Beisemeyer (or clone) micro-adjustment

[Glen Blanchard]

I love my Beisemeyer clone fence, but wish it had micro-adjustment capability. Does anyone have a device (other than a mallett) that can be added to such a fence to get micro-adjustability? I am not looking to replace my fence (or the one for my new SawStop when I get it) but am looking for a 3rd party device.

Although this is not exactly what I am looking for, it looks interesting. Anyone have it?

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=16755

Any other product worth mentioning?

[Doug Shepard]

Dont have one, but you're right - it does look pretty interesting, and a pretty reasonable price too. Dont recall what mag I saw it in, but it seems like I saw instructions on making one using an 8-32 machine screw to do the adjustment. Seems like it was relatively recent, like the past year or 1-1/2. For the $30 that Rockler wants it hardly seems worth the cost and time to make one though.

[Dave Falkenstein]

I have a Jet Xacta II fence, a Biesemeyer clone, with a micro-adjust feature. I find the feature hard to use, and have gone back to the bump and check method.

It appears to me that the Rockler solution allows micro adjustment in only one direction. Hmmm.

[Glen Blanchard]

It appears to me that the Rockler solution allows micro adjustment in only one direction. Hmmm.

That's one of the reasons this is not exactly the solution I was looking for. However, it would seem that the micro-adjust feature on this Rockler product could work in both directions. If wanting to INcrease the fence-balde distance just a bit, the adjuster could be rotated AWAY from the fence, and then the fence tapped up against it. This is in theory only though. I wonder if such a move was actually attempted, if the adjuster would slde down the rail a bit from the weight of the fence.

[Jamie Buxton]

Kreg offers a micro-adjuster accessory for their bandsaw fence. It does the fundamental thing you need, but it probably would require modification to fit your fence and your rail.

http://www.kregtool.com/products/pms/product.php?PRODUCT_ID=52

The threaded shaft screws into a threaded hole on the fence. The blue part gets tightened on to the rail with the black knob. With the blue part fixed to the rail, turning the knurled thumb wheel microadjusts the fence.

[Mark Carlson]

Glen,

I bought one of those Rockler micro adjusters. I cant resist a new gadget. Its an illness. In theory it should work but the magnets arn't strong enough to keep the thing from moving along the fence rail. It hasn't gone into the trash yet because I'm sure I'll find some use for it.

What I do with all fences that need to be micro adjusted is to position the fence, and make a test cut. Clamp a block of wood up tight against the fence and losen the fence and then use a paper shim between the block and the fence to sneek up to your cut.

You probabaly know this but Incra sells fences that allow you to adjust the fence in and out by thousands of an inch. They of course arn't cheap.

~mark

[Glen Blanchard]

You probabaly know this but Incra sells fences that allow you to adjust the fence in and out by thousands of an inch. They of course arn't cheap.

~mark

Yeah, I've got an Incra on my router table. Love it. I just don't have the room to the right of my table saw to accomodate such a fence on the table saw.

[Glen Blanchard]

I bought one of those Rockler micro adjusters. I cant resist a new gadget. Its an illness. In theory it should work but the magnets arn't strong enough to keep the thing from moving along the fence rail. It hasn't gone into the trash yet because I'm sure I'll find some use for it.



Thanks for the mini-review. I just removed it from my Christmas list. :(

[Mark Carlson]

Yeah, I've got an Incra on my router table. Love it. I just don't have the room to the right of my table saw to accomodate such a fence on the table saw.

I have an Incra on my router table also. The router is mounted in the TS extension table. I also dont have room for the TS version of the Incra fence. One thing I've thought about but not tried is using the Incra adjuster with the B-meyer fence. If you could mount the adjuster securely to the right of the B-meyer it could be used as a stop for your fence. Just a thought.

~mark

[John Miliunas]

Glen, this is what I use to ensure repeatable cuts: http://www.wixey.com/fence/index.html

No, you still have to do the "bump" thing but, if you want "exact" every time, this is the best thing I've found to date. Installation is quite simple. If you have a left tilt saw and need the same accuracy with a dado set or even switch between thin and full kerf blades or, use an auxiliary fence on your fence, you can re-index (zero out) the unit in seconds to whatever your new start point is. Works great! :) :cool:

[Jim Becker]

I'm thinking about the DRO that John mentions for my X-Acta fence. I've enjoyed having one on my planer (outside of discovering this weekend that the batteries need changed...) and it sure is nice for repeatability as well as "dreary eye syndrome" when making ready for a cut. That said, even without my "cheaters" I don't really have a problem setting my fence to an "exact" measurement...at least in the context of accuracy I feel necessary for woodworking.

