Unifence question

[brian cammarata]

Relative newbie to WW and SMC and I am looking for a sanity check.

I picked up a 1973 34-450 Unisaw with its original black / old style 83 inch front rail and fence.

I already owned Incra LS-TS and was planning on using that on the TS.

So I embarked in the wonderful world of whack-a-do craigslist and have had varied response.

Last offer was from a guy that restores old Unisaw's and said it was missing the back rail and wont be able to build extension table.

I said all it would take is a piece of angle iron and I happen to have one as well

Long story short, I can't find a back rail listed in the manual or checking various photos online.

Was that a stock piece or did it just come with Fence and Front rail?

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[Tom Wassack]

You have all the major parts required for the Unifence installation. The only thing I see missing are the front rail bolts and the scale indicator.

Regards,
Tom Wassack
Asheboro, NC

[brian cammarata]

You have all the major parts required for the Unifence installation. The only thing I see missing are the front rail bolts and the scale indicator.

Regards,
Tom Wassack
Asheboro, NC

Thanks! I have the front bolts, just didn't include them in photos. And I was aware that missing the scale indicator. Guy offered less then $100. I sent him away. In my mind it is a solid system worth a bit more. thanks for sanity check

[Ray Newman]

Before I sold my circa 1987 Uni-saw, it "sported" a 52" Uni-fence.

There was no back "rail" for the fence. A piece of angle iron attached the extension table to the back of the saw and after removal of the right cast iron extension wing the table extension bolted to the saw. Eventually, I removed the Uni-fence extension table to reinstall the right cast iron wing and fabricated a more sturdy extension table.

I see the Uni-fence Tsquare head in the photos does not have the plastic cursor for aligning the fence with the measuring tape. Is it missing or just not shown? Based on my experience, finding a replacement, may be very difficult....

[Patrick Kane]

Been a few years since i had a unifence, but agreed, I dont remember a back piece typial of bies fences. Your buyer is either fabricating excuses to lowball you, or he is confused with a biesmeyer fence system. Ive had two unisaws with unifences and then one with a bies. The unifence saws came with a significantly more robust extension table. They didnt rely on the strength of the front rail(made of aluminum as you know), and thus were more robust than a pair of legs with a plywood top. I wouldnt let a good unifence system go for less than $100, no way. I would rather look at it in the corner of my shop. That should easily fetch $150-200

[Bill Adamsen]

Came with just the front rail. What you have is one of the older style Unifences. As someone pointed out, the scale is missing. Delta changed the scale to one that top mounts probably because the adjustment screws were virtually impossible to adjust when the fence was in place on the old version. The replacement scale has screw holes on the top of the arm. It would be very difficult to machine the holes on top to use the replacement scale. You could certainly fabricate a suitable lens with scale lines if in fact the old scale is not available.

I know I have panned the Unifence in prior posts (and been appropriately flamed), and recognize it is a very good fence. My chief complaint (changing from right to left cuts) takes perhaps a minute on the Unifence ... longer than it takes for a Biesemeyer. I find that annoying but recognize I am being unreasonable. In many ways, the Unifence is a really ideal setup for the Unisaw and you might consider keeping it. I have no idea what the market value is for the fence alone. You would need to find someone that wanted the fence desperately. Of course I probably wouldn't even sell to someone being deceptive.

[Jim Becker]

There are really only a few exceptions that a table saw fence actually uses a "back rail". Otherwise, the so-called back rail is just a piece of metal (typically angle iron) that has a singular purpose of supporting whatever extension table the saw happens to have in play.

[David Kumm]

The Hi Lo extrusion is worth $50 ( $75 if not sawed into ). Finding those is increasingly difficult and they work well with many old fence designs. Dave

[Bill Space]

I honestly do not understand why posters do not include their location when they join the forum. Or post questions.

I am a unifence fan by the way...

[brian cammarata]

My bad, I thought I did it...profile updated

[Rick Potter]

My 1993 Unisaw has the same fence. As others have said...no back rail at all, just angle under the right side melamine table.

I have a new, in the box cursor for my saw. I just looked, and the part number is 400-06-375-0001. I would just give the new buyer this number and let him find it on E=bay.

Hope this helps.

[glenn bradley]

There are really only a few exceptions that a table saw fence actually uses a "back rail". Otherwise, the so-called back rail is just a piece of metal (typically angle iron) that has a singular purpose of supporting whatever extension table the saw happens to have in play.

Bingo. Jim's got it. I would consider stashing that fence until someone posted a "looking for" thread wanting one. That way you have a serious and targeted customer.