Aftermarket table saw fence
Hello All,
I've been absent from the forum for a long time. Life.
Literally a few months ago had to clean the shed up so I could access all of the tools and equipment to help a niece with a woodworking project. Probably the first time in 5 years I used the gear to make something...with my career and family I am so time poor that Woodworking has taken a back seat. Funny thing though, I really enjoyed making the project with my niece.
A spark was generated and it set fire to the sawdust in my head. Rebirth...adapt, overcome, destroy....nope wrong dream...
start small. So there is a plan to massively de-clutter the shed, strip it back to what it needs to have and either sell, give away or throw out what is not required. There is a shop made cyclone plan in there but that can be for another thread. Once that is done I can re-embrace the smell of sawdust and the smell of timber being worked...and hot glue guns being left on....
But something that has bothered me for a long time raised its ugly head again.
Back in about 2011'ish' I bought a Carbatec MJ2325CT 3Hp plain Jane, very vanilla table saw. I love the saw, it's big and flat and the motor has got heaps of grunt to cut the toughest of woods.....BUT that freaking crap fence...you know it, round profile rail that actually locks the BACK of the fence against the rear rail and not at the front like a biesemeyer style fence....as bad as ever...moves when you look at it...where it can be 3-4mm out front to back....just rubbish.
So with thanks to the Australian Government and my tax return money burning a hole in my pocket I went out into the world to seek a replacement fence. Remembering that at almost every point in my woodworking life glancing longingly at after market fences and thinking that they could be the answer to my wayward table saws need for a decent fence.
********** REALITY CHECK -- REALITY CHECK *********
Sadly with the plethora of overseas table saw fences which NONE ship to Australia I have literally found 2 with a third possible....BTW not spending a gazillion dollars on an Incra...
https://www.timbecon.com.au/table-sa...plete-assembly $299
I am sure this is an adequte fence but it feels a bit pov and in a field with better fences out there its a distant 3rd.
HVY-HB30-Fence and Rail System - Major Woodworking Equipment $385
This feels like the fence that Carbatec and Hare and Forbes used to sell. My front runner until anything better comes along
Oliver 4016 Tablesaw - Major Woodworking Equipment
This tablesaw is about $4100 but the fence and rails are available to buy as a spare part. Price TBC once I can confirm price and availability but it looks pretty solid, as befitting a $4100 table saw. If it is reasonable I think this is my guy...unless I get a better offer...
I am aware of the Super cool tools T-Square but by the time you order it, get the fence, ship it, make the rails and put it on the saw it's a lot of coin...seems fabulous but yeah, nah....
So, good folk of the woodworkforums, what say you, what am I missing? Anyone got a beat on something else? More than willing to pay up to $500 for something decent, strong and repeatable, but the US fences are $329-$400 USD before freight IF YOU CAN FIND SOMEONE WHO WILL SEND IT TO AUS, and you get smashed on the exchange rate... is making my own with barely there welding skills the answer? Please help as I feel there are a lot of people looking for the answer to this riddle...I hope there is more because it is very sad if this is as good as it gets.