Used Biesemeyer Fence--fatal flaw or no big deal?

[Steve Brooke]

Greetings,

I picked-up a very used Biesemeyer table saw fence with the 72" or so rail set this weekend. While the main rail and rectangular tube are straight, I now see that there is a slight indent in the tube along the area where the main clamp has done its clamping. I'll much appreciate your advice on whether I should start tube shoping or just de-rust, paint and gloat.

Steve

[Mike Goetzke]

Hard to tell the damage w/o a picture, but, the rip fence aligns itself with the angle iron and pads that contact the inside portion of the tube. The lever/cam clamp on the outside just applies the clamp load.

Mike

[Ron Bontz]

Just a thought. Are you saying the dent is on the outside of the main tube? If so then as long as the cam is able to lock down I doubt there is a problem. On the other hand if the dent is on the inside of the tube where the fence actually rides then if the dent is big enough it could throw off the fence. You will have to check that. I would lay a straight edge along the tube to see how much is really affected. Otherwise check to see how straight the entire tube is. Hope this helps.

[Gene O. Carpenter]

Steve,
I don't see how that amount of clamping pressure could crush the guide tube in like that! The clamping action is really not that great but anyway, turn the guide tube end for end! Keeping top up. This will place the indented area to the rear and also on the far end where the fence is seldom ,if ever, placed..
You might have to drill and tap new holes buy that will not take long at all since tube is already off. So lay it on the support beam and try the hole alignment..If they align then tighten them up and place the fence on the saw, see if it works..If not make a template, or carefully mark the hole locations and drill..
Keep in mind though that front support angle must be aligned with table top lines so when you have the guide tube in place the fence bottom does not come in direct contact with the table surfaces..All sliding, gliding contact is at those nylon slides only..

[Eric Larsen]

I'll bet the last owner was using his table saw as a workbench -- my saw table has dings on it from the previous owner.

Since the tube is there for clamping pressure, I don't see what the big deal is. Have you tried squaring the fence to the miter slots, then moving the fence to the "dent" and checking it?

[Steve Brooke]

Sorry I wasn't more specific--as you can tell this will be my first Biesemeyer. The indent is a slight concaving where the fence lever cam clamp presses againt the outside face of the tube. I'm on work travel right now so I can't post a picture or measure the depth of the dip, but this concave area is smoothly distributed along the outside face of the tube only where the clamp has been in contact (ie where paint is gone to the right of the blade), and seems deepest in the area that makes sense as the high volume work zone--between 6" and 30" from blade area. This fence was in a commercial shop so it no doubt was worked hard for years. I plan to replace all the plastic contact pads and will also make sure the inside tube face is straight. I won't start tube shopping yet--will wait until I can test whether it will hold firmly in place.

Steve