Large bandsaw fence suggestions needed

[Matt Day]

I’ve got a 24” bandsaw in need of a fence. I’m not sure if the fences for standard 14” size saws would suffice or not. Suggestions?

I also have a little Heston & Anderson no. 1 in need of a fence, but it’s easier to find information for it.

Not looking to break the bank btw.

Thanks

[ChrisA Edwards]

Just a suggestion, you could use one or two of these as a base and attach a tall board to give you whatever height and length you need.

I added an extra mag switch magnet to mine and it is almost impossible to move.

It also helped me to dial out my bandsaw drift.


https://www.amazon.com/CARTER-MAGFENCE-Universal-Magnetic-Fence/dp/B07DQBH7WW/ref=asc_df_B07DQBH7WW/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309869401414&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17186726226058744341&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1026044&hvtargid=pla-568021583262&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=63364097444&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=309869401414&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17186726226058744341&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1026044&hvtargid=pla-568021583262

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/9151ihC6tEL._SL1500_.jpg

[George Makra]

Times 2 on the Carter Fence

[Matt Day]

Do you have to align it every time you move it?

[Alex Zeller]

If you are looking for something simple what I was using before upgrading to a bandsaw that came with a fence is a section of commercial store front aluminum. I got a piece for a few bucks from the locak glass company. It's the aluminum extrusion that holds the glass. The stuff comes in all sizes and shapes. Some comes with a plastic thermal barrier, I got one that was 100% aluminum. Often glass shops have cut offs that they've had for years but never used. I just used two c-clamps to hold it in place. The magnetic Carter fence looked interesting but it's not that cheap and like my idea you have to square it up each time.

410342

[Matt Day]

Thanks for the suggestion Alex, but if I am going to make something it’d be from 80/20 or the like extruded aluminum.

[scott lipscomb]

I put an extra unifence that I had on my 30" bandsaw. It works well.
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[Matt Day]

I hadn’t thought about using a TS fence, good thought.

[Earl McLain]

Matt--i've got a Laguna fence from an 18" saw (not a Driftmaster) that i picked up several years ago. Was way too big for my 14" saw, so it's kicking around the garage. I'll try to get a pic to you. Shipping wasn't cheap when i bought it--but i'm only 90 minutes or so from W Lafayette. Will hit the garage before i head to work.
earl

[Brian Holcombe]

Matt,

If you have machine shop capabilities (you do IIRC), a nice big slab of cast iron, just a few inches longer than the blade position and running a linear rail would be pretty ideal. I'd put a bronze foot on it as well.

Personally, I'd like more infeed length than the manufacturers typically offer and less outfeed.

[Derek Cohen]

Do you have to align it every time you move it?

I've always wanted to know this!

I like the idea of a tablesaw fence, which could have a micro adjuster. Also, it is probably unnecessary to have a fence across the full length of the table. A couple of inches past the blade is probably a good idea, which will minimise binding but offer support past the blade.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Matt Day]

As much as making a fence would be fun, I don’t need another project and I want to get this done.

The Kreg fence is leading the pack right now in my mind. Looks like Fence can be moved in and out and I could replace the fence part with some other longer extrusion if necessary.

[ChrisA Edwards]

https://sawmillcreek.org/images/misc/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by Matt Day https://sawmillcreek.org/images/buttons/viewpost-right.png (https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=2928919#post2928919)
Do you have to align it every time you move it?






I've always wanted to know this!


Derek

Yes you do have to align the Carter Mag fence each time. I have the set of Carter magnetic spacers.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91XaFAZcCJL._SL1500_.jpg


https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91sIsyuMZsL._SL1500_.jpg

These attach to the back of the blade, by a magnet, and allow you to slide the fence up to the spacer. You can stack the spacers and you can always get to the thickness you need by using your own custom wood spacers to compliment the Carter Aluminum spacer(s).

With the spacer, on the blade, it really helped me identify my drift when comparing the gap with the fence that came with my bandsaw. I was able to tweak my drift out of the wheels and then fine tune adjust my permanent fence, so I always cut perfectly parallel.

