TS fence and extension table - 52 or 36 inch??

[Patrick McCarthy]

Looking for information and experience. I have been using a PM66 with a 52" side table for the past 8 years or so. I am now getting a SawStop and instinctively ordered the 52" fence and extension table . . . . and then got to thinking . . .

I am a weekend warrior, at best, and am doing cabinets and furntiture for the house. To be candid, the side table on the PM66 has mostly been the parking place for my sled or tools or whatever else needs a horizontal surface to rest upon. I don't recall having ever needed it for a cut . . . . .but memory is no longer my strong suit.

What do most of you have for fence/extension table (36 or 52) and what do you use it for?? What will i be missing, or how will i be limited, if i change the order for a 36??

The answer may be too obvious for me to see, so feel free to embarass me; it won't be the first "duh!" moment in my life . . . .

Thank you in advance, Patrick

[Don Jarvie]

I have a 66 with an extension table (custom made) and it goes to 44 inches. It also contains my router lift. I go past 36 often so I like the extra length.

Go with the 52 unless you have space issues.

[Dick Brown]

I had a saw with a 52" fence for many years. Used it once in a while just enough to be glad I had it but would have enjoyed the space it took (walkway) a lot also. Have just refurbished a Unisaw and built a Biesemeyer clone fence for it. Made a rear rail to support the back of the fence and made both front and rear rails slideable for that rare time that I needed the wider cuts. Now the saw takes up the space of a 32" cut most of the time and slide the rails if needing the wider cut. I started a tread on here about it. Will look for it and post a link if I find it.
Dick

Here is the link. If it doesn't work, do a search for sliding rails. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?192704-32-quot-to-50-quot-Adjustable-Biesemeyer-Clone

[Cary Falk]

I started out with a contractor saw with a 30" fence. I always felt like I needed more. I restored a Unisaw and put a 52" fence on it. Used it a couple of time s but the table mostly gathered tools. It made a nice assembly table. I sold that saw and got a grizzly. I shifted the fence to get about 40" and put a Jessem Mast-R-Slide on the left. In 2 years of use, I don't miss the 52" fence. I also have a Dewalt Tracksaw. The smaller fence made room in my garage for more tools. :D

[Carl Beckett]

To be candid, the side table on the PM66 has mostly been the parking place for my sled or tools or whatever else needs a horizontal surface to rest upon. I don't recall having ever needed it for a cut . . . . .but memory is no longer my strong suit.



This echos my experience. I have used both, and currently own a Grizzly with a 26" fence. I much prefer the space over the longer extension, and if purchasing over would again go with the shorter fence.

[James Baker SD]

Pat:

We traded PMs on selling the PM-66. I had a 52" rip capacity and never used it once in 12 years. When I ordered a new saw, it was with 39" rip. Won't know for sure if that was the correct decision till it is too late, but I was confident enough to make it. I need the space (a known fact), I probably don't need the wide rip (speculation). If you are a one man hobby shop (like me) muscling something that needs a 52" rip by yourself is quite a task. I could see benefits to that large rip capacity in a cabinet shop where 2 guys could control the workpiece.

[Stan Krupowies]

I had a 52" Biesemeyer Fence on a Delta cabinet saw in a previous shop that had the room for it and it was nice to have for the occasional need. I have since moved into a smaller shop and needed the space more than the rip capacity so I cut it down to 36" and haven't missed it yet. If I was to order another saw it would be 36".

[Patrick McCarthy]

Gentlemen, thank you for all the insights. Patrick

[keith micinski]

I hope it's not to late. If you have space issues then you have a decision to make although my saying is if a 52 doesn't fit in your work space the problem lies in your work space and not the length of the fence. If you don't have space issues then for the love of god please get the 52. I don't care if you use it one time over the next decade,that one time you need to go over 40 inches and make a nice repeatable cut that you couldn't do with a 36 is priceless. I also am baffled on what guys are making that they never need to cut something longer then 36 inches I am not saying I use my 52 capacity every project but at least 25 -50 percent of them get something cut over 36. I also am surprised by people that said they went from 52 down to 36 and were happy. When I ordered my new grizzly and it came with a 36 fence that I needed to use to build my 52 inch side cabinet for my unifence I almost went out of my mind.

[Steve Peterson]

I also am surprised by people that said they went from 52 down to 36 and were happy. When I ordered my new grizzly and it came with a 36 fence that I needed to use to build my 52 inch side cabinet for my unifence I almost went out of my mind.

I have a PM66 with 52" rails and have never cut anything wider than maybe 24" or so. I may rip an 8' board, but if I use a miter saw to cut it to length.

I am still happy to have the 52" fence, however the far right side of the saw is used as an outfeed table for my planer in one direction and a belt sander in the other direction. The space is effectively utilized and I can always move the belt sander if I ever need the extra width.

Steve

[mreza Salav]

went from a 36" fence on a contractor saw to a 52" fence on an Industrial sawstop and I'm glad. I have used the 48" cut more than a few times and I'm glad that I've had it. Also, when I'm doing a series of rips, etc I use the space to the right of the fence for sorting my piles (to be cut and after cut). I've also made a (black) drawer set that goes under the table to store all the blades and accessories, so that space is also used. If you are not tight in space get the bigger fence.

[John TenEyck]

When I restored a Unisaw, I took off the right extension, took the left side extension off my old C-man, and bolted the two together. Then I put a 52" Vega Pro fence across both. I put a router table on the right side of the C-man. The fence gives me a rip fence for both saws and a fence for my router table as well. Works very well. I don't often need to rip anything anywhere near 52", but when I do it sure is nice to have.

John

[Dale Coons]

Tight fit here-my shop is a garage, but I have storage under the table (52) and I smile every time I have to crosscut a full sheet of plywood--fairly rare, or to cut longer parts--more often. I wouldn't trade it out for a shorter table.

[Patrick McCarthy]

Since I have enough space, kinda, I think I will stay with the 52 as ordered. I do use the side table for stacking the cut pieces or those awaiting cutting . . .

Again, THANK YOU all for taking the time to give me your thoughts; very much appreciated. Patrick

[johnny means]

IMO, if you're using 52" of rip capacity your doing something wrong. I say this because it says to me that the factory edge on sheet goods is being used as a reference edge. This is barely better than using the rough sawn edge of rough lumber when ripping solid lumber.