# Replacing the fence on a 10" Craftsman Table Saw



## MLK

I have a Craftsman 10" table saw that's about that about 10 years old. The saw it self works great the fence is a different story. After pricing new saws I'm beginning to lean towards a new fence for the Craftsman. I'm sure there are some of you fellow LumberJocks out there that replaced there Craftsman fence with a new one, I could sure use your input


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## Jamie

Hey Mike.. Ironically I just replaced the fence on my 1952 Craftsman 10" tilt-arbor table saw that I had recently restored. I was going to make one, but I found one I really liked… The Delta T2 (you can pick it up at lowes for $150 or less. I think right now it is $135.00)... I love it. It is a Biesemeyer clone, and ironically, Delta owns Beisemeyer, so probably one of the better clones you can get. I actually found Lumberjocks.com because I was googling for fences and ran across this homemade fence that Hutch had made (another member).

What you are going to run into is that you will have to drill all new holes in the rails that come with just about any fence to get it to fit on your tablesaw, unless you get a Beisemeyer, which the same model as the Delta T2, will run you approximately $300 - $400. Or, you could get an aftermarket Craftsman, which would be just about as accurate as what you have now.

I have a blog on the fence upgrade… It is here. Just follow each blog entry to see the progress. At first I was a little gun shy and was going to take the fence back, but decided to go ahead and give it a go. All I can say is that it has breathed new life into this table saw, and I couldn't be any happier. I am glad that I kept the fence.

I also have a Craftsman 10" tilt-arbor contractors tablesaw that is circa 1995 (or around there somewhere). I think the model # starts with 113. Both tablesaws have the same hole spacing on the front. My 1952 didn't have any holes in the back of the table, so I had to drill some. If you are going to do this, make sure that you measure everything over and over for a couple of hours before you drill.

One more thing… Most people would just line up the first hole on the rail with the first hole on the table, then drill another hole spaced out to match. The only problem with this is that you won't be able to use the tape measure on the rail since it will never zero. That's why I decided to drill all new holes in the rails. I wanted to make sure that I could use the measure to get accurate cuts.

If there is anything I can do to help, just let me know..


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## whit

Mike, when I replaced mine I was also looking for a router table; I opted for the SawTrain by Jointech. I really like the system but, if it weren't for the need for a router table at the same time, it's a bit expensive and I probably would have looked elsewhere. It's the dickens and all to set up but is very accurate. I did have a problem with it not centering a cut on a board; it has a "rabbit and carrot" system that is *supposed* to help in the process. Uh huh. I tried to get some help from the demo tech at a woodworking show on it and he gave me the bum's rush like magician would do a kid who was telling the secrets to a trick. Who knows, maybe it's just ESO (that's equipment superior to operator).

Good luck on your search.

Whit


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## propcarver

Hi Mike,

I'll ditto the comments by Jamie.

I added the Delta T2 fence to my old Craftsman and it made a huge difference. It wasn't extremely difficult to install, was a reasonable price and works slick as a whistle.

Give it a go and you'll be pleased with the result.

Regards,
Bill


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## MLK

Thanks guys your advice is greatly appreciated. What I'm kind of leaning towards is the Vega 36" fence. I haven't found any bad reviews and most of them installed the fence on Craftsman contractor saws. All these reviews claimed that the fence bolted right up to the hole pattern already on the saw. All clams the fence works great, but the cosmetic's (finish) and the instructions leave a little bit to be desired. If any one has installed a Vega fence on there saw I wood like to hear from you.

Amazon has it for 229.99 and if I open an account I get another 30.00 off that.

Once again thanks to all and I wish all you LumberJocks a happy Prosperous New Year and may all your woodworking projects turn out great


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## mikega

Hi Mike
I put the Vega fence on my saw about a year ago. The installation was fairly easy and it fit right into the holes that are already there. The fence has really improved the quality of the cuts. I am sure you will like it.


