Unisaw/Biesemeyer 50" Extension Table Question

Having finally gotten my new 36-L31X-BC50 Delta cabinet saw onto its mobile base, I began the assembly process.

As many of you know, the X5 tablesaw has comes with "free accessories" including (as listed on Delta's website):

3 HP Left Tilt Unisaw with Biesemeyer Fence (36-L31X-BC50) $292.02 Value

-Universal Tableboard for 50² System (78-852) -Carbide Toothed Blade (35-617) -Cast Iron Wing (36-937)

The Biesemeyer extension table measures 44" in length. The distance from the blade to the edge of the cast iron table top is 10". The cast iron wing (on the right side) measures 10" wide. Assuming I mount the right cast wing, the distance from the blade to the far edge of the extension table is 64", certainly more than 50" or 52".

In photos on Delta's site, the extension table is shown with the right cast iron wing, although the extension table seems shorter than 44". In the Biesemeyer installation manual that came with the fence, some photos show the extension table mounted WITH the right wing and some show it WITHOUT it. There is no specific mention of whether the right cast wing should be used or not.

Images show the tubular steel guide tube extending about 6" beyond the far end of the extension table, but if I install the right cast wing, it will be short of the end of the extension table.

Before I start assembling this incorrectly (probably can't do any harm either way), can anyone relate their own experiences with this issue and/or sugggestions?

An additional question relates to an apparent inability to bolt the extension table to the cast iron top (or wing), since the extension table frame is "open" on this side (i.e., frame is only on three sides, not four) and there would be no place to place bolts (although there are certainly threaded holes in the cast iron in this location).

Thanks in advance for your help.

Stu

Reply to
Electric Stu
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The Delta/Biesmeyer directions don't provide a lot of guidance here! You can mount it with or without the right-side cast iron wing extension, your choice. I chose to use the wing, so ended up with the longer total table size, but find it convenient.

If you choose to use the wing, then the table legs will mount slightly differently than the directions, but there's another wooden cross-member under the table in just the right place.

There is no need to bolt the table to the extension wing itself. I used some

1x4 pine temporarily clamped to the bottom of the steel angle brackets with some small C-clamps to hold the table in place while drilling the mounting holes in the table.

-- Tom

Reply to
Tom

The extension table attaches to the rails of the fence. It is not necessary to attach it to the wing. Getting the thing level with the wing on the other hand is a pain. If it is not completely right the fence will clank every time it goes over the bump and you have to take the fence guide rail off to fix it.

You definitely want the cast iron wing, whether you want the extension table as anything more than stiffner for the fence rails is another issue. As far as I can make out the only use for the extension table is when dealling with really big chunks of plywood. I use a circular saw for those cuts.

The wing on the other hand is pretty useful because it gives you another 12" width to what is almost certainly the largest surface area in your shop that is really flat.

Reply to
Phillip Hallam-Baker

Congratulations on a great saw, Stu. Use the wing!

I too had to fiddle quite a bit to get the extension table in the same plane as the cast iron top, but it can be done. Make sure to place the legs under the table and mark *before* screwing them in--placement isn't intuitive using the 50" extension. (The installation guide points this out, and it's good advice.)

One watchout, however: after I leveled the extension with the cast iron top, I raised the mobile base up for movement. I noticed that this action caused the extension table to lose it's level (the table's leg levelers were flush agains the mobile base, and the end of the table pushed up the legs, causing the interface between the table and the cast iron wing to slip about 1/16"). Make sure the mobile base doesn't affect the table level when you raise/lower it.

Chuck

Reply to
Chuck

Assemble the table to the wing with the bolts just snug, but not fully tightened up yet.

Take a straight piece of wood about 2 feet long (a 2x4 with one wide face jointed flat would work just fine) and lay it along the front edge of the table, overlapping the joint. Clamp it to the cast iron wing with a couple of C-clamps. Do the same for the extension. Repeat the whole deal along the rear edge of the table.

You have now just forced the table joint into perfect alignment. Tighten up the bolts holding the extension to the cast top, remove the clamps, and you're all set.

Reply to
Roy Smith

Chuck wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news.comcast.giganews.com:

This side table adjustment is the one that I probably three or four times per year. I slide my saw right and left, unfortunately across an expansion gap in the floor of what the planners described as a garage (how short- sighted!) Maybe I should fill that gap in just a 20" section...

I hope you enjoy your new saw as much as I do mine.

Patriarch

Reply to
Patriarch

I do use the 50 inch Biesmeyer fence on my saw... A right tilt Jet ..not a left tilt Delta...but the mounting procedure is the same...

USE THE CAST IRON WING....

Now the table extension (in my case birch plywood) is NOT bolted to the wing at all... it is bolted only to the rails...front and rear... I also shifted my rails to the left about a foot to allow me to make those treaded miter rips on the left side of my blade..when needed... not for safty reasons...but to stop splintering on the visible edge of the miter... this reduces my normal rip compacity to about 48 inches to the right of my blade...not a problem for me YET in almost 15 years with this configuration...

The ONLY thing you may have problems with is getting the top edge of the extention table perfectly flat with the cast Iron wing and tabletop of you saw.. a few shims may be needed but nothing really hard... Like I said my extension table is completely home built but it went together real easily... if you had the need for a Cabinet saw then I have to assume you could make your own without the slightest trouble...

Enjoy the Saw....& Congradulations...

Bob Griffiths

Reply to
Bob G.

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