Biesemeyer Fense Question

[Keith Starosta]

I'm seriously considering an upgrade to my TS fense and have been looking at the Biesemeyer product. What is the difference between their commercial fense and their homeshop fense? Is it just the length of the fense bar (42" commercial vs. 36" homeshop)?

TIA for any help!

Keith

[Tyler Howell]

Keith,
It was a great investment for me. You can get a 52 inch home shop fence with univesal rails. You may have to drill a few holes to make it fit.

TJH

[Dick Parr]

What kind of saw do you have? The Vega fence is outstanding as a replacement! Love and Miss that micro adjustment.

[Mark Singer]

Very happy with the Biesmeyer . Mine is 52...it is a good length
Mark

[Keith Starosta]

What kind of saw do you have? The Vega fence is outstanding as a replacement! Love and Miss that micro adjustment.

Right now (and for the forseeable future :( ) I've got a PM64A Artisan's Saw. I'm planning on building new rolling base (using the plans from Wood's October issue), and figured this would be a great time to upgrade the fense.

Keith

[Dick Parr]

Vega also sells a commercial fence, 42" long. I really miss mine. That was about the only good thing about my old Craftsman that I liked. Good luck.

[Tyler Howell]

Mark,

You don't count as a home shop. You have crossed over to the commercial side.

TJH

[Lee Schierer]

When I bought mine, the difference was the number of holes drilled in the angle that supports the rectangular guide tube. Since Delta bought them it is hard to say what the differences might be. I have the 42" fence because that is all that would fit in my shop and still leave me room to get around the saw.

It is a great fence and I have no regrets buying it. Here's a link showing the fence and the cover I made for it. Lee's Fence (http://home.earthlink.net/~us71na/fence.html)

[Tyler Howell]

Nice setup Lee. There is hope for my Craftsman arrangement! :rolleyes:

[Jim Becker]

What is the difference between their commercial fense and their homeshop fense? Is it just the length of the fense bar (42" commercial vs. 36" homeshop)?

While the length of the fence figures into the difference, the rail system is also lighter in weight with the home-shop version. But the "design" is the same.

[Byron Trantham]

Right now (and for the forseeable future :( ) I've got a PM64A Artisan's Saw. I'm planning on building new rolling base (using the plans from Wood's October issue), and figured this would be a great time to upgrade the fense.

Keith

Keith, my previous saw was a Sears contractor's table saw. I added the 52" commercial and loved it. I had to drill about four extra holes in the cast iron top but that turned out to be quite easy. I also made a base for it. If it will fit in your shop, go for the 52". You will have to make an extension wing to hold it but its well worth it.

[JayStPeter]

Keith,

I thought the PM64A had a pretty good beismeyer clone fence on it. What is the problem with that fence? Do you just want larger rip capacity, or does the fence have fundamental problems you would like to solve.
The differences between the Beismeyer commercial/homeshop are essentially the size of the parts. The fence rails use a larger square tube, as does the fence itself. The fence itself is also longer.
If you just want longer fence rails for your current fence, that can be done as well. Just measure the size of the square tubing on the rails. You can probably just order some rails from Jet or beismeyer/delta that will fit your current fence. You can probably even get matching gold ones from Jet.

Jay

[Mark Mazzo]

Hi Keith,

I put the Biesemeyer Homeshop fence on my Delta Contractors Saw a couple of years ago. It's a great fence (it replaced the old Delta Jet style fence) and I highly reccommend it.

To answer your specific questions, I wondered the same when I was fence shopping. What I found was:

1) The fence itself is slightly shorter on the Homeshop version (not an issue IMHO).

2) The "tubes" for the front guide rail and the fence body are slightly smaller in "diameter" (not really a circle in cross section, more like a rounded rectangle...again no issue in my mind)

3) The available configurations of guide rail lengths are different. As I recall, the Homeshop is not available in as long a configuration to the right of the blade.

I purchased the Homeshop version that allows something like 12" to the left of the blade and 28" to the right. I don't miss a longer rail and, as noted above, the other diferences did not amount to anything in my mind. This fence is a great addition to my saw.

-- Mark

[Keith Starosta]

Keith,

I thought the PM64A had a pretty good beismeyer clone fence on it. What is the problem with that fence? Do you just want larger rip capacity, or does the fence have fundamental problems you would like to solve.
The differences between the Beismeyer commercial/homeshop are essentially the size of the parts. The fence rails use a larger square tube, as does the fence itself. The fence itself is also longer.
If you just want longer fence rails for your current fence, that can be done as well. Just measure the size of the square tubing on the rails. You can probably just order some rails from Jet or beismeyer/delta that will fit your current fence. You can probably even get matching gold ones from Jet.

Jay


Jay, ya got me to thinking, and one of the real reasons for the possible fence-switching would be to get longer rails. But, I have heard many good things about the Bies system, which is why I thought about the switch.

I'm going to check to see how much longer PM rails would be. It might be worth it. Thanks!

Keith

[Tony Falotico]

Keith, check out their web site http://www.biesemeyer.com/ they give a good description of the home vrs commercial fences.

I have had my home shop fence for years and love it. As a matter of fact I spoke with the Biesemeyer folks today about upgrading to longer rails.

[Bruce Page]

Very happy with the Biesmeyer . Mine is 52...it is a good length
Mark

Ditto what Mark said. Excellent fence.