cost me$180 and well worth it. Even the fence works far better than expected, I'm having a hard time understanding why people didn't like it. Maybe I lucked out and got the one that works the way it was intended to.
Anyways, I'm having trouble attaching wood to the miter gauge. There are two holes for doing this but they don't go all the way through. There's the hole and then about 1/3" gap, and that's it. How am I supposed to get a bolt and nut on it? I wanted to avoid drilling the holes all the way through and, even if I did, the other side of the miter gauge is curved. Has anyone ever modified these old miter gauges or have any ideas of how to work with this?
Anyways, I'm having trouble attaching wood to the miter gauge. There are two holes for doing this but they don't go all the way through. There's the hole and then about 1/3" gap, and that's it. How am I supposed to get a bolt and nut on it? I wanted to avoid drilling the holes all the way through and, even if I did, the other side of the miter gauge is curved. Has anyone ever modified these old miter gauges or have any ideas of how to work with this?
1 - 19 of 19 Posts
I have the same saw, same gauge.
Long long ago, craftsman sold an auxiliary fence that went with these gauges.
Two bolts went through the fence, where they were countersunk. Inside the gauge, two nuts went on the bolts. They were a pain to out together. You could rig something up but it would still be an aggrevation with a gauge that isn't great to start with.
I love my 113. I suggest spending around a hundred bucks for an Osbourne EB3.
I have the Incra 5000 and the Osbourne. I keep the Incra as a ninety degree sled. I find the cheaper Osbourne much more accurate than the Incra when changing angles though.
Long long ago, craftsman sold an auxiliary fence that went with these gauges.
Two bolts went through the fence, where they were countersunk. Inside the gauge, two nuts went on the bolts. They were a pain to out together. You could rig something up but it would still be an aggrevation with a gauge that isn't great to start with.
I love my 113. I suggest spending around a hundred bucks for an Osbourne EB3.
I have the Incra 5000 and the Osbourne. I keep the Incra as a ninety degree sled. I find the cheaper Osbourne much more accurate than the Incra when changing angles though.
Also, the 113 outperforms my ridgid saw.
The only thing I see in your photos that I would change would be the webbed wings.
Keep your eyes open on craiglist. 113s can be had sometimes for dirt cheap that don't run, but can have spare parts, including maybe solid cast iron wings like mine.
I've had both solid and webbed and you'll be much happier with solid, and it's an easy bolt on upgrade.
The only thing I see in your photos that I would change would be the webbed wings.
Keep your eyes open on craiglist. 113s can be had sometimes for dirt cheap that don't run, but can have spare parts, including maybe solid cast iron wings like mine.
I've had both solid and webbed and you'll be much happier with solid, and it's an easy bolt on upgrade.
William,
I'm surprised to hear the Incra is less accurate. I'm actually working with a tight budget and was hoping to be able to just strap a board on it for an auxiliary fence. The slop in it is acceptable to me.
The wings don't bother me but, then, I did just start working with it. The performance is mind blowing. 2" hardwood cuts like butter. I could saw a piece in half and then just glue it back together, with a little sanding, you would never know.
I'm surprised to hear the Incra is less accurate. I'm actually working with a tight budget and was hoping to be able to just strap a board on it for an auxiliary fence. The slop in it is acceptable to me.
The wings don't bother me but, then, I did just start working with it. The performance is mind blowing. 2" hardwood cuts like butter. I could saw a piece in half and then just glue it back together, with a little sanding, you would never know.
You can put a board on it. I had one on mine before getting the Osbourne.
There's two ways to go about it.
1. Carefully measure and drill holes in your board. Countersink the heads to be flush with the board. Then measure what length bolts you need to extend just into the holes. Use a box end wrench to hold the nuts from underneath while you thread the bolts in.
Or…....
2. (What I done) carefully drill the hole the rest of the way through so you can use long bolts that go all the way through.
And yes, the Osbourne (in my opinion) is more accurate.
Actually, somehow my Incra once got out of square somehow and I spent two days trying to get it perfect again, unsuccessfully. Finally I had a brilliant idea to get it back perfect. I used the $99 Osbourne that has never let me down to reset the $500 Incra (I bought it used. I didn't pay that much) back to perfectly square.
