DIY rail for my Biesemeyer fence-what material?

[Jim O'Dell]

I've finally decided to go ahead and make a new fence mounting rail so I can use my Biese fence on the Grizzly G0691. I can get steel or aluminum tubing in the correct size. Steel in 3/16" wall, and Aluminum in 1/4" wall. Would the Aluminum be strong enough and hold up as well? Or will it flex when the fence is clamped down? Steel would be about $10.00 cheaper. Thanks for any insights you may have! Jim.

[Dan Hahr]

Steel. I can't see aluminum standing up to the constant sliding friction or cam force. Dan

[Frederick Skelly]

I've finally decided to go ahead and make a new fence mounting rail so I can use my Biese fence on the Grizzly G0691. I can get steel or aluminum tubing in the correct size. Steel in 3/16" wall, and Aluminum in 1/4" wall. Would the Aluminum be strong enough and hold up as well? Or will it flex when the fence is clamped down? Steel would be about $10.00 cheaper. Thanks for any insights you may have! Jim.

Jim, 3/16" steel is far heavier than the rails on my Biese. And its going to be quite heavy. Do you have an option to use something half that thickness?

[Cary Falk]

The new Unisaw has a Al rail for the Beisemeyer fence. I never liked the though of it. I would go steel. IO agree you can probably go a little thinner.

[John McClanahan]

Half that thickness will be plenty strong. The rail on my Jet fence is about 1/16".


John

[Jim O'Dell]

Thanks guys! Hadn't pulled the end cap off my Biese rail to check the thickness....was thinking more about tapping the hole for threads to mount it to the angle iron mount. Would be a pain, but I bet I could work some nuts into the tube. I'll check the company's website for thinner material. I know I can always rely on answers here! Jim.

[Lee Schierer]

Amazon sells just the rails for a Biesemeyer fence...I doubt any off the shelf steel tubing will have as smooth a finish as the Biesemeyer tube and you would still need to ad your own scale.

[Jim O'Dell]

Lee, I can get 8' of the tubing, if it is straight enough, for 52 bucks. The rail and angle iron, don't need the angle iron, at Amazon for the 52" system, so about 72" or so tube length, is about 240 bucks. I can't justify that price when I paid about 80 for the 36" system from Lowes on their close out 5 years ago or so. A few cans of paint after sanding smooth the surfaces the fence rides on and a new tape will only set me back another 25. That I can justify. And I'll have my Grizzly system I can sell. I'll have one better quality fence I can move between my two saws. I wish I could justify the Biese rail, but I'll have to settle for putting in some sweat to make this work. Thanks! Jim.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Google "Home made Biesemeyer Fences" and you will get your answer. The stock fence uses 2 X 3 - 14 ga rect. tube. Before my neighbor, who has a Bridgeport with DRO moved here, I just bored angle with correct drill bit for 1/4-20 bolts. Then clamped tube, with spacer, and drilled tube with same bit. Took them apart, and tapped tube. Then enlarged holes in angle to 1/4"

[David Hendricks]

Google "Home made Biesemeyer Fences" and you will get your answer. The stock fence uses 2 X 3 - 14 ga rect. tube. Before my neighbor, who has a Bridgeport with DRO moved here, I just bored angle with correct drill bit for 1/4-20 bolts. Then clamped tube, with spacer, and drilled tube with same bit. Took them apart, and tapped tube. Then enlarged holes in angle to 1/4"


I don't know if biesemeyer changed the tube over the years, but the tube on mine is actually 1 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches. I found this out after ordering a 2x3 recatangular tube and discovered the difference. I just needed a shorter rail due to space limits, as the one that came with my fence was 70 inches long. The tube I got from a local fabrication business is 48 inches, so I figure 12 to the right and 36 to the left should be good.

[Todd Davidson]

I don't know if biesemeyer changed the tube over the years, but the tube on mine is actually 1 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches. I found this out after ordering a 2x3 recatangular tube and discovered the difference. I just needed a shorter rail due to space limits, as the one that came with my fence was 70 inches long. The tube I got from a local fabrication business is 48 inches, so I figure 12 to the right and 36 to the left should be good.

The Biesemeyer "Commercial" Fence System uses a 2" X 3" Front "Tube" Rail (the fence itself is 42" long - iirc)

The Biesemeyer "Home-Shop" Fence System uses a 1-1/2" X 2-1/2" Front "Tube" Rail (the fence itself is 36" long - iirc)

The HTC/Powermatic-Accu/Jet X-acta Fence is manufactured in both "varieties" as well. Vega does something similar also.

[David Hendricks]

The Biesemeyer "Commercial" Fence System uses a 2" X 3" Front "Tube" Rail (the fence itself is 42" long - iirc)

The Biesemeyer "Home-Shop" Fence System uses a 1-1/2" X 2-1/2" Front "Tube" Rail (the fence itself is 36" long - iirc)

The HTC/Powermatic-Accu/Jet X-acta Fence is manufactured in both "varieties" as well. Vega does something similar also.

Honestly didn't know there was a commercial and home fence system. Thanks for the info.