Me, I would have to balance what the saw is worth in deciding whether to go DIY or not.
I'm betting any fence over $300 is more than the saw is worth.
I'm betting any fence over $300 is more than the saw is worth.
Need table saw fence advice.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have a Delta 36-360 contractor's saw for the past 30+ years. It works well for what I do in the garage. The motor even resumed working after being dunked in sewage-laced flood water after the Corps of Engineers drowned my neighborhood in Hurricane Harvey. The gorillas I hired to move stuff after the flood damaged the fence and I decided to get a new one. Which fence to buy is the question I pose to you all.
Delta makes the T30 fence which will fit my saw, but its hard to get. The local big box stores do not have one in stock and it costs $242. The Vega fence looks nice but costs $350. The ShopFox fence W1410 would cost $290 but does not use the square tubing design which I prefer.
There is, however, a company named Vevor who makes a table saw fence for $160. The Vevor fence looks just like the Delta T30 but materials and material thickness cannot be verified from the pictures. Vevor offers a number of small equipment items for sale but there are no reviews on how good their stuff might be. I have found no reviews on their fence. Vevor is, no doubt, made in China, but then what is not made in China these days? Fence design and fabrication is not rocket science. Once mounted and set up, the Delta T30 and the Vevor unit will do the same thing.
Thus the question: buy a Delta T30 and wait to get it or buy the Vevor fence? Thank you in advance for your kind comments and advice.
I have a Delta 36-360 contractor's saw for the past 30+ years. It works well for what I do in the garage. The motor even resumed working after being dunked in sewage-laced flood water after the Corps of Engineers drowned my neighborhood in Hurricane Harvey. The gorillas I hired to move stuff after the flood damaged the fence and I decided to get a new one. Which fence to buy is the question I pose to you all.
Delta makes the T30 fence which will fit my saw, but its hard to get. The local big box stores do not have one in stock and it costs $242. The Vega fence looks nice but costs $350. The ShopFox fence W1410 would cost $290 but does not use the square tubing design which I prefer.
There is, however, a company named Vevor who makes a table saw fence for $160. The Vevor fence looks just like the Delta T30 but materials and material thickness cannot be verified from the pictures. Vevor offers a number of small equipment items for sale but there are no reviews on how good their stuff might be. I have found no reviews on their fence. Vevor is, no doubt, made in China, but then what is not made in China these days? Fence design and fabrication is not rocket science. Once mounted and set up, the Delta T30 and the Vevor unit will do the same thing.
Thus the question: buy a Delta T30 and wait to get it or buy the Vevor fence? Thank you in advance for your kind comments and advice.
1 - 10 of 10 Posts
For what it's worth i have the delta fence on my craftsman and I've been very happy with it.
To offer my advice, it would help if you described how often and for what types of projects you plan to use your current Delta saw with-e.g. small DIY projects? fine woodworking?, etc.
Given the age of your Delta saw (coupled with the challenge of getting replacement parts for it), and the cost of the new fence-I'd have to lean towards Robert's suggestion of considering if the Delta at this point is worth putting an expensive fence on.
If you're a casual DIY'er, there are a host of options in newer contractor saws in the $300-500 range that would suit your needs.
I have a Dewalt Contractor saw with folding stand that's been used for woodworking projects, trim work, etc. It has a good fence, is portable, and the stand folds to a small footprint that minimizes storage space in the garage.
Don't know if my input helps your decision, but thought I'd weigh in on the question.
Gerry
Given the age of your Delta saw (coupled with the challenge of getting replacement parts for it), and the cost of the new fence-I'd have to lean towards Robert's suggestion of considering if the Delta at this point is worth putting an expensive fence on.
If you're a casual DIY'er, there are a host of options in newer contractor saws in the $300-500 range that would suit your needs.
I have a Dewalt Contractor saw with folding stand that's been used for woodworking projects, trim work, etc. It has a good fence, is portable, and the stand folds to a small footprint that minimizes storage space in the garage.
Don't know if my input helps your decision, but thought I'd weigh in on the question.
Gerry
Check local Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or Offerup for used table saw fences.
Used Biesemeyer and Unifence show up every couple weeks here in Arizona, for half cost of new inferior T30.
If you have patience, set search alerts and something should post. Just be sure to react quickly, a lot of Craftsman TS were sold that need better fences.
While rare to find, sometimes can even buy a TS and fence for same as cost of a new fence:
![Font Wood Gas Asphalt Tool]()
Best Luck.
Used Biesemeyer and Unifence show up every couple weeks here in Arizona, for half cost of new inferior T30.
If you have patience, set search alerts and something should post. Just be sure to react quickly, a lot of Craftsman TS were sold that need better fences.
While rare to find, sometimes can even buy a TS and fence for same as cost of a new fence:
Best Luck.
Attachments
-
31.3 KB Views: 5
Can your fence be fixed?
I have had a Vega fence for over 20 years and love it. Would highly recommend it.
I don't think adding a $300 fence to a saw that may not be worth $300 is necessarily a BAD idea. Sure one could spend over $1000 (or 3) on a new saw with a great fence but is THAT a good idea? I have an old Ridgid cast iron saw with the original fence … my neighbor just added a Vega to his old 1950's Craftsman saw … I'm considering the Vega for my saw. It can easily be a deep rabbit hole to dive into ... good luck.
-Dale
-Dale
A good fence can make an average contractor saw into a great table saw.
I have a Vega fence and a Biesemeyer fence as well as a couple stock Powermatic pipe rail fences. The old Powermatic fences don't always lock perfectly parallel to the blade. The Biesemeyer fence is nicer than the Vega fence but the 10" Powermatic 65 with the Vega fence gets a lot more use than the 12" Powermatic 71 with the commercial Biesemeyer fence. I have never felt the need to swap the fences. The Vega fence is plenty good enough and always sets the fence parallel to the blade.
If it were me I would check the local Craigslist and buy the best deal that comes along on a quality fence. This is how I ended up with the Vega fence and Biesemeyer fence.
You might even find someone selling a cabinet saw with a nice fence for little more than you will spend on a brand new fence… if you have the room for one.
I have a Vega fence and a Biesemeyer fence as well as a couple stock Powermatic pipe rail fences. The old Powermatic fences don't always lock perfectly parallel to the blade. The Biesemeyer fence is nicer than the Vega fence but the 10" Powermatic 65 with the Vega fence gets a lot more use than the 12" Powermatic 71 with the commercial Biesemeyer fence. I have never felt the need to swap the fences. The Vega fence is plenty good enough and always sets the fence parallel to the blade.
If it were me I would check the local Craigslist and buy the best deal that comes along on a quality fence. This is how I ended up with the Vega fence and Biesemeyer fence.
You might even find someone selling a cabinet saw with a nice fence for little more than you will spend on a brand new fence… if you have the room for one.
I switched my delta biesemeyer for an incra fence and I haven't found anyone to take the delta fence off my hands. I tried selling it but no takers. I gave it to a friend for his son but he bought a sawstop contractors saw for him instead.
1 - 10 of 10 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
LumberJocks Woodworking Forum
A forum community dedicated to professional woodworkers and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about shop safety, wood, carpentry, lumber, finishing, tools, machinery, woodworking related topics, styles, scales, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Top Contributors this Month
View All
bandit571
171 Replies
Desert_Woodworker
147 Replies
JackDuren
61 Replies
Recommended Communities
