Table Saw Fence Recommendations?
KesslerCraftsman
| Posted in General Discussion on
Hi,
I purchased an old Powermatic 66 (pre-Taiwanese) yesterday…all looks good except the fence.
Do folks have recommendations on aftermarket fences? I’ve seen the Incra, the HTC, the Biesmeyer, etc. I’ve also seen the sliding tables..but don’t know if the fence is incorporated in that arrangement or completely separate…sure would be nice to have a sliding table…LOL
I’d have to purchase the rails, the fence and, probably, an extension table…I want 50″…
Please advise! Thanks to a great forum!!
lp
Replies
Beastmeier. It's the most versatile for jigs , and accuracy.
I had an Incra on my Jet Cabinet and it didn't fit my style of work. Sold it and bought a scratc & dent Bies fence from Redmond http://www.redmond-machinery.com/delta.htm
This place has very good sevice, the price was right and the fence had NO scratch or dents.
_________________________________
Michael in San Jose
"In all affairs it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted." Bertrand Russell
Larry,
I put an "Accusquare" on my 1950 vintage Unisaw. The 50" model was just under $200 (US) and I'm real happy with it. It has t-slots on both sides and the top for attaching whatever. No whistles, bells or lasers just a very solid and functional fence at a very attractive price.
Regards,
Mack
"WISH IN ONE HAND, #### IN THE OTHER AND SEE WHICH FILLS UP FIRST"
Hi Mack. Who makes or sells this? I'm not familiar with that brand/name. lp
I'll jump in -- Mule Cabinetmakers (Mulecab). Here's the link:
http://www.mulecab.com/products.asp?mnu_Products=1
I've had my eye on that fence for awhile, but think I'll probably ditch my old Jet saw rather than get a new fence for it, in a couple years. Heard good things about the Accusquare, but the Beisemeyer, if it's in the budget, may be a better choice.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Thanks FG...That's what I'm doing...I've got a nice-enough Jet contractor saw..and like the (short) fence..but not the dust collection, horsepower, etc.
I found an old green 3 hp powermatic for $800...but that fence....
I hope it'll be a good decision..we'll see. The accufence looks good...a lot like the Incra.
I'll definitely look at the Biesmeyer and also the HTC...
lp
NoNoNoNoNo -- sorry, but this is serious. The AccuSquare is not the same as the Accufence. The Accufence, which is no longer available as a stand-alone item, was really panned by buyers when I posted awhile back asking about it. The AccuSquare by MuleCab is a whole different story. Just want to be sure we keep them straight, LOL!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Well, now that I got that correction out of my system, congrats on finding the old PM. That's great. One thing I really like about the AccuSquare is that it has a 90-day no-questions-asked guarantee, so if you don't like it, you can send it back.
If you get the AccuSquare, be sure and order the Eurojig also. Well worth the extra $30 in safety and convenience.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Larry,
The "Accufence" is very simple, very strong and very easy to install. It comes with a tape which I never use (always measure from the fence to the appropriate tooth on the blade) and that is about the only thing "wasted" on this unit.
I see from the web site that prices have gone up a bit since I purchased mine.
Regards,
Mack"WISH IN ONE HAND, #### IN THE OTHER AND SEE WHICH FILLS UP FIRST"
See #11 -- did you mean AccuFence or AccuSquare?forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Forest Girl,
AccuSquare; made in Canada, eh! The link you posted yesterday was correct (prices were a bit higher though).
I remember hearing bad press about the "Accu-fence" which is a different animal altogether. I don't recall what the problem/s were, only knew I didn't want one.
I looked at lots of fences including the Uni-fence, Bies, Incra, HTC and a few others. I almost went with the Uni-fence to keep to Delta continuity thing going. Finally decided on the Accusquare because of it's simplicity and price.
I'm just a hobby WWer and I didn't see the need for the laminate pieces, micro adjust, etc, etc. I don't even need the tape measure thing that came with it except for the rare occasion that "close" is okay. I always measure from the tooth to the fence.
The fence slides across the table smoothly and locks down VERY easily without jumping around to square itself. The t-slots make it very easy to attach auxiliary stuff with just a twist of a nut driver. The machined aluminum is very smooth making feed almost effortless.