[glenn bradley]

Remember the rockler product only adjusts to the left. That is as you wind the screw back out there is no connection to the fence, it does not drag the fence back with it. It only pushes. But, I agree that by the time you drove to HF for a $2 clamp, hacksawed it, paid for rare earth magnets and made an assembly out of a piece of wood that would look pretty rough; $30 ain't bad.

You may want to check the setup on your fence. I can micro adjust mine just by tapping the side with my finger as if playing a piano; no mallet required. The fence should slide very easily despite it's weight. If not, check for something dragging, clogged or a surface that hasn't been waxed this week. ;-)

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I shy away from anything that may tend to magnetize my metal tools.

There are digital readouts you can retrofit on your fence.

[Dick Bringhurst]

I have not had this problem with mine unless I try to move the fence a distance more than a "micro". I stick with 3/16ths or less. Dick B.

[Glen Blanchard]

You may want to check the setup on your fence. I can micro adjust mine just by tapping the side with my finger as if playing a piano;

I only used the mallet as a descriptive analogy. Actually, I just "rap" on my fence with my knuckles.

[Glen Blanchard]

Glen, this is what I use to ensure repeatable cuts: http://www.wixey.com/fence/index.html



Yeah, I've had my eye on that as well. It is on my Christmas list. It does make repeatable cuts possible, but does not really address my micro-adjust craving.

[Matt Day]

FYI, that micro adjuster from Rockler is now on sale for $19.99, with free shipping too (for email subscribers).

[Stan Krupowies]

Glen, this is what I use to ensure repeatable cuts: http://www.wixey.com/fence/index.html

No, you still have to do the "bump" thing but, if you want "exact" every time, this is the best thing I've found to date. Installation is quite simple. If you have a left tilt saw and need the same accuracy with a dado set or even switch between thin and full kerf blades or, use an auxiliary fence on your fence, you can re-index (zero out) the unit in seconds to whatever your new start point is. Works great! :) :cool:

I've been using one of these on my Unisaw for about a year and it's great. Repeatability down to 1/64" is much better than you can get with a tape or scale. I'd highly recommend it.

[Terry Flowers]

Me too, though I find it surprising that rare earth magnets won't hold it solid. Guess they need bigger magnets.

Terry

[Mark Pruitt]

What I don't like about the Rockler attachment is the location from which it applies pressure as you fine tune the fence. I like to apply pressure more like a third of the way back, where I'm applying pressure equally to the fence as opposed to the front. I can tap my fence with my hand and make an adjustment of only a few thousandths of an inch. What is helpful to me is a magnifier placed over the scale so I can see the smallest of movement.

[Steve Dewey]

A while back the rockler unit was on sale for $10. I picked one up. Worth $10 - yes, $30 NO. I found it great for dialing in a dado grove - set the fence long and screw it till it hit the mark. With my left tilt saw, the fence indicator is off when using a dado blade. Better than wacking the fence one way & then the other because you overshot.

[Mark Hubler]

Couple of options:

There used to be a kit (maybe someone else can remember the name) that attached a coupling nut directly to the fence. A clamp-on device was attached to the tube, with a section of all thread between the clamp and the fence. The all thread had a handle, at the clamp, with 1/64" markings - 1/16" travel per turn. Should be easy enough to make.

I like the DRO option better. http://www.digi-kit.com/digifence.htm It is a great system (more expensive than the wixley, but more features), accruate - repeatable - easy to reset - zero anywhere on the table. I never bothered installing the scale tape with this on my machine! More info here http://benchmark.20m.com/reviews/DigiFence/digikitreview.html

[Glen Blanchard]

I like the DRO option better. http://www.digi-kit.com/digifence.htm It is a great system (more expensive than the wixley, but more features), accruate - repeatable - easy to reset - zero anywhere on the table.

What I think the Wixey has up on the competition is that it reads out on decimal inches and fractional inches simultaneously. The decimals display continuously while the fractions only appear when the fence (or whatever) is exactly at that distance from the blade.

[Jamie Buxton]

Here's a pic of a microadjuster I built for the fence on my bandsaw. Similar things could be built for almost any fence. The only tricky bit is the knob and thread which drives the fence both ways (unlike that Rockler thing), and Kreg provides that for $15.

