Idiot question

Billy Burt

Member
Messages
772
Location
San Antonio, Texas
Okay, this may seem like an idiot question for some of you, but I've only had a table saw for about 5 years now. It's a Delta contractor saw and came with what the box called a unifence. It doesn't look like the unifence on the unisaw, but it is an extruded aluminum t-square fence. The fence has a number of grooves running down the top and back. This makes attaching jigs and other accessories a breeze and I've really liked this aspect of the fence. However, I recently upgraded to the Biesemeyer fence and rail system (thanks to the Lowe's clearance) and this is where the queston comes in. How does one attach a sacrificial fence (SF) and other accessories to this fence? Do I just drill holes through it where I want them, or did I miss something? There are two things I need to attach in the near future. First would be a sacrificial fence for rabbeting. Yes, I could clamp the SF piece on, but I know there is a better way. The second accessory I wish to attach is my board buddies. I've become rather fond of them. So, do I just drill and tap the top of the fence for the mounts on these? I don't want to mess the Bies up, but I do need the functionality that the old fence gave me and want to do it correctly.:dunno:
 
Thanks, Jason. I'll be by the Rockler store Sunday, so I'll pop in a grab a pair of those clamps.

The board buddies... well they're still another story, but I have a starting point.
 
Thanks, Jason. I'll be by the Rockler store Sunday, so I'll pop in a grab a pair of those clamps.

The board buddies... well they're still another story, but I have a starting point.
Billy,

Those Rockler clamps have been on my "I might want to buy" list for some time. I'd be very interested to hear how well they work for you.
 
I have a SHOP FOX version of the Beis. fence and screwed the track of the board buddies to the top - yes I tapped them in.
I find them difficult to use now and suppose I could just MOVE the track but ... anyway, the problem is I CENTERED the track and it would work better if I moved it to the side nearest the blade ... but of course then I'd have a set of un-used TAPPED holes and who'd want THAT in their fence?
 
Hey John, not to get your dander up, but don't you think it would seem foolish to our ancestors to pay so much for a woodworking machine, then not make it perform as good as we could because of asthetics? I understand trying to keep things clean looking and neat, but it would seem to me a tablesaw should perform well first, and looks follow a close second...but second nonetheless. Let those tapped holes show. Get your saw working to its full potential I say.

By the way its good to see you post on here my friend. (For those that don't know, John and I, along with a new member Paul Hubbman, are very good friends and hale from the Wood Online forum. Both of them will add significantly to this forum even if John is an ex-railroader like myself :))
 
Hi Billy,

I run a Bies and have held off drilling and tapping for the same reasons as most. I was going for a shop made version of what Rockler now sells. Never got around to that yet either. Glad I waited, the Rockler clamps are one of those inexpensive, simple, elegant solutions. Got 'em a few weeks ago.
 
I don't own one, but I think I have seen people make a ..... bridge I guess you call it, out of plywood. Shaped like an ' h ' that straddled the fence. Then you can attach to that. Maybe drill a couple of holes to attach it to the fence and then you could just clamp feather boards or what ever to it?

Sounds to me like the Unifence might be handier that the Bessy.


EDIT - just looked at the Rockler clamps and while I think should be forced to buy something to make it do such a common taks, those look pretty handy.

To those that have them, what keeps your sacrificial fence from wanting to tilt out at the bottom?
 
Last edited:
To those that have them, what keeps your sacrificial fence from wanting to tilt out at the bottom?

The clamp pad is centered on the vertical length of the "L" post that inserts into a hole drilled in the sac-fence. No problem. I agree a shop made solution is every bit as good but these are cheap and very handy for a variety of tasks; I don't have to build a separate clamping solution for stop blocks, sac-fence, high fence, etc. Just build the jig to accommodate the one set of clamps.
 
Actually looks like an elegant solution. Factory should provide it but I like it. If it would fit my narrow Unisaw Micro set fence I wouldn't mind having a set. I just use screw on mine but that looks simpler... no screwdriver.
 
I don't own one, but I think I have seen people make a ..... bridge I guess you call it, out of plywood. Shaped like an ' h ' that straddled the fence. Then you can attach to that. Maybe drill a couple of holes to attach it to the fence and then you could just clamp feather boards or what ever to it?

This is what I was going to suggest. Build essentially a 3 sided box that tightly sits on top of your Biesemeyer fence. You can attach any jigs/hold downs or sacraficial pieces to it. Norm on NYW, showed how to do this on the episode about jigs.

Another option for the sacraficial fence would be to remove the side of the Biesemeyer fence. It is held on with a key hole & screw type connection. You could make your own replacement piece, to lock in place.
 
Hey Billy,
Sorry I'm late getting to your question, but I usually feel like the village idiot around all these gurus, so I try to take the idiot questions. ;)

The Rockler clamps look sweet, though I suspect you could make something pretty simple out of scraps and a couple of clamps.

I built the plywood horse that straddles the fence. The fit is tight enough that I don't need to clamp it down. I have also screwed fixtures on. As famed a name as Biesemeyer is, that fence face is just formica and particle board.
 
Thanks for the input, all! Didn't get by Rockler this weekend afterall. :( Maybe next weekend. Rockler also has a track made specifically for Board Buddies, but it needs to be bolted down. While I don't really have a problem drilling and tapping the top of the Biese to take this track, I'd have to remove it to use any of the fence straddling jigs I plan to build. So I think I'll try a different approach for the BBs. I'll post the result when I get to it (good or bad). For now, I still need to adjust the level of the added router table and build a mobile base for the now larger saw.:D
 
Billy, here’s a pic of my BB and mounts. For rabbits, I just clamp a sacrificial piece of MDF to the fence. Those Rockler clamps are pretty cool. I might have to buy/make a pair.
 

Attachments

  • BB1.jpg
    BB1.jpg
    34.9 KB · Views: 7
  • BB2.jpg
    BB2.jpg
    55.7 KB · Views: 7
  • BB4.jpg
    BB4.jpg
    48.8 KB · Views: 9
Top