The current special woodworker.com is running on Delta 36-426 and
36-431 contractor saws ($688.05 and $819.00 respectively) is causing me to make up my mind on which model/configuration to order sooner than I expected.From the viewpoint only of owners/users of either or both fences, what are the pros and cons?
Thanks in advance for your input.
rgds/ldv
"> me to make up my mind on which model/configuration to order sooner
===================== I have had a Bies on my cabinet saw for well over 10 years and absolutely love the thing...my son has a Unifence on his saw and from my limited use of his saw I most likely would be happy with either.... Given the choice I would take the REAL Biesemeyer BUT I really do not have any good reasons why .. I just like and TRUST it...
Bob Griffiths
I have the Beisemeyer fence and truly enjoy using it. I think I'd be happy with the unifence also. There was a thread on this a few months back so yo may fnd more information if you do a search on Google Groups. It is somewhat a Ford/Chevy thing.
The $131 price difference is would be a factor in my decision.
I went with the Biesemeyer fence on the 36-431 about 8 months ago and have not looked back. 90% of the work I do is home repair and funiture building. The Biesemeyer fence is a tank and handles the jobs I throw at it with ease.
For a good look at what both have to offer do a search at
I have a Unifence on my Unisaw and love it. Like the others, I think either is a great fence. It is really what you prefer.
I like to be able to pull my Unifence back and use the gauge for crosscutting. You can do that with a Bies but you have to clamp a piece of wood to it and then the gauge doesn't read correctly. I think the Bies is easier to clamp jigs to, however.
I bought a replacement part for my Unifence that allows it to keep the functionality of a Unifence but makes it even better than the Bies for attachments. It is called a Uni-T-Fence. You can see it at
Also - the price difference of the saws surprises me. Every time I have seem the advertised before, the price of a saw with a Unifence or Bies was identical. Is there another difference in the saws?
Rob
I have a Delta contractors saw with a Unifence. I like it works great. That said I have used saws with Biesmeyer fences too, liked them just fine also! It is a toss up! As others have said the Bies is easier to add jigs to, but then you can upgrade the fence on the Unifence to a T track fence that is better than the Bies! So what to do!?
With the prices differances you mention I wonder if there are other differances between the saws. When I bought mine the saw was the same price with either fence, but they did not have the Bies in stock at the time so I bought the Uni.
Also to confuse the issue I looked up the saws on Delta's web site. Both saws mentioned use the same parts list. There are differances in the cabinet and extension wings, but the saws seem the be the same. I wonder if both saws use a cast iron or steel left side wing? Greg
I have little experience with the Unifence so I can't offer a contrasting opinion. My X5 Unisaw came with the Bies and I like it. It locks dead-on accurate and it's easy to align. When folks ask for reviews they like to see nits so here are mine:
Because the Bies has projecting edges on the fence faces underneath it tends to drop into the miter slot as you slide it around. No big deal. I got into the habit of lifting it slightly as I adjust it. It's an easy fix I haven't gotten around to making.
It came with a useless installation manual. The Delta in the example was an older Unisaw so the supplied hardware didn't match the inventory list, the holes on the rails didn't match the instructions, etc. Making it worse was that the parts are long and heavy and I did it by myself so at least I gott a good upper arm workout. In the end, I threw away the manual, looked at a photo of the X5 on Delta's web site and tried to make mine look like theirs. It worked.
------------------------------------------=o&>o---- Steve Manes, Brooklyn, USA
I have spent a lot of time on both. I prefer the Unifence for its versatility. The Beis is heavy duty, so if you're going to be slamming things into it on a regular basis, get it. You can make jigs for the Beis to do all the things a Uni will do.
I have this unifence and also upgraded ti to the Uni-T fence. heavy duty, repeatable and the jigs and whatever work better than on the stock Uni fence. the beis would probably be the better choice if it was the same price.
BRuce
Larry Vaden wrote:
You guys can be a PITA sometimes. Here I am sitting next to a warm computer and now I had to go out to the 10 degree garage to check my fence. Yes, it is VERY cold out there.
Yes, the side do protrude. No, it never hangs up on the miter slots. I just ran it across them a half dozen times to be sure.
Check the usless manual for proper setup because something is wrong on yours. There are two supports on the underside of the fence for it to ride on and keep it above the slots. Check that they are in place and have not worn out.
I have a unifence on my contractor saw, but I use a beis at work.
the unifence is very slick, but I waste a lot of time pulling the fence off, flipping it over to the other side every time I have to rip a little huink of wood on the right (left?) side of the blade when I tip the blade over to 45-
Beismeyer is better. and likely more bullet proof.
-Dan V.
I can honestly say I have never wanted to move the fence to the left of the blade. Am I missing something?
BRuce
Dan Valleskey wrote:
He probably has a right-tilt saw, and you probably have a left-tilt saw.
-- Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?
Not many times that I do put the fence on the left side of the blade BUT I do... I do own a right tilt saw therefore if I am ripping a bevel cut I will put the fence on the left .. BUT NOT FOR SAFTEY REASONS ..
I do it simply because I can place the finished side of the workpiece UP thus avoiding the problem of chip out being visible ON THE GOOD SIDE...
Bob Griffiths.
Ahhh, yes I do. thanks, I never think about the tilt.
BRuce
Doug Miller wrote:
Hmmmm, hadn't thought about that either, since mine is a left tilt.
BRuce
grif wrote:
having had both fences, I like the Biesemeyer better.. Easier, fast, quicker to make and use jigs with... more positive feel and less deflection..
IMHO
You made me walk down two flights of stairs to my heated, and finally clean, shop to check that useless manual again. Mine has nothing about adjusting for this. My Biese is only four weeks old so it's not worn out.
On the underside of the fence are two nylon shims which lift it ~1/32" above the table. The shims are slightly contoured with a high spot in the middle. The problem is that when the fench is unlocked, it rocks slightly on that shim. As you slide it left, the left edge of the fence drops slightly and catches in the miter slot. Ditto for the right. This would suggest that the front rail might be too low but it's spot-on according to the masonite template included with the kit.
As I said, the instructions next to useless for a Delta X5. I had to put it together from a photograph of the saw on Delta's web site so maybe that template doesn't apply to an X5 either. Again, it's no big deal.
------------------------------------------=o&>o---- Steve Manes, Brooklyn, USA
mine doesn't catch on the slots.... Bridger
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