# Table saw fence run out



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Guys and gals this is a tough question . I have talked with a journeymen carpenter and he claims he runs his table saws fence run out over an 1/8th of an inch to avoid sniping with hard wood . (That's measurement is from the front to the back of the fence) 
I thought that was a lot and tried .005" from the front to the back of the fence .
It worked fine till I had a piece of tall wood and the blade up fully as it started burning and kicked out .
I set the fence to .025" and had no issue ,but I thought that was also a lot as I've read guys setting there fence to zero runout with the blade ? 
Measuring a Canadian bill I get .0035" with my dial gauge to give you an idea . 
Btw I checked my blade to the miter slot and get .002" ,and that's with the .002 extra being between the back of the blade and the fence so it's actually helping by not squeezing the material into the fence . 
Anyone else have a measurement they prefer ?


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## vindaloo (May 30, 2009)

I don't have any run-out but I do have a splitter to avoid the grab. Sometimes I move the sub-fence so it ends just after the front teeth have cut the wood, that allows the wood to be free from the blade and not squashed between blade and fence.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Even with a splitter the out-feed end of the fence should be _slightly_ wider than the in-feed which ensures that the wood can't jam and be forced out in the direction of the operator at a great rate of knots. I have found that half to one millimeter is all that is required.


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## Al B Thayer (Jun 2, 2014)

*Oh you dont? Do you?*

I've heard of this setup but for me it would conflict with many of the other cuts you make on the TS. Like dados. 

I've never experienced snip on the table saw unless I let the wood goes to the right by mistake. Maybe there is another problem with his saw that he isn't aware of like the blade isn't aligned with the slot. 

In all the years of using my Unisaw. I have never had a board kick back. I have seen it ride up the blade a bit but no kick backs.

I'd set it straight.

Al


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Al B Thayer said:


> I've heard of this setup but for me it would conflict with many of the other cuts you make on the TS. Like dados.
> 
> I've never experienced snip on the table saw unless I let the wood goes to the right by mistake. Maybe there is another problem with his saw that he isn't aware of like the blade isn't aligned with the slot.
> 
> ...


Hey Al , blade to miter slot is .002 
And the bigger opening of .002" is at the rear so that wouldn't be it


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

harrysin said:


> Even with a splitter the out-feed end of the fence should be _slightly_ wider than the in-feed which ensures that the wood can't jam and be forced out in the direction of the operator at a great rate of knots. I have found that half to one millimeter is all that is required.


Harry I was having good success at .025" and just did the conversion and that comes to .64mm 

I think you called it 








> Originally Posted by Al B Thayer
> I've heard of this setup but for me it would conflict with many of the other cuts you make on the TS. Like dados.
> 
> I've never experienced snip on the table saw unless I let the wood goes to the right by mistake. Maybe there is another problem with his saw that he isn't aware of like the blade isn't aligned with the slot.
> ...


Tell you the truth Al if I was using the dado I think I'd reset the fence to zero . I agree with you there .


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

I have my fence out by "a smidgin"......


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

1 smidgin = 0.75mm!


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

harrysin said:


> 1 smidgin = 0.75mm!


then what is the fuzz mine is set at???


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

*Just mine...*

Mine is kicked out at .2mm, which is .007" in 36"'es. My sliding table is set kicked out about the same in 62". My crosscut fence is inside .2mm at 1400mm. The closest I seem to be able to keep mine is about 0.002". My panel saw doesn't have any miter slots (persay). The blade on that is set to the frame, then you adjust everything off that.

But if you break those down, on the rip fence (for mine), that's .002" per foot. Slider, .001" per foot, which the crosscut the same. Took a long time getting those that way... but my saw has "adjustments to dial that in.

I do make sure those are at least positive (kicked out). I have not noticed any snipe or difference w dado's... which I also use a lot.

A normal cabinet saw and other full size table saws usually have a 27" table. Harder to dial in on a shorter table... But my Rockwell is. Both saws, no snipe.

