Replies

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Dec 06, 2009 07:30am | #1

   If your saw has a cast iron top, then it should be a snap to fit an aftermarket fence.  At the worst you would have to drill a couple of holes in the cast iron, and that turns out not to be a very difficult thing to do, particularly since the fences are made to have a measure of adjustablity to accommodate factory holes that might well have varied over the years. 

   I have a Vega fence on my 1946 vintage Unisaw, that I like.  It just bolted on--no holes to drill, but I have drilled for other attachments and found it quite do-able. 

1. 
   tobiasshadow | Dec 06, 2009 03:21pm | #2

   Great - that's the exactly the info I wanted. Yes, it is cast iron. Now, to budget for the saw. Thanks

2. 
   Knotscott | Dec 06, 2009 08:44pm | #3

   A good fence can make or break a saw.  Money well spent IMHO.  You'll kick yourself for not doing it sooner.

   The marquis fence is the Biesemeyer Commercial fence, but it can also be really pricey.  There are other excellent fences from HTC, Jet, Vega, Delta T2, Delta Unifence, Shop Fox Classic, Shop Fox Alumarip Classic....any one of which I could live happily with.  Starting the $150 range, the T2 and SF Aluma Classic tend to be the better bargains, but the Vega sometimes goes on sale at really attractive prices. 

    

3. 
   bones | Dec 06, 2009 09:06pm | #4

   I have the grizzly 1023slx and it has this fence and it has served me very well over the years and is dead on and the 7' rails are nice and gives a big surface.  you can get a shorter version as well.  They also have the besmyer fence for about twice the cost.

   http://www.grizzly.com/products/The-Classic-Fence-w-7-Rails-Legs/G9220

   http://www.grizzly.com/products/searchresults.aspx?q=saw%20fence

    

   ...Advice is a form of nostalgia.  Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off , painting over the ugly parts, and recycling it for more than it’s worth –  lyrics from the song wear sunscreen

4. 
   DougGF | Dec 06, 2009 10:19pm | #5

   My first TS was a craftsman of about the same vintage and I modified it 20 years ago with a Beisemeyer.  As another Knoter wrote, the cast iron top is easy to drill and tap to accommodate a modern fence rail.  And you are right in thinking that this one modification will make a great difference in enjoyment, accuracy and safety.

   BTW, when I bought a larger cabinet saw I transferred the Beisemeyer fence to new saw so the investment in a quality fence is not lost when or if you upgrade. 

5. 
   Dave45 | Dec 07, 2009 12:16am | #6

   Craftsman has several aftermarket fences that are orders of magnitude better than your "stock" frnce - and there are other vendors with fences that would work just fine.

   I used a Craftsman TS from '85 until this summer. About 12 years ago, I decided that I either needed to work it over or spring for a better saw. Since money was a little tight then, I opted for a serious overhaul - including the Craftsman XR2424 fence. The improvement was amazing. That "sota-ok" saw became almost as good as a cabinet saw and I made some really decent stuff with it.

   I don't think that Craftsman makes the XR2424 anymore, but they do have upgrade fences that should bolt right up to your saw. While your at it, get some machined pulleys and a link belt. You won't believe the difference.

1. 
   tobiasshadow | Dec 07, 2009 02:24am | #7

   Thanks. "machined pulleys" "link belt"? Are you talking about the belt from the motor to the saw? (It's called an arbor, right?) And the pulleys that hold that belt? Or something completely different? I'm thinking this is interesting advice as I was wondering if my belt needed to be replaced. The saw seems to be fine but there's a bit of slack in it. Appreciate your thoughts.. Thanks - Sending my query publically in case soemone else wonders.. too.. Thanks

1. 
   joespehar | Dec 07, 2009 03:45am | #8

   The arbor is the threaded shaft that the blade slips onto.

2. 
   Dave45 | Dec 07, 2009 04:17pm | #9

   Yes, and yes.The stock pulleys are cast and are ok, but machined pulleys are better balanced and will help reduce vibration.The stock drive belt is just a simple "V" belt and often takes a "set" which causes vibration. A link belt runs much smoother.After I switched to machined pulleys and a link belt, my old Craftsman would almost pass the nickel test (standing a nickle on edge while the saw ran). Not quite, but stuff on the table quit trying to dance onto the floor. - lolDon't try to make your belt too tight. It's supposed to just "hang" from the weight of the motor hanging on the motor mount. If the belt is too tight, it will exert forces on the arbor that can cause excessive wear.

1. 
   tobiasshadow | Dec 07, 2009 04:39pm | #10

   Great.. just did a bit of googling.. just to make sure is this the type of belt you mean? http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/power-twistdrivebelt.aspx(they also have pulleys) Gosh I love the web. Thanks for helping everyone...

6. 
   RalphBarker | Dec 07, 2009 08:30pm | #11

   When comparing "premium" after-market fences with the stock versions, it may also be helpful to think about the mechanics involved, so as to better understand the advantages. First, the fence depends on a fixed relationship between the table and the front support rail of the fence. The fence should essentially float on rear guide rail. Some fence designs allow tightening of the rear of the fence on the rear rail once it is set in relation to the blade. Those clips can sometimes bind on the rear rail, however, butting stress on where the fence is adjusted with respect to the front rail.

   Most of the rails for stock fences are made of relatively light tubular stock, either square or round. The after-market T-square style fences, in contrast, use a much heavier steel channel that is much less subject to bending.

   I fitted a Delta T2 fence to my older Delta contractor's saw, and had to drill a couple of additional holes in the rail to match those on the saw's table. I felt that was a better option, since the existing holes in the table were in reinforced segments of the casting. Either way, a fair degree of precision is required, of course.

   I also mounted my T2's rail farther to the left, essentially splitting the capacity between left and right sides of the blade. That kept the balance of the saw more centered, and allowed it to fit in the space I had available.

7. 
   HoustonsProblem | Dec 19, 2009 02:03pm | #12

   I have an old Rockwell table saw, that I got for $100.00. I bought it at the time, because it worked good and had an aluminum top which is just the ticket for Humid Houston. I installed an Incra fence and a router table from Woodpeckers.

   The answer is yes, it is worth it to install a good fence on an old but solid machine.

   The fence makes it a lot easier to do quality work. With the original fence, I had to measure from the front and back of the miter slot lock the fence down, loosen it, tap it to make it parallel, etc. I could do quality work, but it took a long time.

8. 
   Don01 | Dec 19, 2009 06:22pm | #13

   I have both an Accusquare and a Redline fence. Both adapt well to older saws and work very well.

   Accusquare

   http://www.mulecab.com/tablesaw.html

   Redline Fence

   http://store.thesawshop.com/catalogue/default.php?cPath=42

   I like the Redline as Dave has introduced a few extras like a low and high fence.

   Don