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L-Fence for the table saw ..

An L-fence has two main functions. First it is used as a replacement for a sacrificial fence normally placed on the rip fence when using a dado set to make rabbets on the edges of wood pieces. The L-fence sits just above the dado set and serves as the guiding edge for the board being rabbeted. The second use is to serve as a guide for angled cuts along the edge of a board. A guiding board can be double side taped the the board being cut. This serves as the guiding edge which is run along the L-fence. Hope this helps.
 
I made one of these about 20 years ago. I didn't build it anywhere near as fancy (no tapered edge, etc.), and it doesn't get used often, but it sure is handy to have for certain cuts. I think I've used mine more often for trimming the live edges off of small pieces of self milled boards from the firewood pile more than anything else. Doing this is tough to do when both edges of the work are still live edge and you need to get one straight before using the regular saw fence to make the opposite edge parallel. In my case, hot glue gun has more often been used to secure the mating rub fence piece to the work piece. A dab of hot glue about every foot has been sufficient, and it pulls free from the work piece after the cut by wedging a stiff putty knife under it. Double sided carpet tape works well on planned board surfaces, but for rough sawn, the hot glue dabs hold better. You can cut straight tapers on the work piece quite safely using an L Fence, by attaching the rub fence to the work piece at the desired angle. I have also used my L Fence for rabbeting and dado work. I built it wide enough for saw cuts or dados to be up to 4" from the saw fence.

Charley
 
40 lashes with a wet noodle to Vaughn for not knowing what this is :D. I have one of the original versions and keep vowing to do an update. Your version may give me the nudge I need. It looks great. Rabbets, template cuts, long miters/bevels, a low fence extension similar to a tall/short bandsaw fence, I use it for all sorts of things. I have a vertical bin of sorts against the wall behind the table saw that holds the L fence and other long thin items (ZCI's for my sleds and backer board scrap for example) that are used in tablesaw and router operations. Keeping things handy without having them end up in a pile has been a boon to my processes.
 
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glenn bradley said:
40 lashes with a wet noodle to Vaughn for not knowing what this is :D...
Click to expand...
I got yer wet noodle right here, bubba! :rofl:
messy-viralhog.gif
 
With a Delta Unifence, the original fence rail extrusion rotates 90 degrees and re-attaches to the head via the same two wing bolts and slide. With the fence extrusion laying flat on it's face, what had been the top of the fence is now laying down and less than 1/4" high. For me, this has been the low fence solution for whenever a low fence has been needed.

But the original Unifence extrusion is not ideal, if you want to attach feather boards or Board Buddy type hold downs, so I also have a fence extrusion that is sold by Peachtree Woodworking, called a "Uni-T-Fence". It is a larger square extrusion that also fits the head of the Unifence like the original fence extrusion, but incorporates T slots, one near the top on the face side, and two on the top, plus a 1/2" thick HDPE rub strip recessed and flush in the face where most boards being cut will slide along the fence. So, two different fence styles that I can swap quickly, when the need for one of these features arises. My Unifence came with my Delta Unisaw, and I was a bit skeptical when I first began using it, but I quickly grew to love using it for it's accuracy and features. I also bought a 16" long Uni-T-Fence to use when cutting off many small parts with the miter gauge and using the short fence as a stop for the repeated cuts. This lets the cut pieces fall free of the blade and on the table as they pass the end of the short fence. Those of you who have never used a Unifence don't know what you are missing.

A few years later I added a Wixey DRO to the Unifence and bought an extra readout strip and extrusion, so I can use the display on either side of the fence and for the full width of the saw table and extensions. I was always looking for a better table saw and fence, nearly my whole adult woodworking life, until 18 years ago when I bought this used Unisaw and Unifence and cleaned them up. I haven't had any interest in another table saw since it arrived. This combination of saw and features has been more accurate and repeatable than any table saw that I've ever owned or operated.

Well, my L fence, although not quite as fancy as the one posted, works well with my Unisaw and Unifence, but it doesn't have the fancy tapered edge, nor does it have the dovetail clamp slots. I've been using the sacrificial fence clamps from Rockler. They have worked OK, but I really like the idea of going with the dovetail clamps. So maybe it's time to rebuild and improve my L fence. I already have several pairs of dovetail clamps, I just haven't upgraded everything to make full use of them yet.

