Mounting power feed on TS fence

[Jesse Busenitz]

Ok, tell me this is stupid and won't work..... What if I try and mount at 1/4 HP power feed on my beisemeyer fence somehow with a t-track in the out feed table to hold the back of the fence down??? Is there gonna be too much flex??? I'm just trying to make my power feed more usable vs. moving it all the time, between wide and narrow rips

[John C Bush]

A few years ago I asked a similar question--I wanted to attach a power feed to a base and just clamp it to the TS table. Got a quick response from some pros here on SMC and they said now way. I reluctantly drilled and tapped holes in the CI top and snugged the power feeder securely. Hated the idea of putting holes in my new SS but after using the feeder for several hundred linear ft of repetetive and accurate bevel cuts I could see it was the safest way to go. It's easy to reattach when needed.

[Jesse Busenitz]

well.... Maybe I just got lucky but, I just ran close to 6000 LF of oak through my TS and router table with just a base and clamps and no hiccups. That being said it was a hefty 3x4 base and some big welding clamps but I'm just thinking that maybe one could build or modify a fence to make it wider and give it a little more rigidity. Or I could be like the guy who mounted his feeder to the ceiling.....

[mreza Salav]

A few years ago I asked a similar question--I wanted to attach a power feed to a base and just clamp it to the TS table. Got a quick response from some pros here on SMC and they said now way. I reluctantly drilled and tapped holes in the CI top and snugged the power feeder securely. Hated the idea of putting holes in my new SS but after using the feeder for several hundred linear ft of repetetive and accurate bevel cuts I could see it was the safest way to go. It's easy to reattach when needed.

Who says you can't mount it on a plate and clamp it? I have done it on my router table and bandsaw. it's actually a 0.6HP model and quite heavy. It works absolute fine with no flex. Here are some pics of it in action:

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As for mounting it on the table saw fence: I highly doubt it would work. The fence is not clamped down strong enough and the weight of the overhang of the powerfeed will most likely lift it up from its place.

[Rod Sheridan]

I have a feeder on my saw, it's on a tilt away bracket so when I don't need it it sits behind the saw below the table.

When I need it it swings up and locks in place...........Rod.

[Jesse Busenitz]

Rod, I've heard several people talking about something like this, but I'm not sure how it exactly works? Do you have an out feed table? Do you have pics?

[Mark Burnette]

Delta tried this many years ago wIth their Unifeeder. The feeder wasn't a big commercial success. I have tried it mounted on the fence and it does work. But the Unifeeder didn't have a long arm--i think the torque would be too much for any fence to handle. Another brand feeder mounted to the fence via a short post would likely work as well as the old Unifeeder did.

[David Nelson1]

Had to build a form to clamp the unifeeder to and add a F clamp in the back and front due to lift, Yeah it works. I was glad to to have to push feed all that flooring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDFEz6Hc_Mc

[Rod Sheridan]

Rod, I've heard several people talking about something like this, but I'm not sure how it exactly works? Do you have an out feed table? Do you have pics?

I'm away on business.

Here's a video, feeder at 5.00 minutes through 6 minutes.

Yes I have a removable table extension.........Rod.

[Rod Sheridan]

Who says you can't mount it on a plate and clamp it? I have done it on my router table and bandsaw. it's actually a 0.6HP model and quite heavy. It works absolute fine with no flex. Here are some pics of it in action:

308286308287308288308289


As for mounting it on the table saw fence: I highly doubt it would work. The fence is not clamped down strong enough and the weight of the overhang of the powerfeed will most likely lift it up from its place.

Mo, you should use C clamps instead of wood working clamps, much less likely to slip............Regards, Rod.

[Jesse Busenitz]

I think the key would be to keep you arm short and have a clamping system of some sort on the rear of the fence to keep down pressure. Making the fence/feeder one unit also make it so it pushing against itself vs. two separate units. Also possibly making the fence slightly wider for a bigger/more stabile footprint I think would help. It all seems like a big hassle but in my opinion the more you can keep your paws away from those hungry blades the better:-) , and you also get a smoother cut, and less hand labour soooo.....

[David Nelson1]

If you had an old Unifence with the round rails it catches the fence and keeps it from lifting.

[Jesse Busenitz]

Yeah, I just bought a PM66 with the original front/back pipe rail..... just don't seem as user friendly for measuring....