Biesemeyer fence rear rail Q?

Alan DuBoff

Former Member (by the member's request)
Messages
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Is the rear rail on the Biesemeyer primarily installed to hold the extension table on?

Since the fence locks on the front, it seems the rear rail is not needed unless one wanted to build an extension table, it would appear.

I just ordered the fence, but haven't received it yet. I was hoping I could just mount the front rail and forget about the rear all together, my table top is 40" x 44". I definitely know why they started breaking the table up in sections...:rofl:

I was on the fence I 'spose, over the fence...:doh: a lot of options. The Biesemeyer seems like a no frills solid fence. I really liked the Ridgid 3612 fence, I was eyeing it the night I sold the saw, but couldn't have retrofitted it on my G-89, even if I had wanted. The Ridgid fence locks on the front and back, and has a micro adjust wheel on the front. In thinking back, I rarely use the micro adjuster and tap the fence anyway.

In fact, all fences that can't provide at least 40" table length are out completly for me, and hence the Biesemeyer (and I've seen other Biesemeyer's mounted on G-89s ;) )
 
Is the rear rail on the Biesemeyer primarily installed to hold the extension table on?

Since the fence locks on the front, it seems the rear rail is not needed unless one wanted to build an extension table, it would appear.

I just ordered the fence, but haven't received it yet. I was hoping I could just mount the front rail and forget about the rear all together, my table top is 40" x 44". I definitely know why they started breaking the table up in sections...:rofl:

I was on the fence I 'spose, over the fence...:doh: a lot of options. The Biesemeyer seems like a no frills solid fence. I really liked the Ridgid 3612 fence, I was eyeing it the night I sold the saw, but couldn't have retrofitted it on my G-89, even if I had wanted. The Ridgid fence locks on the front and back, and has a micro adjust wheel on the front. In thinking back, I rarely use the micro adjuster and tap the fence anyway.

In fact, all fences that can't provide at least 40" table length are out completly for me, and hence the Biesemeyer (and I've seen other Biesemeyer's mounted on G-89s ;) )


The rear angle rail doesn't do anything mechanically with the fence so I guess you could leave it off but I'm not sure I would want to for the sake of stability. Yes it is a great fence, I've got two of them in my shop and would change a few things if I could and may one of these days but it wouldn't be removing the rear rail.
 
As far as I know, that is all it is for. I do use it at times to put a clamp on the back side of the fence when I am using feather boards so that the fence doesn't tilt up.
 
Jim,

I don't have a stability issue per se with my table, it's more of a weight issue.:rofl:

I don't know how much it weighs, it's gotta be 300-400 lbs. for the table alone.

You can kinda see the old fence here.

(linky pic)



The fence weighs about 75-100 lbs. It functions, but it's heavy. The blade insert in the table weighs about 50-75 lbs.

Check out those miter slot filler bars, they're 1 1/4" wide, and about 1/2" thick...solid cast iron. I don't have the miter, so will just build a crosscut sled.
 
Jesse,

Do you mean the extension table? I don't plan to use one. I only need to have 26" of cutting, which I have on my table. I think my table is about as large as most modern cabinet saws, but is one piece rather than 3.

I don't think this table is going to have a hard time being supported, it could be the support itself!;)

Almost the entire fence will be supported on the table, which is fully supported by solid cast iron. It's probably not perfectly flat, but it's pretty flat and seems solid. Later if I wanted to add an extension table, I could get longer rails and do that, but I'm not sure I want/need it, I'm not crazy about working with sheet goods, and more often would find myself ripping strips to laminate into a larger panel in the case I need something larger than 12" wide (for a panel for instance).
 
I have the General Canada version of the Beis fence. On mine, the outboard end of the fence has a height adjustable foot that slides on the rear rail. When I installed my fence, I shimmed the front tube and adjusted the rear foot so that I have approx 1/16" under the fence and the fence is parallel to the table all the way along.

cheers
 
Is the rear rail on the Biesemeyer primarily installed to hold the extension table on?

Since the fence locks on the front, it seems the rear rail is not needed unless one wanted to build an extension table, it would appear.

Alan,

I have a General fence, which I'm told is basically identical to the Biesemeyer.
Here is a photo of the rear of it.
fencefoot.jpg

Note the foot? This is a UHMW coated foot that slides on that rear rail. It also lifts the fence a fraction above the table. If you didn't have it, the fence would drag on the table when you move it.

