Table Saw Fence

Some woodworkers are very happy with the performance of their current saw, so they aren’t interested in buying a new one if they aren’t satisfied with their table saw fence.  A high-quality table saw fence can always be kept and transferred to another saw at some point, so it’s a sensible investment.

What to Look For

There are some basic considerations to keep in mind when looking into table saw fences.  A fence should help make your work go faster and be more accurate and safe.

• First, does the fence stay aligned?  It’s worth searching online to compare different brands of fences to see which has the best performance.  This will be determined by the quality and weight of materials as well as the design and assembly.

• After market table saw fences can vary in ease of installation.  You will want to check to see how much time it will take and how complex it is.

• Table saw fences should obviously be highly accurate.  This is another area to research, and find out how professional woodworkers rate different manufacturers.

• You will want to decide what kind of fine adjustments you might want.  Some woodworking projects call for minute measurements, so this may be a factor in your choice.

• For the types of projects you are currently doing, or want to do in the future, will the table saw fence give you the right capacity for cutting the widths and lengths you need?  You should consider what size suits your requirements.

• If fences flex, you’ll get poor cuts.  This is the downside of the use of lightweight materials in fences, or poor construction.  Try fences before you buy if possible.

Some models of table saw fences are meant for professional contractors who need ruggedness and durability.  Some have very fine-tuned mircro-adjusment capability.  It’s well worth the time looking into the different brands of table saw fences before you buy.