What to do with Extra Biesemeyer Parts?

[David Weaver]

Does this happen to you? I called Biesemeyer yesterday to find out what parts I'd need for my delta hybrid - to be able to have a 50" fence instead of a 30" fence, and instanty, I was telling the lady on the customer service end that I'd just purchase all the parts she suggested I'd need to make my 30" commercial fence a 50" commercial fence.

So now, I have a front tube and rear guide rail (I think those are the parts I'm getting) for a 30" fence and a table board for a 30" fence.

Does anyone have any use for them? I can't think they're a real hot commodity when it doesn't include the entire fence assembly. Should I list them on ebay for a penny auction or something? Anyone have experience unloading them.

By the way, I was astonished yesterday when I got the parts prices and the phone lady asked me about the table board, and I said I'll take that, too if it's cheap. She said "It's $112". I declined at first, but then thought of all of the other times I tried to get all but one part, and make the last part, and the whole assembly never works out as well as I planned. It was about $300 for the parts, vs. $400 for the entire fence system. Looking back now, it might've been a better idea to purchase the whole fence system so that I could re-sell the entire 30" system.

Oh well.

[John Piwaron]

I thought I'd read once (about 20 years ago) that if you were to buy all the parts necessary to assemble your car, it'd come to many tens of thousands (>$50,000) for what you paid $15,000 at the dealer. That's how the parts system works. :(

Anyway, I've built table boards twice for Biesemeyer fence systems. I can assure you, there wasn't $100 plus in materials there. And they looked as good or better than what I'd buy. At the start, anyway.

Good luck with your fence.

[David Weaver]

I'm not at all miffed about the price - I think I just made a bad decision not thinking about how I could best come out of it with something useful enough for someone else to buy - by getting the whole 50" table system so that someone else could have a whole 30" system off my saw. I think when I call the Biesemeyer number and pay full price for the parts, part of the cost is for the service - it took no more than 5 minutes to find out what parts I need, and then ask if I could purchase them and do it.

I'm sure the cost of the table board is very minimal, and I could make it, but with what little time i have for woodworking (about 4 hours a week), I want to minimize tool setup and build, and maximize tool use. Hopefully it'll be flat when I get it, and I won't feel burned. Probably half of that $112 is paying for marketing, profits, and the cost to have customer service there.

One thing I was ecstatic about was that I called twice, and got real people both times, both knowledgable, and with absolutely zero wait. That's rare anymore, and I'm willing to pay for it.

[Paul Johnstone]

I'm sure the cost of the table board is very minimal, and I could make it, but with what little time i have for woodworking (about 4 hours a week),

I'm in the same boat.. Almost no free time for woodworking, so like you, I don't want to spend a whole lotof time with tool set up, jig making, etc. Given your situation, I think it was a good call. I've bought things that I could've made myself, but I don't want to spend precious shop time making them.

Don't feel bad about not buying an entire 52" system so you can resell the 30".. now you won't have to deal with the hassle of selling the old system.
I don't know what the resale value of a 30" bess system is, but I imagine it's not that much. After subtracting the additional $100 for the full system, I'm not sure you'd recover that much.

[Bob Stack]

I upgraded mine a couple years back and the rails and tube had been sitting in a corner of my shop. I decided to mount them to a large drafting table I picked up when a local business moved. With the table slanted up I can use it for both, dados with the router and setting up face frames. Just had to mount the front tube high enough so I could put a board on the table and get the fence on top of it.

[Brad Townsend]

At the risk of being the bearer of bad news, the tableboard is definitely the week link in the Bies system. For a fence that is built like a tank, the tableboard is more like a Yugo. I have read numerous complaints on them on SMC, and other forums and had my own tableboard replaced because the laminate began peeling off the back edge within two weeks after I got it. Others have asked for one and sometimes two replacements trying to get a flat one. However, I can certainly understand your not wanting to waste valuable shop time making a tableboard.

On the positive side, from my experience, Bies will go out of their way to make you happy. When I called to complain about my table, the only thing they wanted from me was my address to send out the new table. If it's not right, keep after them until you get one that's acceptable.

[Chris Dodge]

I just replaced my 30" Excalibur fence with a 50"Biesemeyer system last week. I got the fence, rails, and legs for $460 and built the table from a scrap piece of Melamine particle board and some ash. I built the table for my Excalibur fence from the same materials and it lasted for 15 years so I assume this one will last that long too.

I now have a 30" Excalibur fence and rails sitting around with nowhere to go.

[David Weaver]

I'll bet there are a lot of 30" fence systems sitting in the corners of shops around the country.

[Larry Benson]

I would be very interested in buying the Biesemeyer rails if you want to sell them. I'm assuming that they would bolt onto a Unisaw. I presently have the 50" and limited space. I was thinking of cutting the front tube and rear guide rail but can't make myself do it. Anyway, if you want to sell them please contact me at lkbenson@comcast.net. Thanks, Larry Benson

[Al Willits]

Larry, if this doesn't go though and your trying to go from 50" to 30" let me know, I have a less than year old 30" set on my hybrid saw and would like to go to the 50" set up.
Not sure if the unisaw and hybrid are the same though?

Al

[David Weaver]

Larry - if you can wait several weeks until I get the parts to make my fence 50", I'd be glad to send them to you for no more than what it costs me to ship them. You're doing the exact opposite of what I'm doing - but you may want to call biesemeyer tech support and make sure the holes are drilled in the right place to make things interchangeable.

Someone else on here may be able to get you the 30" parts before I can - it sounds like there's a surplus of parts.

I have no use for the parts and would rather see them get used than see them wait to rust. I have everything including the board, obviously, and all you'll need to have is the parts that don't get switched (which I'm sure you do - like extension legs, the actual fence, etc).

[Al Willits]

Dave, wasn't trying to step on your deal, was just in case it didn't work out, or if anybody else was interested.
Probably wasn't clear on that...sorry

Al

[Larry Benson]

David Weaver, I'm not in a big rush so would gladly wait until you are ready to switch over your saw. My saw is in the unheated garage and it's cold in Denver right now anyway. Just email me when you are ready and I'll make arrangements with you for payment and shipping. Thanks again.

[Larry Benson]

To Al Willits, I thank you for your offer regarding the Biesemeyer rails. I took no exception to you speaking up. If this deal doesn't materialize I will contact you. Thanks for the offer. Larry Benson

[David Weaver]

Dave, wasn't trying to step on your deal, was just in case it didn't work out, or if anybody else was interested.
Probably wasn't clear on that...sorry

Al

Al - no problem at all. Whatever works to get everyone what they can use without throwing stuff away. That's just the way it goes when two people are typing a reply at the same time :)

[Al Willits]

Great, reread my post and I wasn't sure if I was clear or not.....Clear is something I ain't usually...:)

Maybe take a look here for interchange, bies seems not to differentiate between Uni and hybrid, only 10 or 12"
Maybe call them, they were pretty helpful when I called on a new set of guides and rails.

http://www.biesemeyer.com/commer_fence/index.htm

Al

[Larry Benson]

To Al Willits, I thank you for your offer regarding the Biesemeyer rails. I took no exception to you speaking up. If this deal doesn't materialize I will contact you. Thanks for the offer. Larry Benson
I posted this earlier but think I did it wrong, it didn't show.