I'm surprised at all the comments from the other guys. Doesn't the Biesemeyer fence have one of these? Or do you just forget about it since you can't see it most of the time?

If the Bies really is identical to my General fence, then you definitely want some sort of a back rail, so that the foot can slide on it.

...art

Edit: Hmm, John posted the same thing, but I got the photo!! :D
 
John, Art,

Yes, by the looks of that I might want to mount the rear rail if it's the same. I'll find out when I get it I 'spose.

From the looks of Art's picture, it might need that for the foot to slide on. I can mount it, providing it will handle the size of my table. I'll have to wait and see what comes in the box.
 
I've never seen one of the fences with that "foot" on the back rail. Mine has a foot but it rides on the table and is just a pad of nylon that slides on the surface. It is not adjustable. That's interesting
 
Don,

Is that on your Ollie? The Jet fence is very similar to the biesemeyer. Sounds like the rear rail is needed, if for nothing else but for the foot to ride on. Hmmm...I'm not sure I need it or not yet.

If mine is like Jim's with a foot that rides on the table, that would be better for my use.
 
Biesemeyer Fence

Here's a puzzler. My new General 350 (Canadian-made) saw came with the same fence but doesn't have the foot at the outfeed end. Just a small nylon pad that rides on the table top. I bought my saw 12 months ago.

Maybe the foot is newer (or older) vintage hardware.
When installing the fence I asked my machinery dealer about the rear rail. He told me it was just to stablize an extension table.



Gary Curtis
 
Don,

Is that on your Ollie? The Jet fence is very similar to the biesemeyer. Sounds like the rear rail is needed, if for nothing else but for the foot to ride on. Hmmm...I'm not sure I need it or not yet.

If mine is like Jim's with a foot that rides on the table, that would be better for my use.
No Alan, The Ollie is in storage.:( I don't have room for it iiin the temp shop. It's on my Jet Contractor saw.
 
Gary,

This might be the newer style, I don't know if that is how the fence I'm buying is or not, but that would work out perfect for me. I think the fence will extend almost the full length of my table, but I'm not sure it will hang over. It will be nice to get my saw tuned up and I need to work out the guard still, or at least splitter. I have a piece of 1/8" flat stock, about 2" wide, which I plan to use for a temp splittler. It might work out just fine.

Hopefully mine is the style with the nylon pad, that would be perfect for me.
 
Alan, my Biese Commercial , (circa 1990) does not have a foot that rides on the back rail, only the little HDPE pad under the bottom of the fence that rides on the table to give the proper clearance and is not adjustable. I have seen reports in the past that some or maybe all of the Canadian Bieses and apparently most of the "Clones" have the adjustable foot that ride on the rear angle iron rail, but I have seen a lot of U.S. built Biese's and have never seen one that was made in the U.S.A that had the adjustable foot.:huh: :dunno:

When your fence arrives, if it is different, (ie: has the adjustable foot), please post here so we will all be updated, OK?:thumb::D
 
Jim, My fence is like Arts. I too have the bessy and plan on putting a foot on the end to ride on the rail. it lets the dust slip under the fence. General I think did that insted of the little pad that your talking about. But they are pretty much the same.
Reg
 
Alan, my Biese Commercial , (circa 1990) does not have a foot that rides on the back rail, only the little HDPE pad under the bottom of the fence that rides on the table to give the proper clearance and is not adjustable. I have seen reports in the past that some or maybe all of the Canadian Bieses and apparently most of the "Clones" have the adjustable foot that ride on the rear angle iron rail, but I have seen a lot of U.S. built Biese's and have never seen one that was made in the U.S.A that had the adjustable foot.:huh: :dunno:

When your fence arrives, if it is different, (ie: has the adjustable foot), please post here so we will all be updated, OK?:thumb::D


I have the Delta T2 fence (the "home shop duty" bies knock-off), and it has a little UHMW contact point that rides on the rear rail. It is adjustable, but not as beefy as those shown previously. If the fence did not ride on the outfeed rail, the fence would click or hang every time it passed over the stamped steel extension wings--not much, but just enough to annoy me.
 
Norman,

I'll definitely post what I get, when it gets here. The fence has shipped and is expected to arrive by next Thurs., so it says.

Homer,

I think the only difference in the home shop version and commercial version is the length of the fence, the commercial is a couple inches longer. I could be wrong though.
 
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