I put a Delta T2 / T3 fence on my Grizzly G0771 and am very happy about it
The whole thought process behind me deciding on this saw is in this thread.
Some of my misgivings about the stock fence are here.
So, yeah. Consensus is people love this saw, the fence, not so much. It's not a piece of crap as far as build quality goes: it's smooth and sturdy, but it just doesn't lock down square, and it got to the point where adjusting it only made things worse. This style of fence has no business on a serious hybrid table saw (are you reading this, Papa Griz?). I also think there are a lot of people who end up going for the lesser Delta saw that Lowe's stocks just because it has a T-square fence. (That, and the whole freight delivery thing freaks some amateurs out.)
After the latest go round trying to square up the fence, my mind started to drift to the unused Delta T2 / T3 fence that's been tucked behind a sofa in my basement for almost 2 years. (I bought it for a rehab project that I abandoned. you guys convinced me not to get rid of it just yet.) When the G0771 was new to me, the idea of me drilling a bunch of holes to replace a fence I didn't know much about seemed really intimidating. But after a year of working with the 0771's form factor, it seemed much more doable. And it was. For anyone who's looking to do this upgrade, here's what you need to know:
It's actually pretty simple. If you have a good drill, an assortment of bits, a 5/8 inch countersink bit and a little machine oil, you are good to go. Start small and work your way up.
The "rails" you are mounting are really just angle iron. It helps if you think about it this way. And there are 2 holes for the rails on each side that already line up. Bolt those on, get it straight, and do a dry fit with the rest of the system to see if everything is working. For me, it was basically perfect right out of the box. The stock holes in the table are at the perfect height. I couldn't believe it.
I drilled 2 more holes on the operator side, and 2 more on the back of the saw. 4 bolts on each side really seems like a nice, sturdy connection. Especially for the back, where the fence really just rides. If I feel like it needs more on the front, I'll do that. No biggie. But it feels rock solid today.
About drilling those holes: You are much better off to start with an existing hole in the rail, and drill into the table. Cast iron is really pretty soft. The second, and only slightly more difficult option is to start with a clean spot on the rail, and drill all the way through the table. Find a good spot and check the back, making sure you'll have nice access to the nut on the other side. You will have to countersink the holes you drill on the operator side though, which again, is not hard. What you don't want to do (and I tried) is to find an existing hole in the table, and drill a hole in the rail to match up. I really wanted to do that for the back side, where there are holes in the middle section of the table that are tapped. Getting all the measurements worked out is a lot harder than it sounds. At least it was for me. I was making the project more difficult than it needed to be.
And finally, how does it work? Right of of the box, with no adjustments whatsoever, it's with 5/1000ths of an inch, every time. I can't believe it. People. If you have this saw, get out the the garage and make this upgrade. The old fence is going out with the garbage.