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## scroller999

Thank you guys, I am new to this forum and I am also looking to replace the fence on my 10" craftsman saw thanks for the info as I will be looking into the Delta T2 that you mention. I have a Lowes just down the block from me. When I get it installed I will let you know how it turned out. Thanks again and I am sure I will gain a lot of information from you pros…MIKE


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## DocK16

I used a Craftsman contractors saw for years till I was able to up grade. The original equipment fence was a POS needing measuring at both table ends to ensure it was aligned with the blade before locking it down. I already had an Incra router fence so I was aware of how acurate they were so when I saw the TS III fence for the table saw I bought it. It was a great upgrade; easy to install and adust. It made the saw much more acurate and even fun to work with. The biggest draw back (other than price) was it does take up alot of space. but if you buy a bigger saw later it is still better than alot of OE fences. The other inexpensive improvement to the Craftsman TS was the kit offered through Woodcraft which includes 2 cast iron pulleys to replace the OE aluminum ones and the link belt which helped tame the vibration alot. Those along with a good blade and it will be like using a new machine.


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## MLK

All right you guys convinced me to take a look at the Delta T2 before buying. For all of you who have already installed the T2 how would you rate the documentation that comes with the fence?

5 excellent

1 bad


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## Jamie

To tell you the truth, it's a table saw fence.. I have both a hardcopy and pdf version of the documentation, and it goes through installing the fence, then alignment and zeroing. It's pretty straight forward though. It is specific to Delta table saws, so if you are going to put it on your craftsman, there really isn't anything in the documentation about modifying the fence.

If you want a copy of the manual, I can send it to you through email in PDF form. Just let me know…


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## Jamie

Mike,
Here is a link to the Delta t2 manual in case you need it..


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## lawg8r

Thanks for the advice on the Delt T2 fence. 
I have a similar problem with my Craftsman bench saw. I've had it since '95 and after every idle period, even just one day, I must readjust the fence (re-square the fence with the table). It's out of square by a degree or more (up to 3/16 inch across the width of the saw). I explained the problem to an engineering client of mine, and they supposed that the four lock down 1/4 -20 screws were putting the fence in tension that was relieved over time, causing the fence to shift with the rotational force imparted by the tension of the screws. Well maybe. I replaced the screws on the right-hand side of the fence with left-hand threaded 1/4-20 screws in an attempt to equalize the rotational tension on the fence, and it worked, somewhat, but the saw still required some adjusting every time I used it. In the preceding 10 years I've disassembled and re-squared the entire saw and fence rail system, changed to fine thread screws and did about everything else I could think of short of exorcising the saw. 
Making these adjustments is a huge hassle, but since the saw was a gift, and given to by my wife when my we were struggling financially, it's a permeate fixture. 
Again, thanks for the advice, I just simply could not justify paying as much for a Biesemeyer fence system as the saw cost new. I pick up the Delta fence system later today.
Rudy


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## jeb

mike,
i put a vega 50" on my 12 yr old craftsman ts about 1 month agothat i ordered from amazon. i put it on in less than an hour(all the holes aligned perfectly) and later i built an extension table, and so far i haven't needed legs due to the weight of the saw. i also added a different set of wheels to make more mobile, i found the sears legs were too flimsy. looking back i may never need the 50" so i should have gotten the 36" and saved some space in my shop. so far i have been please with the vega….
PS i had to rig the switch placement because it was hard to reach once the new fence was installed.


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## jeb

mike
from what i could measure the front mounting bolts on my ts are 16 1/2 inches apart, on the vega they allow for an inch or so either way. you can also drill additional holes in the vega but i did not have to(don't know if i would have been able to do that) hope this helps you out.


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## flyer

I recently purchased a T2 for my Craftsman contractor's TS (4 yrs. old). Had to drill new holes, but when I had it on, the fence was a good eight inch off of the table. I could live with that, but when I tried to rip a board to test it out, the two nylon adjusting screws, and the two screws for the tape measure site glass were above the table height, so the board could not set level on the table. There is no room in the angle iron on the front to redrill the holes to lower the unit. I didn't realize I would have this much trouble. I like the fence. Too bad I can't use it. Any suggestions as to how to fix this?
Thanks, Larry


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## Jamie

Larry,
You have to drill all new holes in the rails. If you use any of the existing holes, your '0' mark will be off quite a bit. Not a big deal if you don't ever care to use the measuring tape on the square tubing, but I really hate to have to measure the distance from the blade to the fence. Look in my blogs (the link is above in a previous post within this blog) I have went through the same thing.

