Incra Tablesaw Fence...Worth it?

[Forrest Price]

Hi folks, Well I'm in a bit of a pickle. I need to figure out what to do for a new TS fence. I REALLY liked the quality of the incra router fence I used to have, so I'm looking to them for a TS fence.

Need the 52" system, and the big question to those of you that have or have used one is..is it worth the $$?

I turn the big "40" in July so I need to get the ideas out there..drop some major hints to LOML, maybe a circled brochure etc...

Really tough call right now since I need a planer as well and the two are near the same price!

Any help from those that have experience would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

[Kent Fitzgerald]

First question: do you have room for it? The 52" fence will require something like 7-8' clearance to the right of the blade.

[Forrest Price]

First question: do you have room for it? The 52" fence will require something like 7-8' clearance to the right of the blade.

Well, room's not an issue. Had the 7ft rail shopfox fence pre-fire and it gave me 52" or so to the right, and I found I used the capacity quite a bit. New shop layout will give me all the room I need for it.

Heck, I'd make room for one of those fancy sliding tables for it if I could only win the lottery!

[Chris Rosenberger]

I have a 52" LS model on a Powermatic 66 & like it. It works out well.

[Wade Ellis]

forrest, I've had mine for about 5 years now and
consider it to be one of the best upgrades I've made.
I replaced the beismeier (?) on my delta.

[Vaughn McMillan]

Forrest, I've got the equivalent of the TSIII system on my Ridgid TS3650, and I'm sold on it. Bear in mind I've not use a Bies (or clone thereof) as a benchmark, but when I do move up to a cabinet saw, either the Incra is moving to it, or I'll be getting whatever the latest Incra system is.

When I added the Incra rails to the saw (so I could fully utilize the Ultra Jig I was fortunate enough to win in the FreeStuff drawing), I also moved my router table insert from the right-hand side to the left. I installed one set of stops in the TS rails to position the fence for TS use, and another set of stops for the RT. I just loosen the base mount, slide it down the rails to one of the two positions, then tighten it back up. After the initial setup, it's stayed true so far.

- Vaughn

[Jim Becker]

Forrest, the Incra system is very good. But it's not for everyone. Personally, I prefer a traditional rip fence system, such as the Biesemeyer-style or UniFence. And Kent's caution is valid...when you are doing a wide rip, such as working with sheet goods, the center support of the Incra system goes WAY to the right of the saw, well beyond the extension table. That means you cannot have the right end of the saw near a wall if it is a stationary machine.


If the type of work you like to do will benefit from the incremental adjustment that is the key feature of the Incra, it's the best thing since sliced veneer. If your work is largely "normal" ripping of materials, it doesn't buy you anything in a significant way. IMHO, of course. Let your work dictate your decision.

[Dave Richards]

Kent and Jim make good points about the clearance required to the right of the saw. That said, I think I'd still buy an Incra TS fence again. I like mine a great deal. There are times when I wish it didn't stick out so far. I only have the 32" (or whatever the short one is) so it isn't as big a deal as the 52". If I'm not using the rip fence I sometimes slip it out of that center thing with the locking mechanism and set the fence aside. It's easy enough to do.

[Forrest Price]

Hey, one thing I hadn't thought of. Occasionally I move the fence to the left of the blade if doing bevel cuts sometimes.....what's the Inra version? Even possible?

Guess maybe I should see if I can download destructions and do some reading.

[Chris Rosenberger]

Yes you can use the fence to the left of the blade. With the fence setup for 52" rips to the right of the blade I can get 14" rips to the left.

[Jim Bills]

I've had my TS-LS for about 2 years, the best addition to a table saw I could imagine. Probably wouldn't be my first choice if all I cut was sheet goods, but wonderful for repeatability. My 4-5/8" rip cut today, is exactly like my 4-5/8" rip cut I made last month. Works well for me.

Jim

[Robert Gilbert]

Agreed. I've had mine for two years, and while I don't use the micrometer much, I never worry about accuracy - the tolerance is pretty amazing.

[Alison Gray]

I have also heard great things about the jointech fence systems as well. Less expensive than the incra's but has the same features. Check out their website.

