Replies

1. 
   swiftntrue1 | Jun 27, 2002 05:18am | #1

   Biesmeyer It's so much tougher and more heavily built and easy to make such things as a tenoning jig to slide over it.

   My unisaw is a left tilt and I've found no practical disadvantages just make sure the fence is perfectly paralell to the blade, but then you would.

               good luck  

2. 
   SCFrankland | Jun 27, 2002 05:57am | #2

   I have used both and if I had to choose I would have to go with the Bessy. I like the Unifence's ability to be pulled back for doing tenon work. You can still use the measuring gauge to set your distance were as with the Bessy you have to keep adding the thickness of your block.

   I also didn't like the fact that it was a real pain to make cuts on the left side of the blades (Unifence was a right tilt saw) with the Bessy it was no difference.

   As for the flex I found that neither seemed to be affected by the cuts that I was making but I did find that the Bessy did have a tendencies to lift in the rear a little easier than the Unifence.

   For jigs that ride the fence I found the Bessy easier to make up but both fences work well once the jig is built.

   The Unifence also has the ability to trim laminate goods were as the Bessy needs a jig. But that is not a feature that I have ever used.

   Hope this helps but it does boil down to what best works for you.

   Scott C. Frankland

   Newfoundland Wood Worker

1. 
   Sancho | Jun 27, 2002 06:27am | #3

   Funny, I had the bies and sold it for a unifence. I liked the idea of being able to slide the fence fwd and back especially to use as a stop for x cutting using my mitre gage. I also liked the feature of turning the fence sideways and using the low profile. I found the bies once damage a pain to repair . You'd have to order a reaplcement side rail from beis = wait for shipping or use a piece of HDPE plastic like they use on the jet. Then have to attach it to the fence then use a zillion clamps to glue the plastic to the baltic birch side. The Unifence Id just go to my local tool store and buy a replacement slap it on. I found it to be easier to clamp to and make jigs for also. But as you said Its more a matter of personal preferance. There both good and acurate fences. As for right tilt and left tilt to me it dont make no difference. I use what ever I got. Darkworksite4: When the job is to small for everyone else, Its just about right for me"

1. 
   SCFrankland | Jun 27, 2002 02:09pm | #4

   Don't get me work I really like the Unifence but if it came right down to having one over the other I would take the Bessy. The Unifence is a real nice setup but for the work I do I have found the Bessy just edges out the Unifence.Scott C. Frankland

   Newfoundland Wood Worker

1. 
   Sancho | Jun 27, 2002 05:32pm | #8

   I know Scott this type of subj. is one of those personal preferance things. Like a lot of the "which is better" questions asked here. I think ####better verbage would be "which do you prefer and why" Darkworksite4: When the job is to small for everyone else, Its just about right for me"

3. 
   rkkelly36 | Jun 27, 2002 02:20pm | #5

   I've also used both fences, and i prefer the Unifence. I haven't used the low fence option yet, but i'm glad i'll have it when i need it. What i do like is the sliding fence for crosscuts. I know you can clamp a jig on the bessy (that's what i used to do), but then you can't just use the measuring scale on the fence. A minor inconvenience perhaps but an inconvenience nonetheless.

   As to left or right tilt, people say left tilt is safer. If you ever think you might a sliding table attachment (which i really want) you'll need a right tilt.

   Whichever way you decide to go, you can't really go wrong, and there will probably always be things about both set-ups that you like.

   Remember, my opinion is worth exactly what you pay for it.

   kevin

1. 
   dhpascoe | Jun 27, 2002 03:57pm | #6

   They're both good fences. The Unifence's strengths are in the small shop where space is limited.

   With a Unifence, the saw with extensions can be used as a work island (attach router tables, etc) because the fence can be quick and easily gotten out of the way. I think it's also better for small work because of the low fence. I agree that moving it left of place is a pain, but I rarely do that.

   If you get this one, I recommend the 43" over 33" fence bar if you intend to cut any sheet goods.

   Dusty

4. 
   bobpowers | Jun 27, 2002 04:50pm | #7

   Greg,

   I have a left tilt Unisaw with a 30" Biesemeyer fence. Why do I have left tilt? Because when I replaced my Ryobi BT-3000 saw, the dust collection was already on the left side. That's where Delta puts dust collection on the left-tilt Unisaw. I do prefer left-tilt for the reason most right-handed woodworkers do. It means I can keep the fence on the right side of the blade and not trap miter cuts between the blade and the fence.

   I have never used a Unifence, but have been totally pleased with my 30" Biesemeyer. It's 30" not 50" because my shop was originally in my basement and I didn't have room for the larger fence.

   As a suggestion, consider the Delta Uniguard. The guard, splitter, and anti-kickback device that comes with the Unisaw is a pain to remove and replace. The Uniguard blade guard just lifts out of the way, and the splitter removes in about thirty seconds.

   Sorry for the wordiness.

   Bob Powers

5. 
   RandMCapozzi | Jun 27, 2002 11:20pm | #9

   Greg,

   As to the fences, I have a Unifence and it works very well for me. I don't have any experience with the B.

