Attention Sawstop owners: What fence are you using?

[Tim Null]

What fence are you using? I have a contractor Sawstop and the factory fence is not great. What aftermarket fence are you using?

[Jason White]

I have a friend with the Biesemeyer clone on his SawStop contractor saw. It is sweet! It's actually better than my real made-in-USA Biesemeyer.

Jason



What fence are you using? I have a contractor Sawstop and the factory fence is not great. What aftermarket fence are you using?

[Walt Caza]

Hi Tim,
A quick peek at http://www.sawstop.com/ shows that they now offer
a pair of rip fence options.
There is the T-glide pro and also the T-glide industrial.

I have used a SS T-glide 52" industrial for a few years, and find it to be excellent in every way.
I have spent time with Biesmeyer fences and also used a Delta Unifence for decades.
I find my current SS fence to be more robust and unquestionably superior.

You do not mention what you find deficient about your fence?
I cannot help but wonder if it is just a matter of adjustment?
The SS manuals are top-notch.
Perhaps you would do well to go through the tuning steps in the manual?

I have not heard any complaints about any of the SS fences.
good luck with it,
be well,
Walt

[Tim Null]

Hi Walt,

I got the saw with the basic fence as I had an Incra LS system that I was going to put on. I soon realized that the metal fence is not good with Sawstop. The system I have is the combo unit for TS and router. So I am going to reconfigure for router use only.

So I put the factory unit on. The rails are fine, it is the fence itself. Not a bad unit, but my Ridgid fence was far superior. It set on the rails much easier, no forcing required like the Sawstop. You have to push quite hard to get it to "pop" on. Then it does not slide very smoothly.

Now for the Beisemeyer clone: Does it require a additional table surface between the rails past the right hand wing?

[David Giles]

An Incra fence has been on mine for 3 years plus.

[Homer Faucett]

+1. If you're touching the fence to the blade while it's spinning, you're doing something wrong. If you're not touching the fence to the blade while it's spinning, you have no issues. I have never had an issue with using the Incra on my SS.


An Incra fence has been on mine for 3 years plus.

[Walt Caza]

Hi Again Tim,
To clarify: I believe the Bies clone that Jason referred to...
is the SawStop t-glide fence. (like you own)

Trying to be helpful, it sounds as though you do not have a good grasp
of fences in general.
If the fence came out of the factory to proper specs, then any other
problem, and every other aspect can and needs to be adjusted.
Long distance diagnosing says it either needs to go back to manufacturer because something is wrong,
or needs to be dialed in for proper performance.

I'm guessing the latter.
How it mounts to the rail is adjustable.
The slide action is adjustable.

If you don't mind my saying so, this is like complaining about the toast you bought.
Sounds like operator error.
You buy bread, and you toast it to suit yourself.

Read your manual, learn your adjustments, and enjoy your premium quality ripfence.

There are really only 3 big players in this game in North America.
Biesmeyer and it's many clones, which include the SS models.
Delta's Unifence. Both of these index off of a single rail.
And the Incra postioning system.(I have no time on one, but it is well liked by many)

Forgive my cutting to the chase, but anything else is widely considered less.
You asked about other fences. That's the line-up of top shelf talent.

You do not need another fence. Just a little homework and a little adjusting and you will be all set.

My opinion is that your previous Rigid fence was not superior, but better tuned.
Comparing the physical fences reveals no contest.
Only the action is in question. You preferred your old tuning of your Rigid,
to your new untuned SS Bies knock-off.

The SawStop manual will help you take care of that...
I'm confident you will find your fence excellent once properly set-up.
good luck and happy tweaking,
Walt

[Tim Null]

Hi Walt,

First, thanks for the reply.

The SS fence I have is not a commercial Beis clone, it clamps on a rear as well as a front rail. I think you are talking about the upgraded SS fence, it might come stock on the professional or commercial saw but not the contractor.

My fence is a lot of plastic in the area of the front rail clamp and glide mechanism. It is this that seems to be the problem. It fits a bit too tight. The manual simply addresses how to square it to the blade, nothing more.

The gliding mechanism is binding a bit. It is plastic, so it is kinda wearing in. My thoughts were that for a 2,000.00 saw, the fence should be a bit better. I am sure that the other Beis clones are, which is why I was asking if there were thoughts about them.