[glenn bradley]

Very cool Jamie. That's more like what this sort of device ought to be like. I'm really tempted by the Wixie though ;-)

[Rich Torino]

Yeah, I've had my eye on that as well. It is on my Christmas list. It does make repeatable cuts possible, but does not really address my micro-adjust craving.
Glen,
your right about the micro adjust but if you get it figured out and couple it with the Wixey digital readout (I have one on my 1023) that will make an awsome combination

[Glen Blanchard]

Glen,
your right about the micro adjust but if you get it figured out and couple it with the Wixey digital readout (I have one on my 1023) that will make an awsome combination

You are absolutely correct Rich. I would love to have the Wixey....it is on my Christmas Want List that I have submitted to my wife. Along with a Festool 150/3 sander, Jointech Smart Miter, Wixey DRO for my planer, and some WW books. But I digress. Putting a micro-adjuster on a tablesaw fence that has micro-adjust capabilities would be awesome indeed.

[Jerry Dickens]

The palm of my hand works great and I get to keep some money in my pocket, which I like.

[David Klug]

This won't be much help to those who already own a good fence, but for those who a thinking about getting a new fence I highly recomend the Vega fence that already has the micro adjustment built in. I've had mine for a couple of yrs. now and I just love it. It probably runs around $200 now. If you watch you can get it on special once in a while.

DK

[Don Stanley]

I was interested in the Rockler solution for use on my PowerMatic 64A Acura fence. On those occasions when I need to make micro-adjustments to the fence, I try and find a new method to nudge the fence. Recently I've been using business card (0.010") shims. This helps, but is not the answer!

The Rockler Magnet Micro gave me the idea to experiment. I mounted a dial-caliper to a Multi-position Magnetic Base. I locked the fence and marked the position on a piece of masking tape. The stem of the dial caliper is preloaded against the right-side of the fence, and the dial is set to read zero. I was amazed to discover I was able to maintain control of the fence. I could unlock and move the fence completely out-of-the way, and put it back in the original position. Although you still need to use the bump and tap for micro-admustment, it's easy to do with the feedback provided by the dial-caliper.

I know this makes the table saw look more like a science lab than a woodworking tool, but it really works good! The magnetic base is rock solid, and the switch makes it easy to use. It's unlikely that I will ever use this method for real woodworking, but it's nice to know there is a way.

-Don

Multi-position Magnetic Base http://da.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=magnetic+base&Submit=Go

[Homer Faucett]

Remember the rockler product only adjusts to the left. That is as you wind the screw back out there is no connection to the fence, it does not drag the fence back with it. It only pushes. But, I agree that by the time you drove to HF for a $2 clamp, hacksawed it, paid for rare earth magnets and made an assembly out of a piece of wood that would look pretty rough; $30 ain't bad.

It seems to me that you could easily make this device for about $2 and some scrap wood in your shop. Rare earth magnets can be pretty inexpensive if you catch them just right. I think I bought 50 on ebay for about $5 delivered. They come in handy all over the place.

After that, it's just attaching a carriage bolt to a piece of scrap wood. Norm has shown how to make a knob to turn the carriage bolt from some scrpa. You then sink or epoxy/poly glue a nut in the wood, and put the rare earth magnets at the bottom. I would guess that most of us have carriage bolts and nuts and the needed glue and wood in the shop. The rare earth magnets then become the only expense.

I'm not saying that $30 is too much, but I do think that a thrifty woodworker could make a usable clone for much less.

[Samuel Brooks]

Yeah, I've got an Incra on my router table. Love it. I just don't have the room to the right of my table saw to accomodate such a fence on the table saw.

I have a couple of stops on my table saw Incra rails so I can slide the main assembly in close for most of my cuts then slide it out to the right when I need to make large cuts. I have the 32" version and with the rails offset to the right I can cut upto a 46" board using the 32" version so I did not have to mess with the really long rails.

It does take up space to the right, but only when doing a big cut otherwise I have the rail slid in next to the blade area and it does not get in my way.

I can say that this fence is one purchase that I do not have any regrets about. In fact I like it more every time I use it. The fence locks automatically to within 1/32nd of an inch and then you can dial down to 1/128 if needed. I actually use the dial option when I am doing Dado's. For a 3/4" Dado, I Setup a 1/2 Dado stack and on the 2nd pass I adjust my fence and then dial in the exact width that I need. The dial ability 1/128 is great for a snug dado and the setup time is almost nothing.

Comment: On the Rockler micro adjuster, why not just upgrade the magnets on it to help keep it in place and put one on the end of it to allow for reverse adjustment.

[Mark Hubler]

Here is what I was talking about in my previous post. "Micro-rip", made by Tahoe Tools (which appears to be out of business) http://web.archive.org/web/20040811104648/tahoetools.com/microrip.htm

[Don Stanley]

Found this $29.99 Craftsman Micro-Positioning Device
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Power+Tool+Accessories&pid=00922214000&vertical=TOOL&subcat=Table+Saw&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes


-Don