   My Unisaw is a Right tilt. One interesting tid-bit that caused me to "lean" towards the right was the direction saw blades are placed on the saw arbor. With Right tilts, the blades goes on from the left meaning that the distance between the saw right side of the blade and the fence (when the fence is in its usual right side position) always remains constant regardless of kerf size or dado width. This isn't the case with left tilts. So, since I do more dado work that I do bevel ripping, I "leaned" right so that I don't have to make adjustments to the fence guide when I change blades.

   Hope this helps,

   --Rob

6. 
   floman47 | Jun 28, 2002 04:11am | #10

   I have both! I would pick the Bessy. Manley so you can clamp and ride jigs on it a little easer. Left tilt the only way to go.

    

   Jeff in so cal

7. 
   RickL | Jun 29, 2002 04:26pm | #11

   What kind of saw have you been using? You have a previous comfort level with that kind of tilt. Have you been frustrated on any operation because it didn't tilt the other way? I've been using both tilts and fences over the years and can make either work. At home I have the PM 66 with a Bies and I actually find it to be more versatile than the unifence. With a few jig I can do all the unifence can do and more. The square tube is great for mounting fixtures plus the mass is a big plus. I'm planning on adding a rear hold-down for various feather board operations. Been using a clamp in the mean time and it's such a pain to do certain operations on a unifenece compared to the Bies. I used to do a lot of brass work on the saw and had to rig up a lot of extra special hold-downs on the unifence at work whereas it was a lot easier to do it on my Bies. We would really push the limits on what you can do on a saw. Just the simple sliding of the fence feels a lot better on a Bies in my opinion.

8. 
   sydspal | Jun 30, 2002 02:41am | #12

   I hear HTC makes a fence similar to the Biesmeyer but, one small step ahead and it will use the same rail system.

9. 
   DaveHeinlein | Jun 30, 2002 04:44am | #13

   Another Beez here. I found the Unifence to be flimsy, the double cursor increases the chance of error until the fence is second nature. Aluminum can put black marks on the wood, and hey, it's Aluminum, it gives up way sooner than steel. The feature of the sliding fence, well, I don't do repetative cross cuts this way, but having a fence face that needs to be tightened and re-tightened seems like it could be prone to error. I came to these conclusions after using a Unifence for about five minutes, but I've been using table saws for 27 years.

   The Beez,OTOH, is steel, heavy, totaly adjustable, and should never give up. If you are banging things into the fence hard enough to break it, you need some lessons on machine and tool care,IMO. I don't mean to come off as a hard- a#s about this, but you wouldn't treat a hand plane that way, and a saw fence that is meant to be accurate to hundredths of an inch should be a very important tool to the owner, and due respect paid. Anyway, the first time I used a Biessmier fence in the 80's, I knew it was the best design ever, and I haven't any yet that equaled.

   I use a left tilt saw because it's more comfortable to me, and there is almost no chip out on bevel cuts.

10. 
    troopermat | Jun 30, 2002 07:44am | #14

    Hi Greg,

    I recently bought a Grizzly 1023SL and outfitted it with the SawTrain Retrofit Kit from http://www.jointech.com  I love this thing. It's better than either of the two you were inquiting about. I also added an 18" Clincher  and a 32"Smart Fence. It really is 0.001" adjustment and it's dead on accurate.

    Matt

1. 
   Terrye | Jun 30, 2002 09:22pm | #15

   Matt -

   How do you like your Grizzly?  I am looking at the G1023S or the Unisaw.  The Grizzly looks like a good saw.  Did you already have some of the Saw Train parts so you only needed the retrofit kit, or is that all you need with the Grizzly.

   Terry

1. 
   troopermat | Jul 01, 2002 03:38am | #16

   I ordered all of the items at the same time after researching the products. The grizzly stuff is all made overseas with the rest of the manufactures (Jet, Delta, etc) and then assembled here in the Good'ol U.S. of A to receive that "made in the usa" stamp. I have the Grizzly 1023SL (left tilt).

   Left tilt in my book is safer because you don't trap the work in between the blade and the fence when the blade is tilited....less chance of getting a board slammed back into your guts, or worse yet the groin area. The grizzly 1023SL is nice. It was $100 more than the 1023S, but it has a well designed sloped dust collection pan and 4" dust port "ready for hook-up", left tilt, good quality on/off switch, and a bigger/wider table.  

   I do experience a little bit of vibration from time to time...I probably should put the link belts on this saw and ditch the Chinese factory belts. Otherwise, the saw is 450+ lbs, and it does suck up  the vibration just due to its large mass. I think if I were back in the market to buy again I would still get the 1023SL. Pound for pound you can't get more saw for you buck. Grizzly does do a decent job of cleaning up the castings and finishing the top.....they also stand behind their product.

   I ordered the Jointech stuff at the same time...think I already mentioned that. It's actually better quality than the other tools in my shop. The Retrofit-kit is the rails and the bridge assembly only for your prospective 27" or 28" deep tablesaw. You would also have to buy a Clincher (the micrometer adjustable arm that links the "fence" to the bridge, and you would need a fence. I bought the whole shooting match...72" Retrofit-kit, 18" Clincher, 32" Smart Fence,  27x36 Phenolic Router Table, and Router Lift Pro w/ PC7518 motor. I am extremely pleased with the performance of all the items I bought from Jointech.

   There is no doubt in my mind that the Jointech product is the heavy champ in the home woodworker market. The incra product is cheesey in comparision and requires a lot of tweaking just to keep it straight/parallel to the blade...too much of a pain!