The Ridgid 3650 fence is very nice. I have seen many reviews that say that the fence is much nicer in quality than expected for a 500.00 saw. More metal in the front clamp area and the gliding mechanism is very smooth. The fence simply drops onto the rails and slides effortlessly.

Since my last post the Bosheild T9 I put on has dried and I put a coat of wax on the table. After buffing, the fence does slide a bit smoother. The front fence plastic pieces that contact the rail still bind a bit and you have to pop the fence in place. There is no adjustment for that in the manual, I checked twice......LOL

I appreciate your insights. I am not quite as green as my post may have indicated. My fault, I should have typed more!

My intention was to get a consensus of what people preferred as an aftermarket fence. Search results were not helpful.

The Incra is a great fence. But part of the problem is space and the mobile base of SS. I am in a narrow shop. I need to be able to move the saw around to make different cuts. My Ridgid base had 4 pivoting wheels. The SS has 2. The Incra LS is so long when the positioner is extended, like making a 24" crosscut, etc, that I would have to move the saw to the left wall of my shop. The SS base does not allow that easily. So I will reconfigure the system to be router only and sell the 32" TS positioner and fence. It is only about 3-4 months old, so if anyone knows someone who might be interested, PM me.

Sorry to be so long winded. I just wanted to clear up some misunderstanding. I don't post much, but I am on this site everyday trying to learn more.

I actually am quite a good cook, so the toast reference made me laugh, thanks! I had some friends in college who could not make toast.....

The Beis clones (commercial, not home) must have more adjustments. This fence does not. I was a bicycle mechanic in college so I am pretty good at problem solving mechanical issues. I still need work on hand cut dovetails though!

Once again, thanks for taking the time to reply to my post Walt, I really do appreciate it. It is much easier to simply read the request and move on.

I will use this fence for a little while. I am going to look into the SS upgraded fence. If you have any thoughts on some of the Beis clones, I would love to hear them.

One issue that pops up with the Commercial Beis clones is the need for a table extension on the right side, since the fence only runs on a front rail.

Do any of them run on two rails? Since I move the saw around a lot, extra weight is not wanted. I already replaced the existing aluminum wings with cast iron, so any more weight is not really what I am looking for.

[NICK BARBOZA]

I've had the stock SawStop fence (bies clone) on my Industrial Cabinet Saw for nearly 2 years and love it. I have not and will not consider changing it. as Walt has stated, once dialed in, it is a great system.

good luck,
NWB

[Jason White]

Unless Tim actually has the "cheaper" aluminum fence that SS also sells, though I thought those only came standard on the contractor saws. The SS Biese-clone is considered an upgrade.

If that's the case, I agree that the RIDGID TS3650/3660 fence is far superior (I had one) to the aluminum SS fence (which I've also spent time with).

Jason


Hi Again Tim,
To clarify: I believe the Bies clone that Jason referred to...
is the SawStop t-glide fence. (like you own)

Trying to be helpful, it sounds as though you do not have a good grasp
of fences in general.
If the fence came out of the factory to proper specs, then any other
problem, and every other aspect can and needs to be adjusted.
Long distance diagnosing says it either needs to go back to manufacturer because something is wrong,
or needs to be dialed in for proper performance.

I'm guessing the latter.
How it mounts to the rail is adjustable.
The slide action is adjustable.

If you don't mind my saying so, this is like complaining about the toast you bought.
Sounds like operator error.
You buy bread, and you toast it to suit yourself.

Read your manual, learn your adjustments, and enjoy your premium quality ripfence.

There are really only 3 big players in this game in North America.
Biesmeyer and it's many clones, which include the SS models.
Delta's Unifence. Both of these index off of a single rail.
And the Incra postioning system.(I have no time on one, but it is well liked by many)

Forgive my cutting to the chase, but anything else is widely considered less.
You asked about other fences. That's the line-up of top shelf talent.

You do not need another fence. Just a little homework and a little adjusting and you will be all set.

My opinion is that your previous Rigid fence was not superior, but better tuned.
Comparing the physical fences reveals no contest.
Only the action is in question. You preferred your old tuning of your Rigid,
to your new untuned SS Bies knock-off.

The SawStop manual will help you take care of that...
I'm confident you will find your fence excellent once properly set-up.
good luck and happy tweaking,
Walt

[Tim Null]

Yes, Yes, Yes!