I also sent you some info in a message that may help.

If you do it right, the Delta T2 fence is amazing!

If you could, start a blog and post some pictures of what you have done so far. I'll try to help you get this bad boy set up.


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## wooddon

I put a Mule fence on a old Grizzly. Every thing fit with no drilling or cutting. Works great. $200


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## MLK

Jeb thanks a lot or the info, the 16 1/2 inches sounds just about right. When you say that the rail allows for inch or so of adjustment I"m I to understant that the mounting holes are Long gated in the horizontal plane? 
From some of the reviews I"v read it sounds like the finish leaves something to be desired, do you find this true?

Larry, When I called Delta to get some information on the T2 they told me that the table saw face has to be an 1 1/2 wide to Accommodate the rails of the T2, if there not you will have to redrill the holes like Jamie said. The face on my Craftsman is 1 1/2 wide but from the information Jamie sent me and the measurments I'v taken it looks like I will have to do a lot off drilling to retrofit the T2 to my saw. Because of this I"m back to the Vega.


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## jeb

mike,
finish on mine was fine, all the parts were there with no problems and yes the adjustable screws are on the horizontal plane


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## johnbro

Shoot, get one of those Lowe's Biesemeyers and slap it on. Did it myself on my CMan 113… contractors saw last summer. Bought 6 of those fences. Piece of cake. Had to drill maybe 4 or 5 holes, easy with the rail clamped to the table and a 1/2" corded drill and a Costco drill bit. And I'm no machinist, not by a long shot. Used a little 3 in 1 as a lube and it worked fine.

The fence transformed the saw, just completely made a new saw out of it. Still have 5 of them if anybody wants one, let me know. I figured buying Biesemeyer fences was like buying gold-can't possibly go down in value


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## Obernelson

Glad to see the posts on the replacement fence for he old Craftsman saw. T2 sounds like an answer for me as well.


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## 559dustdesigns

Old post but I'd consider a shop fox, (Biesemeyer clone) I really like that design. Used it at work in one job for 4 years. I have an older Incra fence pricey but I love it and wouldn't change it for anything (other than the new model). I put the shop fox fence that came with my saw on a Hitachi saw that really improved its accuracy. Good luck on your fence upgrade.


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## Sunrunner34

I have the same situation a Craftsman 2.7 HP 10 in table saw. Its 10 or 12 years old and the rip fence has never been good just barely functional. Is it worth replacing the fence or would purchasing a new saw be the way to go. The saw still has plenty of power and never kicks back at me. I truly don't want to purchase a new saw unless it's really necessary.


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## MLK

Tom, all I can say it's been two years since I replaced the fence on my Sears table saw with the Delta T2 fence, and it's been well worth the money and a lot cheaper then a new saw.The problem is I don't Delta makes the T2 Fence anymore so you will have to fined a different fence to use, but I can assure you that what ever fence you decide on you won't be sorry, you can take the money you'll save buy something you don't have.

Good Luck


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## Sunrunner34

Another issue is my saw has an aluminum table on it. There isn't much beef to attach something too.


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## Viking

Mike;

You can still buy the Delta T-2 on Amazon. I am looking at one to add to my 70's Craftsman "backup" table saw the I use strictly with a dado cutter. (It's $185.60 with free shipping.)

http://www.amazon.com/Delta-36-T30-30-Inch-Fence-System/dp/B000H0R1S2

or from Tools-Plus.com for $150 and $6.50 shipping.

http://www.tools-plus.com/delta-36-t30.html?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=froogle&utm_term=DEL36-T30

Tom;

The aluminum table will add a challenge but can still probably work.

Good Luck!


