I have been using my Craftsman table saw with the stock Align-a-Rip
fence for a few years now. Just recently I did a tune-up on the saw
(which is another story altogether), and found that the fence is bent
about .015", and it will not lock straight consistently. Since the saw
locks in the back of the saw too, it also makes out-feed tables
difficult to build.

I was in Lowes the other day and saw the T2 fence for $150. I have done
some research and the T2 fence seems to get fairly good reviews after a
few problems attaching it, but I was wanting to know if anyone in this
group actually has one and what is it really like to use it.

I know that the saw is "just" a Craftsman and I don't want to put
lipstick on a pig. A new saw is out of the question, but I don't want
to blow $150 either. So to those who have the T2 fence, what do you
think of them? How much better off would I be? Is it worth the $150?

Thanks,

Wayne

I have the T2 and I like it. I was thinking of upgrading, but liked
it enough to keep it. Granted it's not a Beismeyer, but it does a
fine job for me. The faces on mine were fine out of the box, but
even if they weren't it's an easy fence to shim. Be aware though that
it isn't a very heavy fence, so if you aren't careful it may lift at
the rear. The fence has a clip on it that catches on the rear rail in
case the fence lifts. The scale is accurate, it pushes smoothly,
and it's easy to attach jigs to.

Cheers,

Dale


"NoOne N Particular" wrote in message
news I have been using my Craftsman table saw with the stock Align-a-Rip
fence for a few years now. Just recently I did a tune-up on the saw
(which is another story altogether), and found that the fence is bent
about .015", and it will not lock straight consistently. Since the
saw
locks in the back of the saw too, it also makes out-feed tables
difficult to build.

I was in Lowes the other day and saw the T2 fence for $150. I have
done
some research and the T2 fence seems to get fairly good reviews after
a
few problems attaching it, but I was wanting to know if anyone in this
group actually has one and what is it really like to use it.

I know that the saw is "just" a Craftsman and I don't want to put
lipstick on a pig. A new saw is out of the question, but I don't want
to blow $150 either. So to those who have the T2 fence, what do you
think of them? How much better off would I be? Is it worth the $150?

Thanks,

Wayne

Dale wrote:
I have the T2 and I like it. I was thinking of upgrading, but liked
it enough to keep it. Granted it's not a Beismeyer, but it does a
fine job for me. The faces on mine were fine out of the box, but
even if they weren't it's an easy fence to shim. Be aware though that
it isn't a very heavy fence, so if you aren't careful it may lift at
the rear. The fence has a clip on it that catches on the rear rail in
case the fence lifts. The scale is accurate, it pushes smoothly,
and it's easy to attach jigs to.

Cheers,

Dale


Good to hear, thanks. I would love to get a Bies too, but that would be
putting more than lipstick on the pig. I went over to Lowes and bought
the fence and have looked at it. For some reason I have never
considered the rear rail. I just thought that the front rail was so
heavy duty that it supported the fence. I see these people on TV that
have these huge out-feed tables attached to their cabinet saws and they
appear to be butted directly to the saw table. Where does a rear rail
fit? Anyway, I did some checking and even the Bies has a rear rail. Do
you know if it also has the "clip" to keep it from raising?

I have read a couple of other peoples reviews and they said that about
the only problem they had was the locking handle would not stay up when
moving the fence. One fixed it with a magnet and one with a fiber
washer. Do you (or did you) have that problem and if so how did you
resolve it? And as for the lifting problem, could you add lead weight
to it or would that cause other problems?

Thanks again,

Wayne

NoOne N Particular wrote:

Good to hear, thanks. I would love to get a Bies too, but that would be
putting more than lipstick on the pig.

And would just spend you more money. As long as the fence works and is
easy to use... It doesn't matter much does it? I put the T2 on my 50+
year old Delta contractors saw and it works great. About the only
complaint I have is it should have a method to attach an auxiliary fence
for dada and molding head cutters. You can buy clamps for this at Rockler:

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17821

I went over to Lowes and bought the fence and have looked at it. For some reason I have never
considered the rear rail. I just thought that the front rail was so
heavy duty that it supported the fence.

This is pretty much exactly how it is. The front rail does all the
work. I bought mine at Lowes as well, $140 on sale.

I see these people on TV that
have these huge out-feed tables attached to their cabinet saws and they
appear to be butted directly to the saw table. Where does a rear rail
fit? Anyway, I did some checking and even the Bies has a rear rail. Do
you know if it also has the "clip" to keep it from raising?

The fence doesn't really raise any when in normal use.

I have read a couple of other peoples reviews and they said that about
the only problem they had was the locking handle would not stay up when
moving the fence. One fixed it with a magnet and one with a fiber
washer. Do you (or did you) have that problem and if so how did you
resolve it?

Yes, that is a minor problem that has not annoyed me enough to bother
fixing. Actually, with the handle dropping it locks the fence just
enough so I can tap it to precise position, so I look at it as an asset:-)

And as for the lifting problem, could you add lead weight
to it or would that cause other problems?

You can ignore the lifting "problem" It seems to not be a problem at all.

I would buy this exact fence again, would never spend the money on the
Bessy unless someone could point out how I would benefit from it. The
T2 is easy to use and works as advertised. I can't see it wearing out,
ever, so what issues could there be?

--
Jack
http://jbstein.com

I have the T2 and I like it. I was thinking of upgrading, but liked it
enough to keep it. Granted it's not a Beismeyer, but it does a fine job
for me. The faces on mine were fine out of the box, but even if they
weren't it's an easy fence to shim. Be aware though that it isn't a very
heavy fence, so if you aren't careful it may lift at the rear. The fence
has a clip on it that catches on the rear rail in case the fence lifts.
The scale is accurate, it pushes smoothly, and it's easy to attach jigs
to.

Cheers,

Dale


Good to hear, thanks. I would love to get a Bies too, but that would be
putting more than lipstick on the pig. I went over to Lowes and bought
the fence and have looked at it. For some reason I have never considered
the rear rail. I just thought that the front rail was so heavy duty that
it supported the fence. I see these people on TV that have these huge
out-feed tables attached to their cabinet saws and they appear to be
butted directly to the saw table. Where does a rear rail fit? Anyway, I
did some checking and even the Bies has a rear rail. Do you know if it
also has the "clip" to keep it from raising?

I don't have one but a friend of mine does...what he did was to NOT put the
rear rail on, relying purely of the front rail. When he built the outfeed
table, which is bolted directly to the table top of the saw, he included a
run of tee-track parallel with the back of the table so that if needed, he
could put a hold down on the fence so that he could use a feather board
without lifting the fence.

Just a thought

Mike