Biesemeyer fence installation help

[Dave Carteret]

My new-to-me Unisaw has a biesemeyer fence that I took off for hauling. I found a manual online and it looks like the Bies comes with some sort of gauge to set the height of the angle-iron brackets.

Can someone help me out with the dimensions of that gauge, or dimensions of how far below the table top the angle-iron pieces need to sit (front and back)?

Thanks!
Dave

[Frank Drew]

Dave,

It's been years and years since I got a Biesemeyer fence for my first table saw, but I seem to remember a very simple (masonite?), roughly L-shaped gauge or template that they sent with the fence; the long leg sat on the saw top while the short leg gives you the distance to the horizontal piece of the angle-iron. Biesemeyer owners, does that sound right?

Anyway, someone ought to be able to send you theirs, or the measurements so that you can make your own; or Biesemeyer can send you the measurements.

[Jim O'Dell]

Frank, your memory is correct. The drop from the table surface do the upper surface of the bottom leg of the angle iron (horizontal leg) is 2 7/8". I have mine abut 2 13/16" so that there isn't as much gap between the bottom of the fence and the table. I'm sure you could order one online from one of the parts houses that have Biese parts, Lee's tools comes to mind, but doubt that you need anything more than a combination square to set it with. Jim.

[John McClanahan]

If you choose to mount it without the gauge, before you drill any holed, be sure the angle iron is below the miter slot! (don't ask)

John

[Frank Drew]

Here we go:

http://www.mikestools.com/1350509-Biesemeyer-Commercial-Fence-Template_1350509.aspx

[Matt Meiser]

If you choose to mount it without the gauge, before you drill any holed, be sure the angle iron is below the miter slot! (don't ask)

John

There should be notches for the miter slots. Or am I thinking of the back rail? I'm sure the back has them...

[Rod Goodin]

I found mine last week so here you are
191684

[Dave Carteret]

Frank, your memory is correct. The drop from the table surface do the upper surface of the bottom leg of the angle iron (horizontal leg) is 2 7/8". I have mine abut 2 13/16" so that there isn't as much gap between the bottom of the fence and the table. I'm sure you could order one online from one of the parts houses that have Biese parts, Lee's tools comes to mind, but doubt that you need anything more than a combination square to set it with. Jim.


I found mine last week so here you are
191684

Jim said 2-7/8, but Rod's diagram shows a total of 3" below the top surface (2-3/8+5/8). I'm guessing they can't both be right :)

Dave

[Matt Meiser]

I just measured my template:
191705

The top surface of the horizontal leg of the angle should be 2 7/8" from the top surface of the saw.

[Norman Hitt]

Jim said 2-7/8, but Rod's diagram shows a total of 3" below the top surface (2-3/8+5/8). I'm guessing they can't both be right :)

Dave

It is "possible" that Both Rod and Jim are correct, as there "MAY" be a difference in the distances due to the fact that Rod's measurements are for the Biese "Commercial" Fence, and IIRC, Jim's is a Biese "Home Shop" model, which may have "SLIGHTLY Different" specs, due to lighter materials being used in the manufacture, (but I am not sure). IIRC, Rod's numbers match my 20 yr old Biese Commercial Fence and I'm not at home to check mine. I have had no exposure to the Biese Home Shop Fences.

Matt, is your fence a Commercial or a Home Shop model?

[Matt Meiser]

Mine is commercial.

[Ken Massingale]

The commercial manual says:

"The horizontal portion of the rail should be down from the top of the table surface 2-27/32”.

[Dave Carteret]

Thanks again guys. I should be able to get it set up from here (if I ever get it back together) :)

[Jim O'Dell]

Mine's a commercial fence too. Doesn't mean my measuring tape is accurate though. :D Jim.

[Jim McFarland]

The commercial manual says:

"The horizontal portion of the rail should be down from the top of the table surface 2-27/32”.


+1 -- for the "metrically inclined" -- mine is 72mm! I'll add photos just for grins, too.

Edit to add: Not sure back rail measurement is critical (as long as top of angle iron is below table top), but my back rail measurement is 2 27/64" from table top to top of angle iron.

[Lee Schierer]

My new-to-me Unisaw has a biesemeyer fence that I took off for hauling. I found a manual online and it looks like the Bies comes with some sort of gauge to set the height of the angle-iron brackets.

Can someone help me out with the dimensions of that gauge, or dimensions of how far below the table top the angle-iron pieces need to sit (front and back)?

Thanks!
Dave


I guess I'm confused. If your fence was installed and you took it of for moving why do you need the gauge?? Can't you use the same holes it was mounted in before you took it off?

[Dave Carteret]

I guess I'm confused. If your fence was installed and you took it of for moving why do you need the gauge?? Can't you use the same holes it was mounted in before you took it off?

I could do that Lee, but I want to make sure that everything is installed properly. Not that I don't trust the former owner to have done it right, but....well... I don't :)


Strange development. I put the rail back in the holes it was installed in. It's about 2-1/4" down from the top. But the tube and fence seem to be sitting about right. What gives? Are there multiple fence styles?

[Dave Carteret]

Well, I think I figured this thing out. I've realized that I have the non-Commercial version of the fence.
After looking at it, I ended up filing the front holes on the saw up about 1/16" in order to get the fence to sit even front to back. Got it all lined up and everything seems to be fine thus far.

I'm still confused on what the role of the rear fence rail is for. On this model, the notches for the miter fence are missing and the rail sits just below the miter slots. So it doesn't actually support the fence, EVER. It'll support a table extension though. Maybe that's the whole reason for it.