After market TS fence

[Korbin Purchase]

Hey all,
Have a delta 34-444 contractor TS. I just cannot trust the fence. I'm just looking for some suggestions. I specifically want a T-Square style. Have found one that I am considering but thought I would check here first.

Here is the fence I am looking at: https://www.busybeetools.com/products/fence-tablesaw-align-a-rip-cap-50in-b231860n.html#tab-related

I came here to search for this cause I'm sure the thread exists, but the search function on this site keeps taking me away from the forum to google searches.

[Lisa Starr]

Consider the Very Super Cool fence. Here's a link: https://vsctools.com/shop/product-category/table-saw-fence/. I'm not sure what style rails are on your Delta, but they have instructions for building the rails, if needed. Even if you're not a "metal guy", they are easy to do. I've had mine for two years and am very happy with it. It has good adjustment for both square to the blade and perpendicular to the table. The intial alignment was easy and it has stayed that way ever since.

[Frederick Skelly]

I looked, but didnt find anything in the SMC archives on Busy Bee Tools. Maybe someone else will.
FWIW, I have the same saw you do and it has a Biesemeyer fence. I'm very happy with it.

[Jay Kepley]

My prior table saw was a Jet contractor saw. I used an Incra fence, and it was very nice. Repeatable precision every time. It's all in the design. It took me a while to get it set up properly, but that's probably more me than the fence. Once set up properly, it was a beautiful thing! I've now got a Sawstop PCS, and I'm considering adding an Incra fence to it. Best wishes, and stay safe!

[Brian Tymchak]

I came here to search for this cause I'm sure the thread exists, but the search function on this site keeps taking me away from the forum to google searches.

I use the "site" parameter to restrict google searches to sawmill creek. Try searching with this string

site sawmillcreek.org aftermarket fence table saw

[Dave Sabo]

Korbin, what fence do you have ?

What is that you can't trust about it ? is it bent, out of square, not parallel, won't lock securely ?

The orig. fence would have been a Jet Lock. While they aren't darlings, and have been replaced by better designs with more and more elegant features; they are far from obsolete. All of the issues I mentioned can be solved except a bent fence. I'd spend some time cleaning and adjusting before I dropped $300-$500 on a new fence for a saw that old. It's a solid saw with a really good motor, but it has some shortcomings that , for me, don't warrant investing a lot of money in.

[Matt Day]

I looked, but didnt find anything in the SMC archives on Busy Bee Tools. Maybe someone else will.
FWIW, I have the same saw you do and it has a Biesemeyer fence. I'm very happy with it.

Busy Bee is Canadian.

[Korbin Purchase]

I have long been a fan of that fence. But, I have tried contacting them several times to place an order and they just don't get back to me. *shrugs

[Korbin Purchase]

It is the Jet Lock Fence. I don't like that the fence clamps front and back. I find that I can never trust it to be square when I clamp it down. I have followed the steps from the owners manual to square it to the miter slot. Then I'll move it away from the miter slot and back and clamp it down to see if it stayed square and it doesn't. I really like the design of the T-Square Bies style fence systems. I want to be able to set my fence and lock it down and not be concerned I'm not cutting straight to the blade you know. The Bies systems are like $700 (Canadian. where I am from).

The verysupercooltools fence is nice. But they really don't seem to want my business haha as they won't return my calls or emails.

[Korbin Purchase]

The incra looks pretty cool to be honest. Thanks I'll look into it.

[Bruce King]

Busy Bee equipment comes from the same factory in Taiwan as North State and many others. I have the older version of that fence for sale.

[Doug Garson]

I have used this fence for about 8 years and I'm happy with it. Mine is the T2 rather than T3 but not sure the difference. https://www.amazon.com/Delta-Equipment-Corporation-847962005250-System/dp/B079TTTWR2

[Harvey Miller]

Not sure which Busy Bee fence you're looking at but a very experienced woodworker on a Canadian forum checked them out at the request of a member- he found the CX fence lightweight compared to the Classic Biesmeyer or General but otherwise fine (slid smoothly & locked square). The Align A Rip was heavier. Another member reported buying an Align A Rip, & liked it enough to buy a second for his other saw.

[Frederick Skelly]

Busy Bee is Canadian.

Yup. I know. Thanks Matt!

[glenn bradley]

Not sure of the current exchange rate but . . . ouch! There seem to be a fairly regular supply of used (or even owned but never used) fences and rails in the lower 48 states. Are you anywhere near the border? Don't trust my math but, $500 CDN looks like about $380 USD so those prices are maybe about right.

The Jet Lock can be made to be sort of usable by some small segment of humanity. I know this because I read claims to that effect when disparaging remarks regarding this fence are cast about in the forums. For the rest of us it is a sub-optimal device from its inception and replacement can lower blood pressure, relieve headaches and align the planets. Fortunately many after market fences and rails systems are easily adapted to the Delta. I went with an align-a-rip back when I had a similar Delta conractor saw.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Got welding skills, or know some one who does? Your "Jet Loc" fence can furnish the most critical part of building a Biese Clone. (I've built several) The cam lock on your Jet Loc work in Biese clones. Everything else is stock size rectangular tubing, angle iron (for the rails) except a couple pieces of flat stock. There are you tubes showing building of clones. If the glide pads from Biese aren't available, there are pieces in Kenmore/Whirlpool washers that will substitute. Last week, I repainted front rail of my 20+ years old Biese clone. It looks so good, that now I have to do the fence tube, and clamping head.

[Korbin Purchase]

I am a couple hours from the border, but the price would have to be really good for me to make that drive. And our currency sucks haha

[Korbin Purchase]

That's an interesting fence. Trying to figure out if it clamps front and back though.

[Korbin Purchase]

For anyone wondering, I ended up going with the BusyBee fence. For the price I was getting more bang for my buck than other ones. Nice that it has T-Track on both sides of the fence. T-Style for better adjustment and only clamps at front of saw. If I find it sucks I'll come back and post here of my misfortunes :)

[Jim Becker]

As long as it locks consistently and tightly and you have it aligned to the blade properly, there's little that "should" go wrong with it regardless of the brand name on the fence. Tee-square fences are simple devices when you think about it. The tee tracks are indeed a nice feature.

[Mike Kees]

Unfortunately Canadians are stuck in Canuckistan as the border is closed presently. I did hear the other day that Your president wants to reopen it soon. Hopefully that happens,I have a bunch of tools stuck at the border waiting for me.

[Doug Garson]

Unfortunately Canadians are stuck in Canuckistan as the border is closed presently. I did hear the other day that Your president wants to reopen it soon. Hopefully that happens,I have a bunch of tools stuck at the border waiting for me.
Careful what you wish for, the border is closed for a good reason. Right now I'd choose our side of the border for sure.