Biesemeyer Fence Mods and Recommended Featherboards?

[Patrick Irish]

Everytime I turn on my new used 3hp Unisaw a smile comes to my face. That hum is amazing!

Now that it's up and running, I'm looking into featherboards and possible mods to the biesemeyer fence.

Are magswitch featherboards worth it? I have two Grr Rippers. I have some feather boards that use the mite slot or a t-track.

What about modding the biesemeyer fence to accommodate t-tracks? I can't decide if building a box around it and adding top and side t-tracks or just a top t-track. Similar to some of the photos below. On my Bosch jobsite saw, I made a taller board with a t-track. Its bolted to the fence that had slots in it already.

I may pop for the Jessem guides down the road. Board Buddies can be had on ebay for $50.

This design is nice but I have to drill into the fence.

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This isnt bad either, making the fence taller with t-track

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[Len Rosenberg]

Patrick, I have an older Powermatic 66 with a Biesmeyer fence. I added the Jess Em hold down roller guides and it is the best safety feature I have added to the saw. They work incredibly well and I wouldn't go back to cutting on the table saw without them. (I also installed their similar product on my router table fence). I use the Magswitch featherboards as well, and they are also outstanding and well worth the money. Between the Jess Em guides and the Magswitch boards, I can cut and rout more safely than ever, and also do some cutting and routing, safely, that I would not have even attempted before. The only issue I've run into is that the Jess Em guides, when used with narrow stock, interfere with my over-arm dust collection hood on the TS. As I have dust collection under the table as well, it's not that big a deal, I just move the hood out of the way.
Len

[glenn bradley]

I added a multitracked piece of extrusion to mine. I found I never use the slots and went back to the standard flat face. Just thought I'd offer that for comparison.

[Lewis Justis]

I went with the Grip-Tite system years ago and haven't regretted it. There is a precision-ground steel plate that I screwed to my Biesemeyer fence and magnetic featherboards. I also have this system on my router table fence as well.

[Lee Schierer]

Here is what I use for feather boards and a fence modification on my TS. The feather boards are by Grip-tite as is the steel plate on the fence.
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[Ben Rivel]

Magswitch featherboards are very nice. I have several of their models and love them. The Jessem Clearcut guides are also really cool. I have them on my SawStop PCS 3HP (drilled into fence) and use them any/every time the cut allows. Highly recommend those.

[Frederick Skelly]

I added a multitracked piece of extrusion to mine. I found I never use the slots and went back to the standard flat face. Just thought I'd offer that for comparison.

Same thing here!

[Patrick Irish]

My board buddies came today. I got them for cheap on Ebay.

Instead of drilling into the fence, what about recessing 2 or 3 neodymium magnets in a piece of 1/2" mdf the length of the fence to sit on top. Then I can add a t-track to the mdf on top of the fence. 1 1/2" by 1/8" thick magnets are pretty strong. I'm just trying to avoid drilling into the fence, not sure why just don't want to drill into it .

[Ben Rivel]

My board buddies came today. I got them for cheap on Ebay.

Instead of drilling into the fence, what about recessing 2 or 3 neodymium magnets in a piece of 1/2" mdf the length of the fence to sit on top. Then I can add a t-track to the mdf on top of the fence. 1 1/2" by 1/8" thick magnets are pretty strong. I'm just trying to avoid drilling into the fence, not sure why just don't want to drill into it .If youre going to use magnets, I think Id use MagSwitches. But I would definitely suggest actually bolting them to the fence. I think part of their hold down strength comes from being bolted to the fence.

[joel cervera]

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I Also use the Griptite system ( purchased after a kick back on a wide panel scared the crap out of me) . I love this system. I find it more versatile than other similar systems. Not only do they hold down the workpiece and help keep it tight to the fence. each individual magnetic grip tite also can be configured in multiple ways and can hold workpieces from multiple directions. And because they are magnet based they can be placed, removed, adjusted very quickly. And each one is also its own individual magnetic feather boars that can simultaneously hold a piece horizontally and vertically.

Been using for a couple years now and highly recommended.

[Nate Secrist]

Another Grip-Tite user here. I have the steel plate that I arrached to my Biesemeyer fence.
i use the magnetic grip-title feather boards and the Grripper.

[Edwin Santos]

What's the story with Grip-Tite? Have they disappeared? Their products don't seem to be available anywhere. I have one of the older wood models and the steel fence plate. Wanted some replacement parts and cannot seem to find them. I saw the system demonstrated at a show many years ago. I think the owner's name is Jerry. If he's still around, I can't seem to find him.

[Lee Schierer]

What's the story with Grip-Tite? Have they disappeared? Their products don't seem to be available anywhere. I have one of the older wood models and the steel fence plate. Wanted some replacement parts and cannot seem to find them. I saw the system demonstrated at a show many years ago. I think the owner's name is Jerry. If he's still around, I can't seem to find him.

Did you call the 800 number stamped on your grip tites? Check on Amazon. The Grip Tites are for sale there.

[Edwin Santos]

Did you call the 800 number stamped on your grip tites? Check on Amazon. The Grip Tites are for sale there.
Amazon shows it as currently unavailable. The Grip-Tite website is gone. Lee Valley's page says "this product is no longer available". Rockler's page for the Grip-Tite no longer exists, although they still have two articles on how to use it. I haven't tried the 800 number, but all signs are pointing to extinction. I wondered if someone here might know the story.

I still vividly remember the owner's demonstration at a show. I watched him ripping thin strips where he would let go half way through the cut, walk around to the back of the saw and pull the strip through and the cut was perfectly accurate. The whole time his left hand remained in his pocket.

[Bill Adamsen]

If you make your own from wood, White oak works extremely well. It took me years to figure this out. On the occasions I needed a feather board I'd just grab any old hardwood scrap. It was luck of the draw. It wasn't until one day I was bending identical thickness alternating strips of White oak and Honduran mahogany for a lamination that the light bulb went off in my head. White oak bends beautifully ... other woods, not so much.

[andy bessette]

My featherboard is the early magnetic version. Only use it (occasionally) to hold work against the fence.