Folks
Thanks for taking the time to reply.
I guess I am impatient with constantly changing things which is why I don't
own any combination machines. The fence can go on the front or back but you
have to switch the hold down attachments from side to side. When I reinstall
the fence on the front I then have to recalibrate the cut off stop. I think
I am going to take a good long look at it this weekend and see if I can make
any of these changes easier.
max

hi max. yes, i feel your pain. i, too, have the excalibur, and when i
first got it i thought the same. but, with a little TLC it really is
worth keeping. a few points:

1) most people i know don't move the fence from back to front. they
either keep it in the back or keep it in the front. personally, i keep
it in the front. when i'm dealing with sheet goods, i typically use a
cutting platform/circ saw to rough cut panels, then bring them over to
the saw and use the table for the rest. fast, easy.

2) to keep the sliding table even with the saw surface, i use large
plastic washers that fit over the pegs - that way i can level the tables
exactly, and have the fence float 1/8" or so above the saw surface.

configuration takes a bit of time; once you get the fence configured, it
does stay very accurate. use a 5-cut technique to square it up, and use
a good crosscut blade that's raised only as high as it needs to be - no
higher. i've found that if the blade is way up above the stock, i get a
bit of flutter and not the smoothest cuts.

hopefully that helps. if i think of any other tips i'll let you know.

--- dz


max wrote:
I have this sliding table and I am not sure I want to keep it. I have it all
aligned and set up but it is a pain to use. I crosscut some sheets using the
fence in the back position, then reversed the hold downs and put it in the
front position. I had to calibrate the cutoff stop to make it accurate. I
then had to rip some more pieces which meant removing the fence. I then put
the fence back on and crosscut some more.
Am I not doing it correctly or is this a pain?
max