Thanks for the post and design idea,
Charley
 
I had a PM model 66 with a Biesemeyer fence. Loved that saw and ran it for 16 years. Biggest mistake I made was letting it get away when I closed the shop. I ended up with a Uni-saw with the uni-fence and absolutely HATE it compared to the Biesemeyer. The uni-fence is had to move, always out of adjustment and almost every time you move it, it comes off. The only way you can set it is with the digital readout that I installed on it. Hope to go with the industrial sawstop when I get out of this place and get a shop again.
 
"The uni-fence is had to move, always out of adjustment and almost every time you move it, it comes off."

Not sure I understand this, nor the accuracy problem. The handle of my Unifence rcan be rocked side to side when released for moving and I move the fence by pushing it sideways with the handle, so it's either in the left or right position when moving the fence. It will not allow you to pull the fence free of the rail, unless the handle is in the exact center position and released. This is a design feature. For accuracy, the fence floats relatively free until you begin to lock it in position with the handle. Then this locking process squares it up with the rail. With the handle fully down and locked, my fence has always been perfectly square. There are two Allen screws on the front of the head casting that let you adjust for squareness of the fence, but they only square it up as you push the lock handle down. It's free floating otherwise.

When using the Wixey Digital Readout, I move the fence to it's approximate desired position, and then begin to press the handle down as I hold the fence on the desired DRO setting. By the time that the handle is fully down, the fence is exactly on the desired position.

I can set the fence for a 1.00" cut and make the cut. Then move the fence for many other cuts. Then move the fence back to that same 1.00" position and make another cut. Those two 1" pieces of wood will be within 0.004"
of each other. That has been more than good enough accuracy for any woodworking project that I've ever done.

I used the 5 cut method when initially squaring my fence and every so often I repeat the test. I have not ever seen it off adjustment in the almost 20 years that I've owned the saw and fence.

Charley
 
On mine Charley when ever I unlock it just the slightest turn of the handle releases it, very annoying. The alignments screw keep moving so need adjustment way to often, unlike my PM that I set once and never had to adjust again in 16 year of every day use. I also could set the BM fence very accurately every time without the Wixey. But have been unable to do so on the Uni, if you are leaning just a bit one side or other the mark moves enough so you cant repeat the cut with accuracy. ( I reset the fence with saw running in the production shop )
Using the Wixey is the only way to get a repeat setting. ( I sometimes need to move the fence by .5mm for making organ pipes ).
I know it's pretty much what you get used to, but I can wait for the Uni-fence to be someone else's problem
 
Turn of the handle? Are we talking Unifence or Jet-lock fence? The Jet-lock fence handle turned. The Unifence handle goes up and down similar to a Biesmeyer. Down locks it in position. On a Unifence, there is no fine adjustment knob. The fences on older Unisaws used round guide rails and were the Jet-lock version. The Unifence only has a front rail and it is a sort of square aluminum extrusion with a slot facing the operator. They are not at all alike. If you have a Jet-lock fence I can fully understand your problems with it.

This is a Unifence - https://www.mikestools.com/36-915-Delta-Unifence-and-Legs-Guide-Rail-Sold-Seperately.aspx

This is a Jet-lock Fence - https://www.ebay.com/itm/325289793744

Charley
 
Its a uni-fence. You turn the handle like when you want to remove the fence completely. It always goes to that point when you lift the handle. Not talking about a fine adjustment but the set screws used to fine tune the fence to the blade. They are always moving a problem I never had with the BM fence.
When you push the fence to the right the handle will cock and release the fence for removal. When you pull it back to the left with the handle (like you do with a BM ) the handle again releases the fence for removal. Therefor you are constantly reinstalling the fence and slowing down production and sometimes causing the fence to become dangerously close to the running blade.

We are talking in a production environment (which is how I work) cutting hundreds of parts for a glue up form boards of different widths, cutting out defects form the board
 
OK, but the piece that fits in the slot of the fence rail must be worn significantly in your fence, because I have to move my handle to it's exact center for it to release the fence from the rail. Pushing sideways by pushing on the unlocked handle never causes mine to release from the rail, and my fence adjustment screws never change adjustment. Maybe a little blue Locktite would help.

Charley
 
Yes the locktite would help but I just don't like the system at all, it to temperamental. Unlike the BM set it and for get it and the fence has to be lifted to be removed making it a LOT safer. The one thing I do like about the Uni is the low fence position when ripping some things but its not something that makes me want to keep the saw.

Everything just worked better on the PM66
 
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