I have the stock fence on the contractor saw. I did not upgrade it because I was going to put the Incra TS on it. I would have bought the saw without a fence if it would have saved a few dollars.

I looked on the site again, thanks Walt. I checked on the Industrial and Professional models and they offer a fence that is far superior to mine.

So I am looking at one of these, or possibly another clone.

Do you have to attach a table extension in order to use the 36" model? I don't have room for a 52" extension with legs. I also need to move the saw almost with every cut, so extra weight is not desirable.

[Walt Caza]

Hi Tim,
The problems with typing out this conversation via the net are numerous.
For starters, if we were leaning against your saw just chewin' the fat like men,
this would all flow better.
Oftentimes kind words seem terse when reading on the computer.
And ya, we shortcut ideas rather than struggle to type longwinded
explanations which grow cumbersome for everyone.(like this posting)

I'd really like to help.
I am surprised to learn that SS offers a lower fence model which clamps
on both ends. ick
I scoured the SS website, but did not notice any lesser model.
My cousin just set up his SS contractor, but obviously upgraded to
the SS T-glide fence.
I told him fence was crucial, and to get the best he could, seems he did!

I have played with rip fences for 30 full years.
I try to forget fist tapping my original saw fence, double ender,
trying to find parallel and a dimension.
Those old school fences were a nightmare which tested your desire and
commitment to get good woodworking done.
I bought a 2hp contractor saw at age 16 with one of these difficult fences and used it for many years. eek

I have done high quality work with 2 clamps and a strip of MDF for a ripfence, but not by choice!

Lots of plastic is certainly not a good indication.
Sorry, the adjustments to which I referred are for the Bies knock-offs.
Everything on those can be dialed in to suit, and the SS manual is helpful about it.

I used a Rigid saw at a friends house for a single project.
Yes, it is better than those old school nightmare fences...
but, I could not wait to get back home to my own sweet fence.
Many cheaper saws now use the single rail system, not the case even 10 yrs ago.

Never said you were green, just seemed less experienced with this topic.
(or typed less, no one blames anyone for that)
I'm sure you are well experienced with tons of stuff.

I hear your shop situation, but do not recall a pair of pivot wheels on your
SS contractor saw. I have played with the big SS mobile base, it's impressive.
I'm guessing that is not the set-up you have, nor refer to...
OK, I see it now: 2 fixed wheels, and 2 pivot wheels.
Seems they also have a wheelbarrow:
http://www.sawstop.com/contractor/contractor_cart.php
(which will move the 36" side table)

We know fence is crucial to good sawing.
Ideally you could find a way to upgrade to one of the better SS fences.
Your saw is pretty fresh, perhaps your dealer may help this happen...
so that you end up a satified customer?
Sawstop has been great with me on the telephone.

Tim, none of the Bies clones run on two rails.
My experience suggests that the single rail fences are great.
If you find a way to upgrade to the SS Bies clone, yes you would need
to add a 36" rail plus side table.

Good choice on upgrading your saw wings.
The tough love thing to say, is that you would've done better to
also upgrade to the T-glide fence.
I know... your fighting space limitations, which means you gotta
move it for various set-ups, which means you fight weight limitations.
blah

Easy solution:
win lotto, knock out wall in shop, no more need to move saw,
plus upgrade fence, throw sawdust, be happy

eww!!
I just spotted the cheaper aluminum fence they offer.
I'm not looking to rain on anyone's parade,
and I know there is only so much time, and so much money...
but I do not feel that is a serious ripfence.
(sooner or later, it's gotta go Tim)sorry

I think a company with a great but spendy saw, wanted
to appeal to a broader market, by offering a cheaper option
on a crucial piece of equipment, to keep the entry price down.

False economy for someone trying to run a well-equipped saw.
If you end up buying two, that's not really cheaper.
Let us know how you make out,
Walt

ps I cook more dinners than my wife, if I have time...
I love cooking too!

[Tim Null]

Could you just run a flat rear rail that is level with the table? Wouldn't that support the fence without having to have a side table extension?

Just thinking outside the box.

[Kerry Adams]

Good Evening,

I have the sawstop contractor fence and got the upgraded Bies clone. I have cast iron on the right and left. You will get a particle board extension topped with melamie when you upgrade the fence. The upgrade is a great fence and you will love it!!!!!!


