Replacing the beisemeyer fence glides

[Glen Butler]

I go through a lot of sheet goods. A couple weeks ago I clamped my level to the fence so I could feel if I was tight to the fence more easily. The level is machined and quite straight, probably within .001. Anyway I am finding the level is becoming a permanent fixture and I would like to replace it. But I was hoping ya'll might have some good ideas.

My requirements are:

1. It needs to be between 3/4" and 1" thick so I can use the TS fence tape measure
2. It needs to be at least 6 feet long.
3. These are a given but it needs to be straight and rigid.
4. Light is a bonus, but not a necessity.

I am thinking steel would be quite heavy and most of the cold rolled tubing I have seen is not straight enough. So aluminum bar or maybe a tubing. But is it straight enough? Is there any sort of raw material that comes straight enough?

[Jamie Buxton]

You might consider building it from wood. Replace both fence faces with 3/4" material. Each face would not be rigid enough in the area beyond the fence's steel. But tie them together, and they get a lot more rigid. Just for thinking, consider putting a horizontal plate between them of 3/4" plywood. Now you have an I beam that is five inches wide or so. It will not bend. You might have to do some thinking about how to make that assembly to get it as straight as you want. But it will not deflect when you lean on it.

The other nice thing about this approach is that you get to use all the knowledge and tools you have for woodworking instead of wandering off into metal working, where maybe you don't have as much experience.

[Ken Shoemaker]

I'm thinking some type of torsion box arraingment that slips over the Bess......... Torsions are strong and be built light, with a good design..

[Lee Schierer]

I have a Biesmeyer fence and I made a cover so that my magnetic feather boards would work for ripping.
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~us71na/lsfence1.jpg
A couple of toggle clamps hold it in place on the back side. You could make one any length you need.
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~us71na/lsfence3.jpg
Mine is made of soft maple and has remained stable for many years now.

P.S. The magnetic feather boards with rollers mounted on the fence will pull the work toward the fence as you cut.

[Jason White]

Not sure I fully understand the question, but if your goal is to keep plywood sheets tight to your fence, look into "board buddies." They are spring-loaded wheels that keep the stock tight to both the fence and the table at the same time. They don't work very well for narrow pieces, though (hard to get a push stick through).

Jason


I go through a lot of sheet goods. A couple weeks ago I clamped my level to the fence so I could feel if I was tight to the fence more easily. The level is machined and quite straight, probably within .001. Anyway I am finding the level is becoming a permanent fixture and I would like to replace it. But I was hoping ya'll might have some good ideas.

My requirements are:

1. It needs to be between 3/4" and 1" thick so I can use the TS fence tape measure
2. It needs to be at least 6 feet long.
3. These are a given but it needs to be straight and rigid.
4. Light is a bonus, but not a necessity.

I am thinking steel would be quite heavy and most of the cold rolled tubing I have seen is not straight enough. So aluminum bar or maybe a tubing. But is it straight enough? Is there any sort of raw material that comes straight enough?

[Glen Butler]

These don't look like they would have the ability to pull a sheet toward the fence. I am looking simply looking to replace the HDPE glide which wave in and out between each bolt with a long straight edge. Is anyone familiar with metal enough to know if extruded aluminum would be straight enough?

[Jamie Buxton]

... Is anyone familiar with metal enough to know if extruded aluminum would be straight enough?...

It depends on what you mean by "enough". If that means the .001" you mentioned in your first post -- no. Extrusions are not that straight.

[Chip Lindley]

Glen, your wording of the nomenclature of the Biesemeyer fence is confusing. Fence *glides* are the slick plastic pads on underside, which slide the fence across the saw table. Biese/Delta refers to the *slick plastic* or former laminate-covered MDF boards as *faces*. These fence faces can be shimmed into a straight line. Especially the newer type with T-slots on the back to attach it to the metal tubing. It takes a good straight edge and perserverence.

First-rate aluminum extrusions ARE *pretty* straight. Any small discrepancy could be shimmed to make it perfect. Check these out on eBay.


You will find a plethora of aluminum extrusions of all difference sizes with T-slots. A little pricy, but not much, for a quality woodworking fence.

[Richard Dragin]

I've used a lot of fences and never noticed one being to wavy to run sheet goods. Have others had this experience because I'm thinking it must be a defective piece if it isn't straight.