Personally, IMHO, .025" would be excessive. .25mm would be right there. I usually set other peoples saw's Rip fence's at within.005" to the blade and left miter. But I had gauges made up to make that easier. (like a 36" straight piece of 5/8" square key stock and a dial indicator. But I start out for truing the arbor and going from there. My jobsite saw, I also settle on within 0.005". It get's beat, travels in the truck and because it is not as solid, has to be tuned more often.

But it really depends on the saw... I would shoot for at least within 0.010 in 27". I do less than 25% of my cuts with the rip fence. About half of that other time I have my rip fence shifted right and flipped forward, out of the way. Same was with the Rockwell, but with using various sleds.

It's a compromise. Too little or a negative and you risk catching the work in a trap between the blade and fence. To much and it will tend to pull the work of the fence on the off-side, be rubbing the kerf at left-front toe of the blade, keeping pressure on the left side of the blade causing more heat on the left side. That shortens the life of the blade and causes a flutter looking cut. (more saw marks) That uneven heat and wear tends to dull the blade faster and shorten the blade life...

Having those dialed in does seem to have less drag on the work, have a better quality cut and extend blade life. But that is just what I've noticed over the years with my saws and cutting various density of woods. For me, that means less sanding and less tooling costs over the long run. The again, most people aren't doing cabinet, finish and mill-works.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

harrysin said:


> 1 smidgin = 0.75mm!



Dam,, I thought I was measuring in "......


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## Willway (Aug 16, 2012)

Grizzly recomends 1/64" on a standard size saw. That is about .015 at 27 inches. That is exactly what we run on my old grizzly saw.
Dick


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## Bodger96 (Mar 18, 2014)

I have my fence set out by the thickness of one playing card. I have never had a kick back on my saw. I don't know what actual thickness of one playing card is but always have them around the shop for shims. At work we have a wonderful SCM panel saw and the fence is set exactly parallel to the blade. This is a $35000 saw so it should be more precise than a $1000 saw.

Regards Bob


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Bodger96 said:


> I have my fence set out by the thickness of one playing card. I have never had a kick back on my saw. I don't know what actual thickness of one playing card is but always have them around the shop for shims. At work we have a wonderful SCM panel saw and the fence is set exactly parallel to the blade. This is a $35000 saw so it should be more precise than a $1000 saw.
> 
> Regards Bob


Welcome Bob- Hoping you will feel at home here. Great bunch here.

Average playing card thickness is 0.0115". I remember an average business card as being 0.008". (<-- For those that remember setting breaker-point ignition systems)

Agreed. Thing is-- it is easier and faster to set a cabinet saw's rip fence than a panel saw. My Rockwell takes less than a minute tops. Panel Saw = Adjusting tune on my panel saw is a big, long, drawn out process. But the trade-off is a 1300 plus pound saw's settings stay through very hardy commercial use. Once set, you just have to check it to verify. But there are other trade-offs and give-me's. (It takes a lot of working space for that slide.)

My Rockwell, the rip fence (with t-square) come right off in seconds and is less than 10 pounds. The Panel saw, the head is meant to stay on, weights well over 50 pounds (just the head) and is meant to fold/swing forward over the front to get it out of the way. You have to unbolt a stop to take it off. Because of the weight, it has an adjustable roller that helps it slide/glide left-right.

To other's-- I'm finally about to finish the second half of the review on that saw. Been a long year. I didn't mean for it to be so drawn out... but when you read, you will hear the saga. Some here have been privy to the details.


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## MikeMa (Jul 27, 2006)

My saw is an craftsman contractor saw that I put the delta T-2 fence. I started out with it parallel to the blade. What I found was I got a lot of burning and the blade would often want to bare down. I was about to buy a new motor for the saw when I was speaking to another woodworker. He recommend I try splaying out the fence by about an index card. I did this, and it completely solved the above issues.

I do run quite a few grooves and dados on the saw, and I do not move the fence adjustment back and forth, I just leave it as is. My dados and grooves fit very well.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Thanks for all the input guys , much appreciated


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