Rip Fence Length

[Roy Turbett]

I'm considering an aftermarket fence for my Delta Unifence and am debating whether I should go for a 36" or 43" long fence. Most European saws come with a short rip fence that extends just beyond the middle of the blade while most North American saws have longer fences that extend to the back of the table. I use my Unisaw for both panel cutting and ripping long stock. I have a 4' x 8' outfeed table as well as benches to the left and rear of the saw that allow me to easily break down 4' x 8' sheets of plywood.

I'm thinking the 43" fence would be nice to have for breaking down sheet goods and dados but am wondering whether there is any advantage for ripping. What do you think?

This is the fence I'm considering.

http://www.ttrackusa.com/unifence.htm

[johnny means]

I've been toying with the idea of buying one of and setting it up on my cabinet saw as a Euro style sliding fence. I much prefer ripping with the fence in front of the saw, but some cuts require the fence to run past three blade. This would allow me to do both with the same fence. I actually made this mod to one Biessy style fence, which was mounted on my Hammer for a short time. Easy mod, worked well.

[johnny means]

Here's that fence set up. It's made from an old Jet fence. I'm thinking the extrusion shown above would be a big improvement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFKnfeNGkI0&feature=youtube_gdata_playerere's that fence set up

[Roy Turbett]

Johnny - Do you always have the fence that far forward when ripping or do you just do that for ripping thin pieces?

Roy

[Ray Newman]

I purchase the longer fence and found it works well. I made the decision based if it was too long, I could always cut it down, but I could not add onto a 36" fence.

Now having said that, I sill find I use the OEM fence in the low or down position more, except when ripping. Then I remove the OEM fence, install the TTrackusa fence with attached Board Buddies.

[Roy Turbett]

Ray -

How do you position your fence for ripping? Even with the blade, slightly behind the blade, all the way to the back of the table?

Roy

Roy

[Steve Rozmiarek]

The Unifence on my worksite saw can be slid, and after using both the short and long on the Felder, I find that I like the unifence slid back usually too. However, most of it's cuts are construction lumber, so it's not straight, and the fence is back to eliminate pinching the blade when the inevitable movement of the wet framing lumber happens. It's for a different reason on the felder. On it, the fence is just for a gauge, the stock is carried parallel to the blade by the table. Because of the sliding table, the felder can rip perfectly with the short fence. The short fence on the cabinet saw on the other hand allows the stock to be steered and the result is a consistent thickness, but it's not always straight.

[Ray Newman]

Roy: out of habit and for no better reason, I place the fence so it protrudes slightly behind the handle when locked down when ripping sheet goods. The rip cuts on the TS are usually not that long, mostly about 5'. Anything longer and I will reach for the Fe$tool Track Saw. I do not work with construction grade lumber and my projects arenot really that big and I always use the old style Uni-guard disappearing splitter for any length rip.

[johnny means]

I always rip with my fence pulled toward the front of the blade. Usually, my fence just passes the front of the blade. This might change when ripping wide panels on a cabinet saw, but I tend too cut panels on my slider, whose fence almost never goes past the blade.

[Richard Wagner]

Here's that fence set up. It's made from an old Jet fence. I'm thinking the extrusion shown above would be a big improvement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFKnfeNGkI0&feature=youtube_gdata_playerere's that fence set up

This shows what to me is a differ approach for a push stick (in this case a push board). The attraction might be that the pushing hand never gets close to the blade. When using what I have been using, my right hand pushes clear past the blade while the left hand maintains pressure against the fence.

I might not be able to overcome old, old habits but I am goping to give this a try.

Thanks for the post.

[Roy Turbett]

I’ve done some more research on this issue and can see where having a short fence is helpful if the fence isn’t perfectly parallel to the blade. If the back of the fence is tilted only slightly toward the blade, the error is compounded as the fence gets longer. Modern T-square fences could be very hazardous if they aren’t properly tuned because they lock exactly where they are adjusted to lock. That said, my Unifence is dead on and I keep it the same position for all rip operations and use a splitter when ripping. Years ago and prior to getting my Unifence I developed the habit of always setting the fence by moving it from right to left. Doing it this way makes it more likely that back of the fence will end up either parallel to or a few thousandths of an inch away from the blade.

The major advantage of Unifence over a Biesmeyer is that it can be positioned forward or back. I've always kept it in the same position for both panel cutting and ripping dimensional stock but will be rethinking this in the future.

[Ray Newman]

Roy T: another advantage of the Uni-fence is that the fence can be used in either the "high" fence position or a "low" fence position.

[Roy Turbett]

Roy T: another advantage of the Uni-fence is that the fence can be used in either the "high" fence position or a "low" fence position.

Very true. I missed that one.

[jack forsberg]

Most European saws come with a short rip fence that extends just beyond the middle of the blade while most North American saws have longer fences that extend to the back of the table.

This is a large misconception the Americans have about the European fence. The pulled back short fence is a position not a style. It is to deal with reaction timber when ripping and is use in unison with a riving knife and crown and its goes with out saying the saw is properly calibrated.

the High Low sliding rip plate fence has be in use for more than 100 years in the EU and has been mandated in the UK sense the 1970s.

ripping reaction timber with a long through fence is a major cause of kick back a matter of fact which is relatively easy to demonstrate with badly stressed timber on an underpowered table saw if you want to be brave. To my knowledge the short rip fence technique has been taught in colleges in the UK as general practice since at least the 1960s and appeared on purpose-built saws from the earliest days ( 1900s). The long through fence introduced on lower cost general purpose saws as a means of handling sheet materials and NOT solid timber has not been helpful in the short fence misconception. The fact that it was a cheaper alternative to a properly triangulated rip plate fence mounted on a substantial fence bar probably encouraged it's propagation, but look at any medium to heavy weight industrial saw and you don't see the long through fence like the beloved bessy . I find it interesting that in the 1970s Wadkin finally gave the AGS a decently triangulated rip plate fence .
Incidentally I use neither and both - my Wadkin has a sliding fence plate which allows it to be used as a short rip fence also useful as a lengthening stop when crosscutting as well as a long fence (useful, for example, when ripping thin solid timber lips which can require extra support. This has been the norm on professional quality European saws for many years as opposed to DIY or amateur equipment. Most of the time the fence is used in short mode as it is possible to experience kickback even when one is ripping VC ply against a long fence, especially if the sheets are warped . For professional workshops the use of the short rip fence has been mandated on safety grounds since at least the 1974 in the UK so if there was a problem they have not found it.

[Roy Turbett]

Jack -

Thank you for the history and safety lesson. I find it interesting that the Delta Unifence manual makes no mention of adjusting the forward position of the fence for ripping different materials. A significant oversight in my opinion.

Roy