Old friends...

Greg Cook

Member
Messages
2,882
Location
Tokiwadai, Japan
When I first got my Delta table saw it had a T-30 rip fence with it.




It was a good fence, but everyone talked about how great the Biesemeyer fence was, and I got the itch for a more commercial fence. I ran across a killer deal on a Bies, bought it and was very pleased with it for over a year.

View attachment 10854

However, it was the Home version, and seemed a bit light...(itch again), so when Lowes put their UniFence on clearance for $123....I got one.



It was quite different than the Bies...larger, commercial type, movable fence face... I talked with Steve Ash, knowing he used one, and a couple others. They were all very positive about the Unifence. But I could just not get "used" to it... I seemed to "sing" when I moved it. I think it was the all aluminum construction that made it sing. The front of the fence face also seemed to lift up when I would lock the fence. Hmmmm....I started regretting the move from my Bies.

Well, with all the shopping I've been doing at Lowes for hardware, electrical switches and wall sockets....I have had a chance to check out the tool department too!

Much to my surprise...they had a BC30 commercial Biesemeyer fence system, (fence, rail set, table and legs) on clearance sale for $220 (reg $400). I couldn't help myself....:eek:


So now I am back with my Bies, but a commercial one this time. It's grey, not white like my Home version. It moves smoothly, doesn't sing. The front doesn't lift up...doesn't have a movable fence, not set up to use as a quick measure for crosscuts. It's very simple, but works well, and feels more substantial. I feel like I have a friend with me again.:)

View attachment 10852

I have nothing against the Unifence at all....it just wasn't for me.

I also got a Forrest WWII on a special sale not long after I got my saw. (Amazon had them for $68 with free shipping). I liked it, but decided later on to try a Tenryu Gold Medal. It is a bit thinner, and works well with my 1.5hp contractor saw. (I get a bit more umph with 220V). But....I put the Forrest back on a month ago, on a whim, and feel like I have another friend there too.

It's interesting how we get attached to some of our tools, accessories, and miss them when we succumb to the itch to try something different. Anybody else feel the same, or am I just weird....:eek:
:rofl:
 
Last edited:
No doubt you are weird Greg, but in a good way! :D

I know what you mean, not woodworking, but I remember looking for "Better" tires on track bikes, I always ended up going back to my faithful friendly Birdgestone BT001 Pros, at the time, they were the most user friendly DOT race tires out there, but I'd hear someone say how much better the "XYZ" tire was, and I'd have to try a pair. Some had better all our traction, but when they let go, there was no warning, no wiggle just you on your rear, sliding along on the track watching your bike trundle along on it's side :doh:

So I do know what you mean. :wave:
 
Nice fence Greg... great deal too. I was just at Lowes, but I've never noticed any Biesmeyers lurking around the ones in Albaqwerky.

I've got to ask though, what do you do with all these fences? :huh:

Are you perhaps fencing the fences? :rofl:

Too bad I can't sleep tonight... I make fewer dumb jokes during the day :wave:
 
John,

The clearance sale might be for just my store...don't know for sure. They had just a little yellow tag on the table saw in the store. Lowes offered the Delta contractor saw for $499 and then you could choose a Delta T-30 ($150) a Unifence ($300) or the Bies Commercial ($400) fence.

The fences will be put on Craigslist. I've been able to get such good deals that my new Bies will be essentially "free" after the others are sold. I thought about building a larger table, then cutting down the rails and using the T-30 as a band saw fence for the Delta I got on sale a couple of months ago. Might be a bit of overkill...but a good Kreg fence is over $100! :huh:
 
Last edited:
Greg..........Some of my tools are over 30 years old. I've been using them professionally that long. I hate when one of them "gives up the ghostl".....I miss my old friends!
 
So now I am back with my Bies, but a commercial one this time. It's grey, not white like my Home version. It moves smoothly, doesn't sing. The front doesn't lift up...doesn't have a movable fence, not set up to use as a quick measure for crosscuts. It's very simple, but works well, and feels more substantial. I feel like I have a friend with me again.:) I don't think there is too much wrong with you.:rolleyes: That familiarity with a product you can enjoy is a wonderful thing. I like WW and it is nice to have my tools do what I want, I like their sound when I turn on the tablesaw ,or jointer, or RAS. I too have a beissy with my saw after many years without. Things like that add to the pleasure. Sometimes the time to change machines is when you know that there is something you want to do that your machine is not up to. Then it is okay to retire it(Craig'slist it), but not so with "Old Friends" :D S


....I put the Forrest back on a month ago, on a whim, and feel like I have another friend there too.

It's interesting how we get attached to some of our tools, accessories, and miss them when we succumb to the itch to try something different. Anybody else feel the same, or am I just weird....:eek: Yep, You're wierd!:rofl: :rofl: S :)
:rofl:
Hi Greg,
Actually, I get attached to things that work for me. Thanks for this thread.:thumb: Shaz
 
:rofl::rofl:

Uh, actually it's....4...:eek:, but not for long. Lowes has dropped the Unifence and Bies options from their Delta contractor saw package, so I should be able to sell mine for a decent price soon.

Still not sure of what to do for my bandsaw fence....:huh:
 
:rofl::rofl:

Uh, actually it's....4...:eek:, but not for long. Lowes has dropped the Unifence and Bies options from their Delta contractor saw package, so I should be able to sell mine for a decent price soon.

Still not sure of what to do for my bandsaw fence....:huh:

You love that technical stuff :rolleyes: , so check out the veneer fence/new tools/ William Falberg.:D
 
Top