Advice on Unifence

Unifences were closed-out by Lowes or something a year or two
ago and there are a lot of them sitting around unopened in
guy’s garages. Look on ebay. You can get one for around
$150 plus shipping.

The Unifence is a cool design. Because the extrusion can
be slid back, it can act as a cut off stop easily. Combined
with a miter fence to the left with a stop and the fence
to the right, a method of work becomes possible that is
highly efficient. Euro saws work this way as well.

I wish I still had my old unifence !

-- If the old masters had power tools, they would have used them. So get off your damn High Horse.

Bill60:

I don’t think you’re being foolish at all…..I have a Unisaw w/ a Biesemeyer fence, but the Unifence was here before the Biesemeyer, and is a great fence…..past and present…I have an old Craftsman that I put a Delta SawGuide on years ago, and it works great. The SawGuide is a 30” fence system, and just a smaller version of the bigger Unifence…..Like all fences, once you get it zeroed in, you’re good to go…..carry on….

-- " Don't ever wrestle a pig in a mudhole....he'll be having more fun than you..!!

Not at all, it sounds to me like you’ll be quite happy with your saw (you did get a great deal). My first table saw was a 34-444, and I loved it. I changed to a Unisaw when I retired as a self given retirement gift, but it was a Unisaw so I could stay with the Unifence. I do think you could get a better deal on the fence…but it sounds like you’re on a roll and I wouldn’t want to break the momentum.

-- I long for the days when Coke was a cola, and a joint was a bad place to be (Merle Haggard)

+1 for the unifence. Just my opinion but the if a fence system doesn’t slide fore and aft I don’t want it. when I rip stock the fence is slid back with only about 3 inches in front of the blade. This give you a lot of fence to line up and get you material running straight. Slide it forward for cross cutting.

-- Alaskan's for Global warming!

I have a Unifence that I’ve been using for over ten years and really like it, very precise. Sometimes it’s a bummer because there are so many jigs designed for the Beisemeyer but a big benefit of the Unifence is that it is easy to make and attach new fences. There is a website floating around where a guy came up with some nifty jigs. I think if Delta had included a t-track in the face, the fence would have been more popular. The real downside is that it takes about 2 minutes if you want to cut on the other side of the blade.

-- -- Rick M.

I like the unifence. Mine is 16 years old. It is very durable, accurate, easy to adust, and is easy to clamp to. The one thing I don’t like about it is that you can’t build a sliding box around it. I see many designs for jigs that slide, but not on a unifence.

-- JJ

I have both the Unifence and a Beisemeyer. I like them both. Never had a problem with either.

-- Sam Hamory - The project is never finished until its "finished"!

Thanks for all the input guys. I found a Delta T-2 fence new in the box on CL here in town that a guy bought for his Delta benchtop saw a few years ago; Unfortunately, it would not fit. He said that he was tired of tripping over it and let me buy it for $50.00. I geuss the T-2 was Delta’s attempt to compete with the Beisemeyer before they just bought them? Anyway it bolted right up to the saw in a flash. I am trying to post a picture or two and I am trying to talk myself out of trying to get that Unifence. I geuss my wife is right about my compulsiveness.

I see what you mean about the jigs being easier to make for this type of fence

Tools Plus has the Delta T2 fence for $147.97. That’s about as good a deal as there is out there. I bought one from them just last week. Showed up fast too. Best deal I could find.

-- Bondo Gaposis

Most jigs can be made to slide in the miter slot instead of sliding over the fence. A bit less convenient but any easy workaround.

-- -- Rick M.

Hey Bill, I’ve got a T2 on my saw and, whille it’s a perfectly fine fence on its own, I’d replace it with a Unifence in a heartbeat. The extra adjustability wins every day.

One other thing: the T2 came along after Delta bought Biesemeyer; it’s their lower-end fence and was standard issue on later contractor saws. :)

-- Rory // Winter Sun Woodworking // Milwaukee, WI

I’ve got a Unifence on my Delta Contractors Platinum TS bought in 1995 and I am very happy with it. I’d get a replacement if this one ever wears out, which is likely never gonna happen. Like Rory said, the extra adjustments are very handy to have.

-- ~^ DaveG ~^

I replaced the stock fence on my Ridgid R4511 with a 30” Unifence. I also had a 50” one on my previous General 350 cabinet saw. I have been using a Unifence for about 20 years and love them.

Here is an option for an auxiliary fence made for the Unifence body which allows you to use hold downs, featherboards, etc.:” http://www.ptreeusa.com/uni_t_fence.htm I have one of these and find it useful for some situations.

-- Paul, Auburn, WA