I locked the Incra down at a true ninety and have not moved it since.
I highly recommend the Osbourne over the Incra.
There's two ways to go about it.
1. Carefully measure and drill holes in your board. Countersink the heads to be flush with the board. Then measure what length bolts you need to extend just into the holes. Use a box end wrench to hold the nuts from underneath while you thread the bolts in.
Or…....
2. (What I done) carefully drill the hole the rest of the way through so you can use long bolts that go all the way through.
And yes, the Osbourne (in my opinion) is more accurate.
Actually, somehow my Incra once got out of square somehow and I spent two days trying to get it perfect again, unsuccessfully. Finally I had a brilliant idea to get it back perfect. I used the $99 Osbourne that has never let me down to reset the $500 Incra (I bought it used. I didn't pay that much) back to perfectly square.
I locked the Incra down at a true ninety and have not moved it since.
I highly recommend the Osbourne over the Incra.
Yeah, option 2 sounds best. I love my old tools and do my best not to change/ruin them. I thought if I ever get an after market fence system, all the new holes to fit it are going on the rails and not the old saw.
I attach my sacrificial fence to my miter gauge using T bolts in a milled T Slot in the sacrificial board. I wouldn't hesitate to drill a couple of 1/4" holes through your miter gauge.
Andy's idea would work too if you have a ratchet wrench to tighten the nut. I'm not sure there's enough room in there to work a regular wrench.
Tigger, I have the Incra fence system. The way it goes on you have to use different bolts but the existing holes in the saw and wings. I have the solid wings, but I'm sure the webbed ones probably have the same holes.
I drilled the holes.
The Incra fence system looks amazing but I will put that off until I have money burning a hole in my pocket. From time to time I will see it used on cl for around $150, or the Vega for $100. I priced it out to see what it would cost to make my own fence system similar to the Vega or Biesemeyer and came up with a $160 price tag. I just feel that the original fence is not that bad. If I used the adjusting knob it stays square, which, as I alluded to before, I might be the only one who owns an original craftsman fence that stays true.
The Incra fence system looks amazing but I will put that off until I have money burning a hole in my pocket. From time to time I will see it used on cl for around $150, or the Vega for $100. I priced it out to see what it would cost to make my own fence system similar to the Vega or Biesemeyer and came up with a $160 price tag. I just feel that the original fence is not that bad. If I used the adjusting knob it stays square, which, as I alluded to before, I might be the only one who owns an original craftsman fence that stays true.
You have to ask yourself when to stop spending hundreds of dollars on an old saw .When the accessories cost way more than the saw is worth then bite the bullet and either make your own stuff, or buy used, or upgrade , sorry my 2 cents. Alistair
Tigger, I could never afford the Incra stuff I have new.
I had a good ridgid TS3650.
I traded a riding lawn mower for a craftsman 113 that was totally restored, built into a cabinet and came with Incra fence and sled.
My intentions were to put all the Incra accessories on my ridgid saw, put the original stuff back on the craftsman, and sell the craftsman saw.
I happened to be in the middle of a large project though when I got it. So I started ripping with the craftsman and cross cutting with the ridgid. I done that for a while.
I'm glad I wound up having to wait on removing the Incra stuff from the craftsman saw. In time, I realized I liked the craftsman 113 way more than the ridgid.
There was several occasions where the 1 1/2 horse motor on the ridig would bog down, like trying to rip two inch thick oak. You'd have to do it in stages. With a one horse motor though, that old craftsman would run through the same wood like a sharp knife through hot butter.
Anyway, in the end I decided the 113 was the saw for me. I recently sold the ridgid and kept the craftsman with the Incra accessories.
I had a good ridgid TS3650.
I traded a riding lawn mower for a craftsman 113 that was totally restored, built into a cabinet and came with Incra fence and sled.
My intentions were to put all the Incra accessories on my ridgid saw, put the original stuff back on the craftsman, and sell the craftsman saw.
I happened to be in the middle of a large project though when I got it. So I started ripping with the craftsman and cross cutting with the ridgid. I done that for a while.