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## steetsman

Hey , I purchased the T2 fence and unpackaged it , then realized the craftsman tablesaw I "scored" has a table top that is not as wide as the fence(model #103.2288 something) I guess not a "contractors" saw.
I was wondering if I could move in the rear fence clip? it is only 2 holes, tapping them and squareing up. Has anyone run into this????? or should I return the T2.I really don't want to…the saw runs great… thanks dave


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## leeinMT

I am grateful for all the entries on this forum, especially Jamie. With his and others' advice, I completely overhauled my old Craftsman 10" table saw which included the new Delta fence. It took special drilling and measuring, but I took my time and it fits perfectly. I also re-machined the face on the blade arbor, so now all good blades run true without any wobble. I also replaced the ancient motor belt with a link belt from Harbor Freight (American made and works great!). A coin standing on edge doesn't fall. The fence came with extra long rails, so I added a wide sideboard, plus a 4 X 6 outfeed table with mellamine surface. Like getting a new saw.
I located the fence from a tool vendor in New England for $145 and shipping was only $5.
I wasn't able to respond to this forum last fall because the site was locked out to new members.

Thanks again,
Lee


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## DocSavage45

Has anyone attempted to put a larger HP motor on the belt driven craftsman table saw?


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## leeinMT

Not that I have ever known. That might be a good idea and shouldn't be hard to do. I got a spare motor sitting in the corner.

Lee


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## DocSavage45

Reason for asking is hardwoods require more power. The hp on the craftsman belt driven saw is identified as 1.5 hp. Most decent cabinet saws have minimum of 3hp real power, some operating at 220 single phase. I am curious so I'd like to know how it goes.


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## bunkie

The key to fitting a new motor is understanding the NEMA mounting specifications. There are a whole lot of them but, basically, if you can find a more powerful motor that uses the same NEMA mount, it will be a bolt-in swap.

However, if you look at how a cabinet saw is constructed, you will see that they use a triple-belt system. I suspect that you could easily overload the belt with a more powerful motor.


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## DocSavage45

Thanks for info. I'm thinking at least a double pully if the shaft of motor and alignment works out w mounting?


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## RoyM

This is as of April, 2012. I needed to replace the fence on my '73 Craftsman 10-inch table saw. Reviewing this discussion, I went to both Lowes and Home Depot for a Delta T2 rip fence. Both stores no longer carry rip fences for table saws. I searched on line, and the best price (by far) was at Tools-Plus.com.


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## brtech

Yep, Tools-Plus is the place to go for that item. I got mine from them. Fast ship, easy purchase. Awesome fence.


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## DocSavage45

Yep, best price! Little nervous as my wings on my craftsman are cast iron? Any thing special other thn patiece to install it? Thanks


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## patrickmcconnell

I inherited a Craftsman 10 inch table saw (model#113.299040). Everything on it runs like new. Only thing is there is no rip fence assembly with it. No one makes a replacement or carries one anymore. From front to back my saw table is 27 in. I am lost and looking for good insight on what I can use that will be compatible. All suggestions are greatl appreciated.

Patrick, Oregon


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## knotscott

> I inherited a Craftsman 10 inch table saw (model#113.299040). Everything on it runs like new. Only thing is there is no rip fence assembly with it. No one makes a replacement or carries one anymore. From front to back my saw table is 27 in. I am lost and looking for good insight on what I can use that will be compatible. All suggestions are greatl appreciated.
> 
> Patrick, Oregon
> 
> - patrickmcconnell


Hi Patrick - Due to the age and length of this thread, I think you'd get a lot more replies by starting a new one.

Just about any aftermarket fence can be made to work with your saw. Some drilling may be required for some, but cast iron drills pretty easily. The original steel Emerson fence that came with the saw can be found used on Ebay for $40-50, but they're pretty bad. The Delta T3 sells for $193 from Home Depot, and is considered by many one of the best bargains available. Another less expensive option is the Craftsman Aligna-rip/Exacta-rip aluminum fence (#9-29910)...$120 +s/h and should be a direct bolt on….not as good as the T3, but functional….give a call to be sure it'll fit, but it should be a direct bolt on. Here's a used Cman XR-2424 that will fit for $135 shipped. You might also find that a fence from one of the Ridgid full size contractor saws will fit - ts2412, 2424, 3612, 3650.


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## DocSavage45

*Check out "I build it" with John Heinz,*

If you have patience and some skill ??? John has built a very nice fence for his craftsman.

Mine has found a new home and the purchaser was really suprised how great a condition it was in. Now have a 1023 grizzly 3 hp.

best of luck!


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