Budget was not a primary concern but I always like to feel that I got a good deal (who doesen't). For the work I do and am likely to do in the future, this fence has turned out to be ideal. I'm sure there are folks who need features which my fence lacks but I didn't need them and didn't want to pay extra for them.
If you need an after-market rip fence and are into simplicity, are working within a budget or both; IMHO you should look twice at this unit.
Regards,
Mack
Edit: I see in one post I said ''Accufence"! Oops! It's a fence and it's accurate but it's not an "accufence" it's an "Accusquare" fence. Sorry for the confusion!
"WISH IN ONE HAND, #### IN THE OTHER AND SEE WHICH FILLS UP FIRST"
Edited 11/19/2004 1:21 pm ET by Mack
If you always have to measure from the tooth to the fence I'd say that does not speak well of your fence. I've been able to cut to the 1/100" with any of the fences I've used.
Mikeplease excuse my spelling.
I have been using the Accusquare fence by Mulecab for several years. I have shoved 3/4" MDF past it and it hasn't moved a bit in more than 5 years. The fence is easy to move, accurate to set. I use the tape measure and never measure to the tooth. If I want a 4 1/16" measurement, that's what I set on the tape under the cursor lines and that's what I get. Tremendous fence, and easy to make jigs and fixtures for. Highly accurate.Alan & Lynette Mikkelsen, Mountain View Farm, est. 1934, Gardens & Fine Woodworking, St. Ignatius, MT
I've used that fence and agree that it is a solid product. Not as solid a a Beis, but good enough. I was only giving him a hard time for always measuring to the blade. It couldn't be any more accurate than a well set up fence. Of course if you really want to get anal you should cut and measure a scrap piece. Measureing fence to blade dosen't account for what happens while the blade is spinning, runout etc.
mikeplease excuse my spelling.
Hey Larry,
I'm in the market for the exact same saw. But, I can't help you on the fence question. However, read on, please.
I had an intimate conversation with one salesperson who said the Delta product line was going abroad and that Powermatic was the only one left at that point, made in the USA. I knew the Unisaw was my choice years ago, but I've outgrown that and wanted the "gold-standard". Now, you're suggesting it too, is going abroad? This actually might not be all bad in that Jet is good stuff and has always been imported.
Is there real issue with a Powermatic 66 soon and if so, how soon is this threat?
Scrappy
As far as aftermarket fences go, I reckon the Bies is the standard. But that doesn't mean it's the best. I'm not all that familiar with all that are available. I do have 3x" commercial Biesemeyer on my saw and it does give a bit of a thrill every time I just look at the danged thing. If the others work as smoothly or adjust as well and are as accurate, I'd go by price before name. (Did I get across the idea that snob appeal only goes so far?)
--Steve
http://www.ApacheTrail.com/ww/
Penury is the Mother of Invention
For the weekend warrior and the medium sized (2 or 3 employee) shop the Unifence is hands down the most versitle and easy to set up and adjust. The Beis (or any of its many clones) is equally accurate but is considerably more durable. Its solid welded steel construction can withstand the kind of abuse seen in large shops where the employees don't respect you tools as much. Dropping a Beis is unlikely to hurt any thing, unless it lands on your toe! The Unifence is super solid and has heavy duty construction, its only weak spot is the fence is made of extruded aluminium. It is a very heavy gauge, but dropping it or hitting it with a hammer could dent it.
Mike
What fence is on the PM66 you purchased? If it's the PM cast iron with two lock handles, the round guide tubes and it's in good condition I may be interested in it. That is a rock solid fence that will clamp square to the blade. Most have the notion that it's like the Delta Jet Lock but it's a T-square with a rear lock and it has round tubes. The only draw back is that it can't be lifed off the tubes it must be slid okk the end.
DJK
I always put in a plug for Excalibur in these threads.
I used one on my old Unisaw for about 15 years. Got a PM 66 about 3-4 years ago, which has Bies clone. This is a perfectly acceptable, ok fence, but I really miss that Excalibur -- so much that I keep thinking about scrapping this one and buying another Ex.
Why? the Ex uses rollers which run on rails attached to the front and back of the saw table; silky smooth. And the configuration of the fence makes it a lot easier to attach all the jigs that are so useful with a TS.
Larry: Just for your information, the Powermatic 66 table saw is still made in the good old USA. They are still one of the only few manufactures that still make American made products, not all their products but still many.
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