Extending the Biese 30" rails

[Jim O'Dell]

How hard is this? Can you buy stock that is the right size and thickness locally? Or do you have to use the longer rails from Biese? I'd like to get some extra pipe and angle bracket material and just add on to get the extra length I need, or be able to replace the tube rail altogether with something purchased locally. Seems the 50" replacement rails from Biese are pretty expensive. Thanks for any thoughts you might have. Jim (who 2 weeks ago couldn't spell or pronounce Biesemeyer. Now I have 1 out of 2 down.:D )

[Matt Meiser]

The bearing surfaces on the tubes seem to be machined. I'm not sure standard steel tubing would be smooth enough. Small variances would be magnified out at the back end of the fence. I don't think the angle-iron parts wouldn't be as critical--definitely not the back one which only serves to support the table.

[Jason White]

I bet you could find somebody with 50" rails who would be willing to trade with you for the 30". Maybe put something in the classifieds here?

JW


How hard is this? Can you buy stock that is the right size and thickness locally? Or do you have to use the longer rails from Biese? I'd like to get some extra pipe and angle bracket material and just add on to get the extra length I need, or be able to replace the tube rail altogether with something purchased locally. Seems the 50" replacement rails from Biese are pretty expensive. Thanks for any thoughts you might have. Jim (who 2 weeks ago couldn't spell or pronounce Biesemeyer. Now I have 1 out of 2 down.:D )

[Homer Faucett]

I have read of people making their own Bies fence, and I have seen some people replace their front rails on T2 and Bies Fences with steel tube, with no issues. Below is a step-by-step discussion on how to make your own Bies-style fence, so you should get plenty of good info on how to replace the guide tube.

http://www.twistedknotwoodshop.com/tsquarefence.pdf

[Bill Wyko]

Bies is pn Tempe AZ. there should be a sticker with the phone number on the fence. At least that's how mine came. I'll call and check the price on new rails and the longer guide.

[Randal Stevenson]

I bet you could find somebody with 50" rails who would be willing to trade with you for the 30". Maybe put something in the classifieds here?

JW


I've seen this on multiple forums. Unfortunately people get confused (aka wishful thinking) and think the party WANTING the 50" rail, is willing to trade a 50" rail for a 30" and gets LOT'S of replies, since the Bies bargain.

How about combining kits, if you have two available? Anyone tried that? (considering you can buy other rails, someone out there must need the fence part)

[Dick Brown]

Just picked up two of the kits. One will go on a Darra-James saw, and one on a Craftsman. Have been making clones for a few of my buddies and it makes a crapsman saw into a Craftsman. Bought the kits because it was cheaper than I can buy the stuff and welding supplies to build them. as far as the short rails, I put standard 2x3x1/8 rec. tube on my Shop Fox to get 50" cut and it worked fine. Put on long angles also. Some folks have moved the rails out 1 or 2 bolt holes to the right to get more cut width if they never use the fence on the left of the blade. On the ones that I build, I put a 1-1/2 angle on the back of the saw with with the top of it just below the miter slots and with the horizontal(sp?) part up and put a block of UHMW on the bottom of the fence to ride on it so there is no need for the ext. table to go to the end of the rails if you don't want it to. I even put a Ball Transfer caster on one and it worked great. "0" friction!
Dick

[Charles Cannon]

I bought a Biesemeyer fence a few years ago and bought steel and made the rails. I have not had any problem with the 2x3 tube not being machined. I think I paid $60 for 6 foot of the three pieces. I did turn the seam in the 2x3 tube down and sanded the bearing surfaces some.
Cannon

[glenn bradley]

How hard is this? Can you buy stock that is the right size and thickness locally? Or do you have to use the longer rails from Biese? I'd like to get some extra pipe and angle bracket material and just add on to get the extra length I need, or be able to replace the tube rail altogether with something purchased locally. Seems the 50" replacement rails from Biese are pretty expensive. Thanks for any thoughts you might have. Jim (who 2 weeks ago couldn't spell or pronounce Biesemeyer. Now I have 1 out of 2 down.:D )

If you can get by with an extra 10" see my post here:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=64391

[Jim O'Dell]

Yes, Glenn, I had already decided to mount mine as far to the right as I can and still have the fence close to the blade. I'm more thinking for the future. I'd rather have a little more to the right, and hoped I could add on rather than replace.
Bill, the prices are on their web site.. mucho buckos!
Homer, thanks for the web site. That may help quite a bit.
Jason, that would be ideal, but I bet there are a few hundred of us jockeying for the 1 or 2 people that might want to do that, straight up trade or trade with some cash. I did a search here mid day when I was in cooling off from my roofing duties. Several people in the past talking about cutting them, and preferring not to. Enough time has gone by that I doubt any of them are still waiting to see what to do so they can use their new saws.:D
Thanks all for the help and ideas. Jim.