Originally Posted by
Earl McLain
A lot of folks seem to get caught up in the cost of an accessory compared to the price of the tool it's used with. In this case--fence for a table saw. A solid, accurate fence can make an "okay saw" into a "good" or "very good" saw...maybe even better. And once a good aftermarket fence is acquired--it can be used with almost any future saw, or if not needed--sold for relatively good money. 6 or 7 years ago, I put an Incra system on a $700 retail saw that i paid $350 net for. Made a mediocre TS very usable, and when i see a Holy Grail come up--i don't have a concern about the fence with it. And if i get one with a top quality fence--i could sell my current fence for at least what i have in it so my net cost of use would be the time value of the money i paid.
It's tough to reconcile the relative value of the accessory when it seems totally out of line compared to the tool price--but a crappy fence will be tougher to work with, and potentially add some extra risk to the equation. Good luck in your decision!!!
earl
Earl said it very well. I've upgraded my contractor saw with various accessories. As a result, she performs like a well-tuned violin for the work that I do. However, when making new purchases, I do ask myself: "Am I going to get as much value out of this next purchase as I did from that $400 tablesaw?"
You won't long regret paying $300 for a used, quality fence. (Likewise spending money for other key "accessories" like a good miter gauge, good feather boards, good blade guard like shark guard.) You can certainly work without them and lotsa guys do. But I've found the work to be easier and more enjoyable with a few well-chosen pieces of better-quality gear. YMMV.
Fred
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
“If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”
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