My Craftsman contractor-grade table saw has been a pretty good saw, but lately I’ve had trouble with it burning the right side (fence side) of boards, but leaving the left side smooth. The fence got knocked off my workbench one day, and I suspect that may be the sources of the problem. If I replace it with an aftermarket fence, what’s the best for the money?
Michael Dresdner: I suspect you are right. If you can, realign the fence so that it is parallel to the blade. At present, it sounds as if it is not. The burning is the smallest problem. More important is that you are creating a potential for kickback, the most common cause of accidents on the table saw. If you can’t adjust the fence, replace it. What’s best for the money? That’s a matter of opinion. I like the HTC fence, (sold through JET tools, and direct from HTC), and that is what is on my saw.
Rob Johnstone: Your saw needs a tune-up. An aftermarket fence would be cool, but I would start with making sure that the table and fence are properly aligned with your saw blade. There are many articles and books which can walk you through this process.
