A friend of mine who is always in his wood workshop told me that he purchased a band saw fence after he realized that not all band saws come with good fences. I asked what he liked best about having a good band saw fence, and he said that using the best aftermarket band saw fence reduced the amount of wood wasted when sawing wood into thin strips on a bandsaw. Having a quality band saw fence also helps to make straight cuts because it guides the material and acts as a blade stabilizer.
Finding the best aftermarket bandsaw fence can be a task as they are not many in the market to suit any bandsaw table. In this review, I shall discuss the best five aftermarket bandsaw fences available in the market. They are rigid, healthy, and durable fences offering you ample options to choose from.
What is the Benefit of a Bandsaw Rip Fence?
Straight cuts- bandsaws work in a manner that makes it very hard to achieve easy straight cuts without a fence. A good bandsaw fence provides the extra stability you need while at the same time acting as a guide for straight cuts. It also helps in getting smoother edges.
Resawing- this process involves cutting a wood workpiece along its length and across to make two thinner pieces and can be repeated to get even smaller pieces. Resawing wood requires you to have a good fence. Having your aftermarket bandsaw fence offers you the much-required stability for this process to be a success.
Ripping wood- ripping means cutting pieces of wood by going in with the blade against the grain.A good aftermarket bandsaw fence enables you to create a good rip cut.
Top Three Efficient Bandsaw Guide in this Review List
Budget Friendly
CARTER MAGFENCE Universal Fence
- Has two robust magnets
- Very easy to fit with accurate measurement
- 16″ long, 3.5″ tall aluminum
- Not hazard to remove the attachment
Top Picks
Kreg KMS7200 Bandsaw Fence
- Made with strong aluminum
- Easily removable attachment
- Has chance to fit to horizontally and vertically
- Usable for several saw
Overall Great
Woodhaven 7280 Band Saw Fence
- Simple design to handy use
- Compatible with 14-inch band saws
- Has two fence lock positions
- Comfortable to adjust for drift
- Features angle bracket design
Best Aftermarket Bandsaw Fence
What do these bandsaw fences have? I did thorough research before choosing these band saw fences. They are well designed with suitable quality materials to ensure clean, smooth, and fast cuts. The Kreg KMS7200 is our best choice. It comes with multiple mounting points and two-dimensional adjustability, allowing for perpendicular adjustments. The Woodhaven 7280 Band Saw Fence is equally worth it; it has a quality build and comes with positive locking clamps on both sides. See below the full list of the best aftermarket bandsaw fence review.
1. Kreg KMS7200 Bandsaw Fence
The Kreg KMS7200 Bandsaw fence is 18 inches (457mm) long. I like that it comes with mounting points for ready mounting of most 14″ (356mm) band saws and can be modified to fit onto others by merely drilling a single hole in the aluminum mounting rail. The fence will quickly adjust to your blade’s drift angle, providing you with a full band saw accuracy.
Another good thing about the fence is the precision lens cursor that is magnified and easy-to-read for even the smallest adjustments. It has a thin red line that allows accurate set up of the fence.
Why is Kreg KMS7200 Unique?
What made this the best choice in the list is that it can be easily adjusted to your blade’s drift angle. This will help improve the accuracy of your bandsaw. It also allows you to conveniently change the position to a low profile, hence having the blade guides closer to the workpiece.
Most Needed Technical Features
- Aircraft-grade aluminum
- Has a rigid design with aluminum material that is strong, straight, and built for durability. It also has t-slots for adding stops, resaw guides, and other accessories.
- It is easy to attach and remove for time-saving
- It can be adjusted in two dimensions for setting parallel with the blade
- Anodized finish for easy cleanup
- It is versatile hence can fit most saws
Additional Good Features
- Made from high-quality material
- It is easy to use
- Provides great precision and accuracy
Bad Features Discourage User
- It may need some additional tinkering for maximum performance
- It will require adjustments to fit some saws
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you remove the fence after use?
The best part is that you will not need any tools to remove the fence. You can easily loosen the locking knob and lift the fence from the mounting rail below the table surface.
2. Woodhaven 7280 Band Saw Fence
The Woodhaven 7280 Band Saw Fence is a perfect choice, especially if you own a 14-inch bandsaw from Jet, Powermatic, Ridgid, and Porter cable. The bandsaw fence will easily fit most of the 14-inch bandsaw and 16-inch square tables. You can drill more holes to accommodate other bandsaws.
It is made from high-quality material, making it sturdy and durable enough to offer lasting performance. The easy installation process plus the features make it a great fence. It has a rear and front ratchet handle that solidly locks the bar in place. It also features two lock systems that provide accurate measurement and can easily slide, giving you numerous fence positions.
Why is Woodhaven 7280 Unique?
What I liked most about this bandsaw fence because it is the build quality, its main selling point. I say it is the most rigid fence due to the two separate fence position locks at both ends and two different blade lead locks as well. More so, it is designed with positive locking clamps on both sides to provide extra stability.
