22124 Fence Tune Up

[glenn bradley]

All this talk about Zip Code saws here and elsewhere got me to thinking about mine. I have been going to shift the fence tube over to the right to get 40" of rip 'any day now' for a year or so. Finally got to it.

Well as long as I'm going to do that (and seemings how I am laid up post surgery anyway) I may as well check the rails, top, wings and router table extension for flat. Got that all dialed in . . . . Love that straight edge.

Oh yeah, I bought a Wixey digital fence awhile back on special so I guess I should just go ahead and put that on too . . .

*** RING, RING, RING *** . .. Hello? What's that Honey? Oh yes, I'm just sitting around and letting everything get all healed up. No, no, I haven't been in the shop . . . OK, Love you, . . Bye. *** CLICK ***

Good thing she's got her own house and job but, I digress . . . .

The installation is really straight forward, especially on a Bies as everything just fits without any modifications. I was concerned about clearance for the height wheel . . . non-issue.

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Zeroed it out and set it to 3".

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Yep, 3". How about that.

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Had to drill a couple screw holes to put the power switch where I wanted it.

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Now, back to resting up ;-)

[Denny Rice]

Nice job Glenn! I have the same saw, and have been wanting to do the same thing for a long time. Maybe this can be on my "to do list" of things to get done in the shop this winter. I really like the extra wing you have on the saw, its a lot nicer than the beise particle board that came with the fence.

[glenn bradley]

Thanks Denny. Don't wait like I did. Other than finding a location for the switch it literally takes just minutes to move the tube. I'm such a goof sometimes. After thinking about it way too long, I just drilled two 1/8" holes to the left of the tube in the angle iron area left exposed by moving the tube and set in a couple of self tapping screws to hold the switch.

[scott spencer]

Nice! The tube slide is a snap isn't it? I think for a clearer conscience the phone call needs to go more like,
"...No, no, haven't touched any wood all day . . . OK, Love you, . . Bye. *** CLICK ***

Get well soon!

:D

[Rusty Elam]

Looks good Glenn, I just did the same thing to mine a few weeks ago.
One of the best things about it is you no longer run into that 6" of rail that used to stick out on the left side and it only makes the saw about 4" longer.
I used the phenolic ply from woodcraft for my exstention with a 2" oak box underneath and really like it. except for the fact that its pretty green.

I did have to put legs under the wing though, I started to move it as a test and it was real tippy with the router installed.

Best of luck on your recovery.
Rusty

[glenn bradley]

I hung some extra CI to the right back when I first got the saw so I had already done this for support.

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The phenolic sounds like a great idea for some folks who were posting here bemoaning the crummy Bies extension "wing". Great idea.

[Walt Caza]

Hi Glenn,
Nice work, for a guy 'not' doing any work!
Please let us know how the Wixey pans out? Sounds nice.

Just wanted to wish you a full and speedy recovery.
Get well soon,
Walt

ps lets do the timewarp again??

[Russell Tribby]

Looks good Glen. I think you'll enjoy the Wixey. I added one 6-7 months ago and enjoy using it. I've found that I am constantly having to recalibrate it though. Of course you have to do that when you change blades but I've also found, I haven't figured out the reason why, that after not using it for awhile that it will be off by 1/4" or so and I'll have to recalibrate it. I can't attribute it to the battery because I've replaced that recently. Sorry, didn't mean to hijack. I think you'll enjoy the Wixey once you get it dialed in.

[glenn bradley]

Thanks Russell. I'll watch for that. My planer DRO used to lose it's mind every so often. I tried resets and batteries and so forth. I finally emailed Barry Wixey and he sent me a new unit. It has worked great ever since. I wouldn't suffer with it. Barry is a great guy to work with.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I don't know if Wixey is progamable, but I usually rip a a piece, measure with calipers and then set cursor on my Bies clones. Fence never has to touch blade.