small gloat and small problem

[toller]

I bought an unused Rockler router table fence at a garage sale for $6! That is the small gloat.

I will be using it on a table I am making for my table saw wing. That will require cutting the 36" fence down to 27". This is the small problem.

I have some dubious carbide table saw blades I picked up for almost nothing at other garage sales. If I stick one in my table saw, will it cut the Rockler aluminum extrusion without damaging me, the extrusion, or the saw? (I don't care about the blades...) Sure, I can use my sawzall, but it will look like I used my sawzall.

[Rob Stokes]

Congrats Toller, good score!

I've got the same fence and really like it. I consider it one of the better products out there (simple snd cheap) and it never gets any attention.

Regardless, Why cut it? I have my router table in the wing of the saw as well and and I did was inlay a couple of pieces of T-track into the face of the table, cut the "T" portion off the first inch of each piece so I can drop the T-bolts in and voila! When I need the fence, I put it on and when I don't, It's hanging on the wall in seconds.

You can see the table and (blue) inserts here (don't have the fence on though):

for the extra length, I let it run long (hang over the table) and it's never once been in the way.

good luck and good score!

Rob

[Robert Bonomi]

The various BORG sell 'cheapie' (as in under $10) blades expressly designed for cutting soft metals like AL. I'd go that way. I've used those blades, and they do OK, particularly if you go at it 'nice and easy'.

[Cherokee-Ltd]

Take it to a metal shop with a tray of coffees.... I had to remove a hardened steel door pin from a hinge on my jeep, seized in there really good. I took it to a metal shop around the corner from me and stood back while 4 guys worked for 20 minutes to get it out. Cost: $5.40 for

4 large Tim Horton coffees.

-Brian

[no(SPAM)vasys]

I made a 27" fence out of my 28" aluminum Incra miter gauge by cutting it with my good Forrest Woodworker II. A nice clean cut and it didn't hurt the blade at all.

[toller]

Great, I was hoping someone else had tried it...

[no(SPAM)vasys]

Note that I didn't say that I made the 27" fence on purpose though.

[toller]

Oh, I missed that... But isn't it great that others can benefit from your error? I have a friend who published an article on what didn't work to save a patient he injected with 100X the proper dosage of a medicine. Same idea.

[Patriarch]

"no(SPAM)vasys" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Intentionally? Because when I did that to the 36" Duginske/Kreg I had, it wasn't with malice aforethought. The blade was no worse for wear.

I was a little pi$$ed at myself, however, for paying so little attention to the setup.

Patriarch

[John]

I've cut aluminum on a table saw many times, using regular woodcutting carbide blades. Works well. Wear goggles, and make sure the workpiece is held firmly.

If the extrusion section is open so that you would be cutting in an area not against the table, I'd consider flipping it and making two passes.

John Martin

[mac davis]

or shimming it up with wood to make it lay flat, and cutting metal and wood in one cut..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[Pat Barber]

I bought a fence at a woodworking show a few years ago and right after I installed it, I needed to make a cut. I thought how nice that was gonna work. I took the first 2" off the fence just as neat as a pin.

I still have that shorter fence to remind me of how stupid I can be from time to time.

no(SPAM)vasys wrote:

[Steve A]

I would advise you to clean sawdust out of the saw first, and not use any dust collection. Hot metal can do BAD things to sawdust.