tell me about your vega fence

[mark kosse]

How much do you like it? Is the aluminum rail stiff enough? Because of where my shop is located the aluminum rail appeals to me for corrosion resistance. I have a beisemeyer home shop on a contractors saw and I love it but I take care of it. I see so many funky, chipped and rusty biesemeyers that I wonder if the Vega wouldn’t be better based on that alone.

I read that they are about as good as a biesemeyer but I’ve never seen one in person.

TIA

[scott spencer]

I've owned both and like both, with some preference for the Biese...it's a lot more rugged. If I were buying a fence as an aftermarket item, I'd probably lean toward the Vega because it's generally a lot cheaper. For even money, I'd go with the Biese. Since you've already got one and love it, I'd say keep it. I've never had an issue with rust on any of my fences, and I'm in the northeast in an unheated/uninsulated garage.

[mark kosse]

Scott, I'm not getting rid of the biesemeyer. I need a fence for a uni. Durability was my question. At 275.00 it's a lot cheaper than the bies.

[Steve Bigelow]

I picked up a Vega used, and it was a huge improvement compared to my Jet fence! Flex at the far end has been minimized, and the little built-in push stick has come in handy several times.

The only major problem I have with mine is that the surface is not flat. It varies by about 0.020". It bows away from the blade in the middle, but both ends are pretty much even. I've temporarily resolved this issue by clamping an aux fence to it, but eventually I'll get it fixed a little more permanently. I suspect this bowing happened while in use and wasn't a manufacturing error, but there is no way to know for sure.

I added the Wixey digital readout to the fence. Wow, was that a pain to install on the Vega! Many hours, many custom brackets later, it is very, very nice. I don't know how I got by without the Wixey before!

[bob hertle]

I've got a 40 inch Vega on a Uni. The Vega replaced the original Jetlock fence and I've been more than pleased with it. I bought my Vega back around 1985 or so, and it's seen a lot of use. I've worn the numbers off of two measuring tapes and working on the third. No flatness/straightness issues whatsoever. No lockup issues either, as some reported in the past. Fence moves smoothly on the chromed round rail, riding on a square tube rail at the rear via a uhmwp button. Also has a "hook" that hooks (of all things) over the rear rail, preventing the fence from rising. This allows you to use "yellow wheels" or board buddies on the fence. The shape of the fence extrusion is convenient for mounting fixtures to the top--sort of like a giant T-slot, which is how I mount my yellow wheels.152331

Love the fence, but can't compare it to a Beise, since I've never used one, but it's hard to imagine a situation where you would need more stiffness than the aluminum rail provides--it's a very generous section.

Regards
Bob

[Neal Clayton]

i'm happy with mine, after about 4 years. in that time i have replaced the shim that the cam locks on twice, it's brass so tends to wear out after about a year and a half of daily use. but that's the only thing i've done to mine other than use it.

[Cary Falk]

The Shop Fox Classic is another option if you want a Beiesmeyer clone. I think it is about the same price you are quoting for the Vega. I have one on my Uni and have no complaints

[Jeff Duncan]

It's a decent fence, not sure if I'd say it's as good as a Beis, but it will get the job done. The Beis is just a much heavier duty fence, (at least the commercial fence, not sure about the home shop?). They're used a lot in commercial shops which is why you'll see so many older chipped and beat up ones out there. In my opinion the Beis is also much easier to adjust and holds it's adjustment better. But keep in mind my fences get used and abused on a daily basis. For a home shop I wouldn't have any reservations about using the vega again.
good luck,
JeffD

[David Helm]

Had a Vega on my Jet cabinet saw for 9 years. It was a magnificent fence and did everything I ever asked of it. I never had any problems with cam locks as one person mentioned. I really liked the tubular front rail; very smooth.

[Clint Schlosser]

Installation was a little confusing, The directions I got with mine looked like they were a photocopy of a fax of a typewriter carbon copy. I got it because of price. It has serviced me well enough though. I can not give a thumbs up or down really. This is a simple piece of technology we are talking about.

[Charles Cannon]

Scott, I'm not getting rid of the biesemeyer. I need a fence for a uni. Durability was my question. At 275.00 it's a lot cheaper than the bies.
I don't think that is necessarily true. This is a link to a post of a member with a Biesemeyer for sale.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=1380620#post1380620
Cannon

[Stew Hagerty]

I just bought the U50 myself. I just unpacked it today so I can't tell you anything about how I like it. I can, however, tell you how much I like my ordering experience. I called with the full intent on ordering the Pro50. I talked with the guy that answered the phone for quite a while. He was in no rush and asked and answered a lot of questions before finally advising me that the U50 was a much better choice for me. And it saved me approx. $50. He also went over the available accessories and I also got the legs (which has brackets built in for an extension table top) and their "Finger Saver". I ordered it Wednesday and it arrived today. I can't wait to install it.

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

Before I bought a Unisaw, I put a Vega on a cheap Craftsman contractor saw and it turned it into a cadillac. Smoothest fence I've ever used. I'd trade my Unifence for one in a minute.

[Stew Hagerty]

Before I bought a Unisaw, I put a Vega on a cheap Craftsman contractor saw and it turned it into a cadillac.

I have an older Craftsman hybrid (from before they weere calling them hybrids...LOL) that I bought mine for. Anything would be better than the original fence. But I have heard what you said from several people which is why I chose the Vega. The guy at Vega said it should bolt right up; that I may have to drill one new hole at most.

[Steve Bishop]

No problems, and works great!
Here's a picture of a Craftsman contractors saw I upgraded with the Vega fence. The fence bolted right on with no modification needed.
With the fence, miter gauge, cabinet and a proper alignment it has become rock steady and very precise.

Steve

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg57/techie470/IMAGE_102.jpg

[Stew Hagerty]

That is a beautiful Saw Table Steve. I'm envious.

[Josh Cole]

I love my new fence. I didn't realize how much the stock one sucked till I switched.
i got the Utility 50 and modified it to get 48-1/2 to the right of the blade and just over ten to the left. Also used the steel wings by fabricating steel strips for the front and the back to stiffen them up like stock. Plus the front strip is were I welded the power switch. The instructions said drill the table, so I drilled the rails instead to get the most of its size, plus I rather drill a $300 fence verses a $500 saw;) but that's just me hahaha.

[Roger Feeley]

I had a Vega utility fence on a Powermatic 63. I sold that when I got a Sawstop. The SS fence is great but I do miss some features of the Vega.

-- The Vega had an integrated micro-adjust. With the SS, I am back to the world of tap-tap-tap.
-- The Vega had this rail system on top and some accessories. I had a gizmo that let me push narrow stock and a sort of featherboard thing. I don't miss the rail as much as the micro-adjust but it was nice.

I never experienced any flexing.

[John TenEyck]

Here's my Vega Pro50 installed on a combined Unisaw/C-man.

273949

Very smooth, no flex, never goes out of square, and love the micro-adjust. I measured the fence for flatness when I first installed it - it was less than 0.005" over the entire length, I think around 0.003". I've never used a Biesey, but have no reason to look for anything beyond the Vega.

John