Table Saw Fence

[Thomas Canfield]

I have a Delta contractor saw and the original fence needs replacing. I have recently seen the reviews in WOOD magazine and the top rating for the Biesemeyer home fence. I have done some additional study and the cost of the commercial unit is not that much more. I have also had some strong recommendations for the Delta Unifence as the only way to go. I am a hobby woodworker but am interested in trying to get the best available for reasonable price to handle multiple tasks. I have seen a lot of articles on auxilary fences and jigs for the Biesemeyer and it seems to be the more popular. Expert comments???????????

[Bruce Page]

I specified the Biesemeyer when I ordered my Unisaw and without hesitation would do it again. However, a friend of mine has the unifence and feels the same way about his. They are both excellent fences, it all boils down to what tickles your fancy the most.

How’s that for being objective.

[Ed Falis]

This is not an expert opinion.

I have a Bies clone - very nice, solid and heavy-duty fence. It's easy to jig for it because it has a square-ish cross-section.

My wife has a Unifence from another saw hanging around, and I keep giving it the eye. Unfortunately, she doesn't have the rails.

Personally, if I were starting from scratch, not being a production shop here, I'd be inclined to go with the Unifence, because it can be rotated to present a low profile that thin sheet good won't slip under, and because the fence can be pulled back to provide better infeed support. There's a product called the Uni-T-Fence that is a square cross-section extrusion that can be used interchangeably with the standard unifence extrusion. It also has T-track slots in it. That addresses the jigging issue.

I would prefer the Bies Pro system (or suitable clone) if I were slamming a lot of heavy stock against the fence on a consistent basis. Otherwise, the Unifence seems awfully versatile.

- Ed

[Von Bickley]

I presently have the Unifence. If I was buying a new saw, I would get the Biesemeyer.

[Keith Outten]

I have the 50" Biesemeyer on my Grizzly 1023 and I wouldn't trade it for any fance on the market. The Beis is so accurate and once setup it is absolutely reliable that it is a joy to use.

[Bart Leetch]

You could get the Unifence & then go to this URL & get the fence rail they have & have the best of both worlds.


http://www.ttrackusa.com/unifence.htm

[Steve Hooper]

Thomas:

I went through the same thing a couple years ago.

After I had the bessy installed, I decided that my biggest error was taking too much time to decide which one to buy.

Both will please you. Flip a coin, if you must, but don't deprive yourself any longer than needed.

Steve

[Thomas Canfield]

Thanks for the replys and thoughts. The last one about making a decision and moving on was one of the best since it does not sem that one can go wrong. I ordered the 50" commercial Biesemeyer, and face the problems of dealing with the 7' table space. I am not sure if the extra $50 for the commercial over the home is worth it for my use, but the extra strength in the rails for the table seemed like a good idea. Reviewing some other posts and even Norm's site it looks like the trend is to go with the Bessy and that is where the accessories and instructions are being directed. I am going to build the tableboard and legs to work with the saw cabinet I made under the contractor saw. Always one more little project to look forward to.

[Tyler Howell]

Love My Bies!

[Lee Schierer]

I have the Beismeyer Commercial fence on my craftsman table saw and it is the best investment I've ever made for a saw. It went on quickly, It aligned perfectly out of hte box and it is very easy to use.My Fence