saw table design challenge

I posted this in my blog (twice actually), but thought that it might be more apropos in here…......

I never cease to amaze myself.
First, I now understand why most of you build these marvelous work shop cabinets (I think). Building these items for the shop lets you (me, most assuredly) practice on your skills, be they joint making, finishing, etc. using less exotic stock and without experimenting on a customer’s project.

OK, I get that. First lesson learned: A bunch of “close enoughs” eventually add up to drawer boxes that are too wide. Next step: try to fix them or break down and buy a couple more boards and start over.
Second lesson learned: Tool setup is the biggest consumer of time. Whether you use the table saw or router, that precise 1/2” dado 1/4” deep takes a while to get right (or was it 1/4” by 1/2”?)

My mother told me that, if you need to describe an activity as a learning experience, something has gone seriously wrong.

Well, I just encountered a learning experience.

As you may or not recall, I am building this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovinmrv/4488432051/

in preparation for building my kitchen cabinets. Frankly, I’ve been doing OK. I have figured out how to wrestle 4X8 sheets of 3/4 mdf onto the saw and make accurate cuts (out-feed table, coming right up!). I have built the cabinet boxes, sourced drawer slides ( http://stores.ebay.com/REFACE-MY-CABINETSDRAWER-SLIDES-ACCESSORIESW0QQfsubZ1612014QQsidZ169482283QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em322 ), glued, screwed and tatooed most everything. I have even restored one of my dad’s old Stanley planes (number 9, I believe) and planed the drawer box boards to thickness.

So, today I decided that it was time to test mount the table saw. I assembled the appropriate pieces and attached the saw base. Then I cut the hole for the dust collector….ooops, too far to the right…cut a piece to fill in one side, extend the hole 2” to the left. Then I removed the saw from the its stand (only 4 bolts, really?) and set it on its place of honor, ready to adjust the height to make sure the saw table was flush with the new extension table.

While raising the saw with assorted pieces of scrap, I noticed something peculiar about the cabinet and the 27” X 51” top that extends the work table. I looked once, twice, measured once, twice…three times. Sure enough, THE TABLE AND CABINET ARE 2-3” WIDER THAN THE SAW TABLE!!! The rip fence guide tubes are abruptly stopped by the cabinet, or table top, depending on how high you raise the saw.

This gives me 2 choices (well, 3 actually, if you count pounding on my ankle with my hammer). I can rip the cabinet apart and trim it down to fit, or I can re-work the rip fence guide rails to fit the new, wider cabinet. This would involve, at a minimum, getting a new, longer rip fence and re-positioning the guide rails. The fence that is on the saw (a delta 10”, low buck saw) rides on two 1 1/8” OD steel tubes.

I think plan B is the way to go, so I ask you jocks for some sage advice (BTW, getting a new saw or selling all my tools before I hurt myself are not acceptable options).

1. Can I extend the length of my rip fence?
2. Are there plans in here (or anywhere) that any of you have experience with to make your own guide rail/rip fence system?

I eagerly await your response.

Oh, another lesson learned: Measure thrice, buy once.

-- Life is a sales job.