[Bob Feeser]

Forrest,
I am tempted to write a book. I have the TSIII-32 on my 2004 PM66. There are a lot of very nice fences out there, I have the Accu fence that came with the PM, which is really a Beis clone, a heavy duty, industrial grade piece of equipment, that you can, with concentration, to get your eye directly over the hairlines, get an incredibly accurate cut. But the Incra re-invented the wheel. Once you totally understand how it works, and compares with the alternatives, you will feel like it is worth more than the price they charge for it.

The face of the fence is thick aluminum, boxed or corrugated, so it is perfectly flat and even across it's entire surface. It is not off by even a thousandth along its entire surface. No wavies there. It secures at the rear clamp on the bridge, also on the end closest to you, and if you like, on the end farthest away from you. So it clamps on all "3" corners if you like, or just the bridge clamp, and the one closest to you for normal use. That resutls in no, as in zero deflection, even if you pounce on it with a 4x8 sheet.

That little knob is the fine adjust knob. Each line is 1/1000th of an inch, in case you want to tweak a setting. That beats the pants off of loosening the big knob, hoping the fence does not jump, and then banging it with your hand, hoping you moved it just right, then making a sample cut, bang it again, make another sample cut, ad infinitum...

Those sharp little honeycomb teeth have to line up in 1/32nd increments in order to tighten down the clamp that holds the fence. That guarantees that your setting is accurate, even when you do not have your glasses on. And repeatability on returning cuts is accurate to 1/1000th as well. No effort flawless results every time. I get it close to the hairline on one of the 5 rules on top, one each you calibrate for different blade thicknesses etc, and it falls into perfection for me. I make a cut, take out a dial caliper, and it is within 1/1000th every single time. I blows my mind, and everyone I demonstrate it to. Do we need 1/1000th of an inch accuracy with no effort? Well no, but just how off is acceptable with more effort? I love to say that, "Just how wrong of a cut is acceptable with you?" I never ever need to do a sample cut, wasting a lot of stock and time. Just dial it in and zingo.

Here is a shot of the Accu Fence/Beis clone, notice how thick the metal is and how it is made. If you stay directly over the hairlines, when making a setting, and concentrate on both sides of the lower hairline disappearing behind the one on the top, you can get a crazy accurate cut. But the other 2 things to consider are that 1) The fence face is not exactly perfectly straight. Many methods have been discussed to straighten it, but the phenolic is not on a par with the aluminum formed fence for straightness. 2) Also, in Fine Woodworking magazine in the saw run off, mentioned in there findings that the fence will move when wood is pressing on it sideways. That is a result of the problem of only having the fence lock on the one edge closest to you. The leverage principle comes into play, and the tail can wag. I mean it was off by 6 thousandths or something. Beis only guarantees accuracty to 1/64th, and Incra to 1/1000th. When you are getting perfectly glass smooth cuts, ready to go on the piece, rather then having to deal with saw tooth marks, that are a result o slight waves in the fence face, or a bending fence, you further realize just how much less effort the Incra is to get the results you want in less time and effort. Then when you are taking the saw tooth marks out, you are readjusting the cut edge, or rounding, or off planing the cut, or jointing to a final line which is never totally accurate to your cut. Forrest WWII instructs you to set your fence 1/1000 wide at the rear of the blade. What kind of good does that do you when you are dealing with the wag?


Look, I loved my old Sears way out of alignment fence, that I would adjust, then concentrate on how much pressure I was putting on it, to get it in the ballpark while I was making a cut. But I still loved it. Just like I am sure everyone here loves there fence that is way better than that. But you asked a question, and I think you deserve an honest answer from me. We can call it my opinion, but just study the facts.
I could write another paragraph on how the Incrability factors in on your work procedures, and how much time it saves you, and material, and how all of your work fits so perfectly all of the time, but I have probably reached the outer parameters of those who want to read a thread. If you have any questions please feel free to ask me. I absolutely love the Incra fence, the Incra rules, I have gone Incramania, or as some may think of it, an Incramaniac. I know I am going to click on submit reply, and 15 things will pop into my head like, Bob you forgot to tell him about this, or what about that.........
PS: I have absolutely no knowledge of the Jointech fence/system, but since it works on the same principles, it probably gets the same results. Definitely something to look into, notice I said look into, as in I haven't looked into it yet either, but I am going to do some snooping, and I am curious what everyone else comes up with.

