: So the shop I'm renting space is fantastically set up with tools
: and materials (even West Marine epoxy "help yourself,
: somebody left it here"), but there are a few items I
: haven't used before, such as a table saw. After getting a brief
: tutorial on how to install a blade and adjust angle if necessary
: for beveling, I brought my wood to the shop where the ripping
: will take place, and I discovered that the fence and ruler guide
: aren't where I expected them to be.

: if you look at the photo, the fence, it adjusts along the wood
: section, but will not slide onto the metal base table. The
: ruler, where I assumed I'd be measuring out my 3/16"
: strips, is also located on the table (you can see it just in
: front of the push handle right of the fence) and does not extend
: anywhere near where the blade actually is.

: I've looked at a few videos of other table saws doing ripping, but
: they generally don't show the adjusting for the strips taking
: place.

: What am I missing here? I gather there's some adjustment that is
: necessary.

: For the safety conscious, I am very interested in keeping my
: fingers and a featherboard is in the works, as is a tutorial at
: another facility on how to run a table saw. I just can't seem to
: figure out how to run this saw, since it looks like the ruler
: and the fence are "misplaced."

: Thank you!

First with the saw off, all adjustments are made with the saw off, I'd lift the fence and place on the table, it should fit fine. It looks like a Delta Unisaw which I've used a bunch. We had one in the shop at work and it too wouldn't go from the auxillary table to the main table would get stuck. No biggy. Don't even think about using the built in scale, not accurate enough, use a tape or a metal rule to measure from the fence to the blade itself and since it's not your tools, measure at the front and the back of the blade to make sure the fence is accurate, which it might not be. Someone else will have to explain how to set up that fence if need be, I've not done it on that saw. You will want a zero clearance insert for the table, that one pictured has too big of a gap and will pull the strips into the hole surrounding the blade, dangerous. You can either buy one or make one from masonite (hardboard).

Bill H.