Most Needed Technical Features
- Made of a sturdy construction
- Easy to use
- Compatible with 14-inch band saws
- Has an intuitive design, which makes it easy to assemble
- The fence has two different fence lock positions
- Comfortable to adjust for drift
- Features angle bracket design which completes with blade lead
Additional Good Features
- It is easy to adjust for blade lead with an angle bracket design
- It can fit most 14″ band saws with tables up to about 16″ square
- Supported by a lifetime guarantee against defects in material or workmanship
Bad Features Discourage User
- It needs modification for use on some bandsaw models
- It is hard to move when there is no lubrication
- Will sometimes lose stability when pushed from the rear instead of the middle
Frequently Asked Questions
Which bandsaw is it suited for?
It fits a 14″ bandsaw. For being a universal fence, it fits in different bandsaws.
Do you have to remove the guide during blade replacement?
Not. This is if the blade removes from the table’s side, as seen in most 14″ Delta band saws.
3. CARTER MAGFENCE II Universal Magnetic Fence
Why is this an option? The CARTER MAGFENCE II Universal Magnetic Fence is on my list as the most budget-friendly fence in the market. It attaches magnetically for a universal fit on most steel or cast-iron tables. The two high-quality magnets hug tightly on ferrous metal tables, and no matter your table size, you can attach it quickly and easily because there are no brackets or mounts required for attachment.
Why is CARTER MAGFENCE II Unique?
The best part about the Carter bandsaw fence and the two powerful magnets attached to it is that they are switchable. This means that you can use them wherever you want on the table hence giving you precise measurements for straight cuts.
Most Needed Technical Features
- Features two super-powerful magnets
- It attaches magnetically for universal fit on most ferrous metal tables- two powerful, switchable magnets for quick, precise adjustments
- 16″ long, 3-1/2″ tall L-shaped aluminum extrusion with multiple T-slots
- Easily removed to use with numerous types of equipment
Additional Good Features
- Easy to use
- Compatible with all bandsaw tables that are made from ferrous metal
- Compatible with all MAGFENCE II accessories
- This fence features multiple T-slots
Bad Features Discourage User
- It cannot be attached to an aluminum table
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this bandsaw fence compatible with?
CARTER MAGFENCE II Universal Magnetic Fence is ideal for use with a bandsaw, drill press, spindle sander, and almost any tool with a ferrous metal surface.
4. Grizzly Industrial H7587 – Resaw Fence
Grizzly Industrial H7587 is also among the best aftermarket bandsaw fences in the market today. It features a heavy solid construction, which is ideal for 14” bandsaw or 14 by 14 tables. I like how easy it is to install this fence and the fact that it has a removable extruded design, which allows you to lower the blade guides for doing regular woodwork projects effectively.
The fence also has a well-calibrated scale, which I like because it allows you to easily configure the fence properly for a precise width of cut.
Why is Grizzly H7587 Unique?
Apart from the build quality, this fence has an extruded design, which is versatile and allows easy set-up of the blade. It can also accommodate a variety of bandsaws without needing modifications as in other fences.
Most Needed Technical Features
- Made of strong and durable components
- Designed for resawing
- It adjusts to the blade drift angle.
- Easy to lower blade guides for normal woodwork
- Compatible with most 14” bandsaws
Additional Good Features
- Quality materials
- Fits most 14” band saws with no modifications
- The included scale allows for easy width cut adjustments
- It assembles quickly with the appropriate hardware
Bad Features Discourage User
- Slightly pricier than most fences of this size
- The screws may be shorter for some bandsaws
Frequently Asked Questions?
Will this fence fit a ridged 14” bandsaw?
Most probably. This fence is compatible with most 14 inch bandsaws.
Why is it more expensive?
this fence is made of strong, quality materials that offer a long time of performance. It also does not require adjustments to accommodate most bandsaws like in many others.
5. RIKON 13-900 14-Inch Band Saw Fence
RIKON 13-900 14-Inch Band Saw Fence features a rear glide rail and cam-lock lever that allows you to have all the control you need in the process of making straight cuts. It comes with all hardware required for mounting on to a bandsaw. I like that it is straightforward to install and use.
Additionally, the fence comes with multiple adjustments for drift and squaring 90-degrees to the table. It has a magnified cursor and easy-to-read scale that allow you to make precise cuts effectively and efficiently.
Why is RIKON 13-900 Unique?
My main attraction to this fence is its compatibility with Rikon bandsaws. Apart from that, this fence is well-designed with an accurate scale and easy tracking. It is effortless to remove when changing the blades. Another plus is that it comes with a ripsaw bar making it even more compatible with a broader range of saws.
Most Needed Technical Features
- Good build quality
- Simple yet effective design
- Ripsaw bar included for accurate ripping
- Has an easy to read scale with a magnified cursor for better scale tracking
Additional Good Features
- It is easy to take out for blade swapping
- It is compatible with Craftsman and Rikon bandsaws
Bad Features Discourage User
- It is not suitable for bandsaws from other manufacturers
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s not to like about this saw?
Although it is a good-quality fence and comes with useful features, I didn’t particularly appreciate that it has no instructions. This makes it harder to assemble and make adjustments for some.
Conclusion
Every bandsaw requires a quality aftermarket band saw fence, especially if you are making straight and smooth cuts. I would generally go for a fence that provides almost complete compatibility with any bandsaw table I own. They are ideal for smooth, straight cuts and allow you to have full control when in operation.