Oh one more thing. I know I am splitting hairs here, but the "Sawtooth" model, the one I have illustrated above, is $389 at Amazon, the "Lead Screw" is $458. Interestingly enough, the saw tooth is guaranteed to within 1/1000th during it's entire length, and the lead screw is guaranteed by Incra's leading seller Woodpecker.com by 1/1000th per foot. And I emphasize per foot. Is there possibly a problem in getting a threaded rod to be created that is accurate beyond 1/1000th per foot, then when you get 2 feet away it is off by 2/1000ths etc. Whereas the saw tooth model, each one of those saw tooth strips is calibrated giving you zero inaccuracy. Did Incra create a new design that is not possibly as accurate as the old one, and the old one is cheaper? By the way, I did a little looking into the Jointech before coming back and doing this edit, and it is $229 at the Jointech site. Whether they have any outlets that are discounting, I do not know. I know I am bias toward the Incra, but look at the 2 of them. Does the Jointech look cheap. Is the locking mechanism Mickey Mouse? Insufficient data captain, but at first glance, that is what I see. Do you want gold anodized aluminum, or Jointechs plasticky look. Sorry I love the Incra setup. Just the way it looks is worth the extra 160 bucks to me. I spent the 160 once, and get to enjoy the difference the rest of my life.
The other consideration is that Incra comes along and reinvents the wheel, giving themselves full choices when deciding how to make components, then patent them, the imitator has to create less than ideal mechanisms to not infringe on patent rights. Kind of like dealing with one hand tied behind there back. I could be wrong and the Jointech system could be superior, but those are my thoughts. I couldn't find any reputable magazines that did a shootout with a comparison of the Incra and Jointech. The only thing I found were discussion sites, and personal opinion. I bet someone is saying that about this review.

[Brandon Shew]

I've had both an Incra and a Biesemeyer. So here's my impressions of the Pros & Cons of each:

Incra Pros:
1) Very high quality materials and construction
2) Extremely precise and easy to adjust with an easy to read scale
3) Allows for exact repeatability - which can be very handy if you ever have to remake a component because you botched something during a later stage (not that I have ever done that )
4) Slotted tracks on 3 sides of the fence make it easy to attach sacrificial fences, stops, guides, feather boards, and other jigs.

Incra Cons:
1) As mentioned, due to the nature of the design, it is possible for the guide rail of the incra to extend 30"+ beyond the end of the rails. I have a small shop now and this is the reason that I had to switch to the Biesemeyer.
2) It is a PITA to assemble the first time. The instructions are great, but there are lots of components, screws, etc...
3) You can't have an outfeed table butt up directly to the back of your saw w/ the Incra as the back of the fence rides in the back rail.
4) It isn't quite as easy to lock the fence in place (compared to the Biesemeyer or other lever actuated designs). When you want to lock in the back of the fence (not required, but possible) it takes an allen wrench.

Biesemeyer Pros:
1)Taller fence (when compared to the Incra)
2) Heavy Duty - built like a tank
3) Lever actuated position lock is easy to use
4) Slides easy along rail
5) No problem with outfeed table directly butted up to the table top

Biesemeyer Cons:
1) Very Heavy - probably adds another 70 lbs to your saw
2) Installation required drilling holes in my cast iron table
3) Laminate covered MDF fence face can be dinged or dented
4) No T-Track or other way to easily attach jigs to the fence (without drilling into the fence and adding it yourself.)
5) Fit and finish not as good as the Incra.

To answer your original question - yes it is worth it. Bob made some good points in his post. I've never run across a bad Incra product and their TS-III or TS-LS table saw fences are no exception. I like the Biesemeyer just as much as my Incra, but in different ways. Using the Biese, I have seen where the Incra would have come in handy a few times. If you have a router in your tablesaw top, then the Incra would be my choice.

When I had my Incra, a buddy of mine and I were comparing it to his Biesemeyer and he said somehting that kind of stuck with me - "The Incra is a thinkin' man's fence and the Biesemeyer is a doin' man's fence."