I'm glad I wound up having to wait on removing the Incra stuff from the craftsman saw. In time, I realized I liked the craftsman 113 way more than the ridgid.
There was several occasions where the 1 1/2 horse motor on the ridig would bog down, like trying to rip two inch thick oak. You'd have to do it in stages. With a one horse motor though, that old craftsman would run through the same wood like a sharp knife through hot butter.
Anyway, in the end I decided the 113 was the saw for me. I recently sold the ridgid and kept the craftsman with the Incra accessories.
Scotsman,
I like the old stuff and enjoy rehabbing them. I have a bunch of old Stanley hand planes and just got my first Millers Falls a few weeks ago. I really like my Stanleys but the MF feels better in my hands. These tools are just so much fun.
William,
I'm finding that the 113 will cut anything I put on it. It's only limit seems to be the blade height. I saw your shop tour and you have those saws dressed up pretty nice.
I like the old stuff and enjoy rehabbing them. I have a bunch of old Stanley hand planes and just got my first Millers Falls a few weeks ago. I really like my Stanleys but the MF feels better in my hands. These tools are just so much fun.
William,
I'm finding that the 113 will cut anything I put on it. It's only limit seems to be the blade height. I saw your shop tour and you have those saws dressed up pretty nice.
I have a 113 Craftsman saw too, and I found the fence to be out of square. For me, it's just too much out of square. I'm replacing it with a Vega which should arrive shortly. When you lock the fence down, the far end moves almost 1/8" every time. I was looking at replacing the small piece of aluminum bar stock with something bigger, but I think it's just the way it is. I'm glad at least one person has one that works as it's supposed to work.
I do have more money in the accessories than the saw, because I got the saw for free. It works very well, and does what I want it to do. I see table saws all the time that cost more and are cheaper made so I'm keeping it.
The miter gauge can use some help too, so I'll be building a sled here pretty quick. That Super Sled from Eagle Lake is pretty slick, I might build one of those.
Since there are no serial numbers on these saws, I'm not exactly sure of the vintage. It is a 113.27520 which should be early '50's from what I understand. The saw may be as old as me, or older. That's kind of fun to think about.
I do have more money in the accessories than the saw, because I got the saw for free. It works very well, and does what I want it to do. I see table saws all the time that cost more and are cheaper made so I'm keeping it.
The miter gauge can use some help too, so I'll be building a sled here pretty quick. That Super Sled from Eagle Lake is pretty slick, I might build one of those.
Since there are no serial numbers on these saws, I'm not exactly sure of the vintage. It is a 113.27520 which should be early '50's from what I understand. The saw may be as old as me, or older. That's kind of fun to think about.
To attach a wooden extension to the miter gauge, I'd drill the holes through, then tap them. No need for nuts on the other end. If they are 1/4" holes, you might want to bore them out just a tad bigger, then tap with a 5/16-18 tap. The miter gauge looks like aluminum or pot metal. Should tap okay.
Actually, with a hardwood extension, you could do it the opposite way: drill 3/16" or slightly larger holes in the wood, tap the holes to 1/4-20, and use short machine screws.
Actually, with a hardwood extension, you could do it the opposite way: drill 3/16" or slightly larger holes in the wood, tap the holes to 1/4-20, and use short machine screws.
Do not see too many of this vintage still being used on a regular basis.
I thought mine was old.
Good luck getting her back into working order.
I second the Osborne EB-3. I own a LOT of Incra products, but the EB-3 is a better miter gauge, IMO.
I thought mine was old.
Good luck getting her back into working order.
I second the Osborne EB-3. I own a LOT of Incra products, but the EB-3 is a better miter gauge, IMO.
I have a 113 as well, so far the fence has stayed square for every cut.
Keeping an eye on it and on the Vega system in case it starts going out I will snag a better fence.
Saw is worth the upgrade to me, it's a workhorse and has some sentimental value as well, was my mentor/neighbors saw.
Keeping an eye on it and on the Vega system in case it starts going out I will snag a better fence.
Saw is worth the upgrade to me, it's a workhorse and has some sentimental value as well, was my mentor/neighbors saw.
1 - 19 of 19 Posts
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