I also use the Carter as a stop, perpendicular to the fence, beyond the cut, to limit a depth of cut when needing to make repeatable cuts for things like tenon shoulders.

[Tom Trees]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bUoHHdLex0

A good design worth thinking about?
Tom

[Ryan Lloyd]

Hi Chris,

I have both the Kreg fence, currently on a Delta 14" saw, and the Laguna Driftmaster fence that was formerly on a General 20" model. I consider both to be a significant step up from the detachable magnetic fences (I have the MagSwitch model rather than the Carter).

You mentioned not wanting to break the bank, but the Laguna Driftmaster (~$400 USD) really is sturdy and a pleasure to use. At a little over $100, the Kreg fence is a quality product and high value. The ability to easily adjust either fence for drift angle is worth the respective investment.

If each of these options are currently beyond your budget, I'd be inclined to use a jointed board clamped to the saw table until you save up some change. I used this method for several years, before I bought the Driftmaster. Mine included a hook at one end to snugly catch on the back-side of the table, and was slightly relieved on the underside of both ends like a bow clamp. This bow design allows the fence board to be secured to the table with only a single clamp on the front, in addition to the rear hook, making it surprisingly quick to adjust.

Good luck with your saw.

Regards,
Ryan

[Matt Day]

Ryan, thanks for the suggestions. I’ll look into the Driftmaster but that fence would cost about the same as the whole saw.

Tom - What fence is that? And I’m don’t speak German. Lol

[Mike Kees]

Hey Matt,I also had a bandsaw fence made from an old Unifence. It works excellent for a bandsaw,the high and low option and adjustments it offers work very well. if you are mounting this on your Centauro CO 600 you would have to use a spacer to enable changing blades.

[Tom Trees]

That is a Felder saw Matt.
Don't know if you can get a spare from Felder, but it looks like a most versatile design, and looks a lot more easily sorted than the round style rails on other Italian saws.
Do you have a fence rail on your machine?
On the Centauro's I've seen, they have the same flat bar fence rails as in the video, and to my mind would be worth having a system that utilises it.
Not just for keeping the machine in more original spec, but for utilising those ideas.
Looking back, that's what I would have done in hindsight, instead of making a bracket for the round rail on my machine.
A perfect example of wanting something more impractical because it looks nicer
I wouldn't do it again I tell ya.

I use my tablesaw as the outfeed table in my small shop, but I wouldn't mind having a bridge between them, and the case could be made for
the flat rail design used for affixing other fences for resawing logs easier.

Just my 2 cents
Good luck with the machine.
Tom

[Cary Falk]

I like this fence on my Grizzly fence. I don't know how big your table is.
https://www.grizzly.com/products/Grizzly-Resaw-Fence-Complete-For-G0514/H7589

[Matt Day]

Thanks for the link Cary. The table is 26” x 26”.

[Alex Zeller]

I have the G0514 and the fence would work but would be a bit small. The table is a little under 20" wide and the cast iron part of the fence is a little over 20". The aluminum resaw fence is over 25" so with it installed it would work fine. The right side of the fence isn't really used. The cast iron fence has a plastic adjustable spacer that rides on top of the aluminum tube on the right side. You would have to remove the plastic spacer and the fence would just sit on your saw's table (and not use the aluminum tube).

Over all the fence is pretty good but there's a few minor things I would like Grizzly to change. First the locking handle when released sticks up and if you have a piece of wood against the fence that's sticks off the table the handle will be in the way. If you use a tape measure to set up the fence it's not a problem. It hasn't been much of an issue yet but I'll probably modify it. The other issue is the tape measure on the fence. It's set up for just using the fence. Once you add the resaw attachment to the fence it's pointless. I'm not one who uses the tape measure on fences but if you do it would be an issue.

It wouldn't be hard for Grizzly to fix. Grizzly simply could have skipped putting metric measurements on the tape and replaced it with the correctly offset inch markings. Or if you look at the fence the round circle on the fence is a magnifying glass. If they extended the aluminum to the right of it they could have made it so that edge would be the marker for when the resaw fence is attached. Again, minor but with just a little more thought could have been that much better. What I'm going to do is add an adjustable pointer if I ever decide to start using the fence mounted tape measure.