I had planed to put on a delta biesemeyer that I got at Lowes for 50.00. It was not fitting well, so I sold it for a profit and got the sawstop upgrade. The aluminum one never came out of the box and I gave it to a guy in New York last week.

PM me if you have any questions.

Thanks,
Kerry

[Brian Muecke]

although I do not own a sawstop contractor saw, i am familiar with the aluminum fence that they come with which is similar to the stock aluminum fence that came on my contractor saw. clamp front and back, a lot of plastic, never quite stays in line...

I upgraded my aluminum fence to a 30" delta for around $150. it was money very well spent. the fence has done everything i have ever asked of it and has never given me problems...something i cannot say for my old aluminum fence.

http://www.deltaportercable.com/Products/AccessoriesDetail.aspx?ProductID=14801

[Dan Lee]

I'd guess they offer that aluminum fence primarily for the mobility configuration?

[Jason White]

The SawStop Bies-clone fence comes with an extension table.




Yes, Yes, Yes!

I have the stock fence on the contractor saw. I did not upgrade it because I was going to put the Incra TS on it. I would have bought the saw without a fence if it would have saved a few dollars.

I looked on the site again, thanks Walt. I checked on the Industrial and Professional models and they offer a fence that is far superior to mine.

So I am looking at one of these, or possibly another clone.

Do you have to attach a table extension in order to use the 36" model? I don't have room for a 52" extension with legs. I also need to move the saw almost with every cut, so extra weight is not desirable.

[Jason White]

They offer it for the same reason they also offer stamped, steel wings (instead of cast-iron) -- a lower price point.




I'd guess they offer that aluminum fence primarily for the mobility configuration?

[Dan Lee]

They offer it for the same reason they also offer stamped, steel wings (instead of cast-iron) -- a lower price point.
Well if I wanted the mobility option I'd probably not want cast wings and a Bies style fence because of weight. But I would want the lower price also.

[Mike Heidrick]

The SawStop Bies-clone fence comes with an extension table.

I have the industrial saw. I have the 52" Bies-clone T-glide fence (guess called industrial fence now as well??). The extension table was a seperate $99 purchase.

[Don Bullock]

An Incra fence has been on mine for 3 years plus.

What he said. I'm not finding any problems using a metal fence on the SawStop.

[Jason White]

Sorry, was talking about the 36" kit. Not the long one.

Jason




I have the industrial saw. I have the 52" Bies-clone T-glide fence (guess called industrial fence now as well??). The extension table was a seperate $99 purchase.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I still use the stock fence on my ICS. I think it's pretty good. Solid and very adjustable.

[Tim Null]

Is that the industrial saw? If so, then that is a good fence. I am getting that one today. Stock on the contractor, in a word, SUCKS! LOL

For two grand, they should give you a better fence.

[Michael Schapansky]

I use the Incra system too. I was dicing up some cabinet parts last night and after I cut the sides I measured again with my tape. Huh! It's off by a 16th. Checked the distance between the blade and fence and it's spot on. What was wrong? My tape had been dropped and it bent the tab on the end. So my fence was precise and my measuring tool wasn't. You can always add a sacrificial fence to the aluminum face of the Incra. I haven't gotten around to it yet as I like how easily wood slides on that aluminum.

[Jason White]

You might seriously consider cast-iron wings as an upgrade, too, if you don't already have them.

Jason


Is that the industrial saw? If so, then that is a good fence. I am getting that one today. Stock on the contractor, in a word, SUCKS! LOL

For two grand, they should give you a better fence.

[Tim Null]

Did that. Got both cast iron wings (aluminum, are they serious?) and the mobile base.

Thought I wouldn't need the fence, but the Incra just did not work out. Great fence, but I just don't have the space for it. When you move the fence to cut close to max capacity, such as 30", then the positioner sticks out more than 24" to the right of the end of the rails.

[Alan Schwabacher]

If you want a more compact fence, the Vega is good. I had one on my previous saw, and that fence is now on a unisaw. Sawstop recommends that you use a Bies style fence, or at least the steel rails to support their cast iron wings. That allows you to tweak them to be very flat, but nobody else requires their wings be supported that way. The Vega fence has a different sort of rail system that would not by itself support the wings as much.