Table Saw Unifence: The Discontinued Delta Fence, and What Replaces It Today

Unifence is a specific, discontinued table saw fence system originally made by Delta — not a generic product category with different brands, materials, or “which Unifence should I buy” options. If you’re researching Unifence today, you’re either trying to understand or maintain one you already have (often inherited with an older Delta Unisaw), or you’re actually looking for a modern replacement fence and encountered the name in a used-tool listing or forum thread.

What Made The Unifence Actually Different

The Unifence’s real distinguishing feature was a reversible fence face: the aluminum extrusion could be mounted with either a tall (roughly 2″) or low (roughly 1/2″) side facing the blade. The low setting let your hand ride closer to the table surface between the blade and fence, useful for certain narrow-rip and thin-stock work, and the fence could also be flipped for low-profile support when ripping thin material. Unlike most modern T-square style fences, the Unifence didn’t include a flat top rail for mounting a T-track or holding a pencil and tape measure, and switching it to the other side of the blade required unlocking it in two places and removing bolts — more involved than a typical modern fence swap.

Why It’s No Longer Made

Unifence is genuinely discontinued — it isn’t sold new by Delta or anyone else today. The T-square design pioneered by Biesemeyer (front-and-rear locking, a flat top rail for accessories) became the dominant style that most current aftermarket and OEM fences, across many brands, are modeled after. Woodworkers debate which design is actually better for specific tasks (opinions genuinely differ, and the Unifence still has real fans for its low-profile capability), but the market outcome is clear: Biesemeyer-style T-square fences won out commercially, and that’s what nearly every current fence purchase actually is.

Unifence Vs. Biesemeyer-Style: The Real Differences

Feature	Unifence	Biesemeyer-Style (modern standard)
Fence face	Reversible: low (~1/2″) or tall (~2″) profile	Fixed tall profile, generally no low-side option
Top rail	No flat top for T-track/accessories	Flat top rail, commonly used for jigs and accessories
Locking	Front-only locking mechanism	Front-and-rear locking for added rigidity
Switching sides of blade	More involved: unlock in 2 places, remove bolts	Typically a simpler slide-and-lock swap
Current availability	Discontinued, used market only	Widely manufactured new by multiple brands

If You Already Have A Unifence

• Parts and support are limited: since it’s discontinued, replacement parts mostly come from used-saw parting-out or the secondhand market, not a manufacturer’s parts counter.
• Alignment still matters the same way: check the fence is parallel to the blade with a square, the same fundamental check for any table saw fence, Unifence or otherwise.
• Rust and sliding issues are mechanical, not design-specific: a rusty rail or dirty slide affects a Unifence the same way it affects any fence — clean the rail, apply a light coat of paste wax, and check for loose hardware.

If You’re Actually Shopping For A New Fence

You’re not looking for “a Unifence” — you’re looking for a modern T-square style aftermarket fence, and there are several real, currently-manufactured options at different price points, from budget fence-extension kits to professional systems with digital readouts like the one above. Check your specific saw’s table dimensions and existing rail mounting points before buying, since fit compatibility genuinely varies by saw brand and model, not just by fence brand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still buy a Unifence?

Not new. Unifence is discontinued. Used units occasionally turn up with secondhand Delta table saws or on woodworking marketplace forums, but there’s no current manufacturer selling new ones.

Is Unifence better than a Biesemeyer-style fence?

It’s genuinely a matter of preference, not a settled fact — the Unifence’s low-profile reversible face suits certain narrow-rip work, while Biesemeyer-style fences offer a flat top rail for accessories and front-and-rear locking. The market outcome favored the Biesemeyer-style design, which is why it dominates current production.

What should I buy instead of a Unifence today?

A current T-square style aftermarket fence sized and compatible with your specific table saw. Several manufacturers make these at various price points; check your saw’s table dimensions and rail mounting points before choosing one.

Conclusion

Unifence was a real, distinctive fence design with genuine advantages, but it’s a specific discontinued product, not a shopping category. If you have one, maintain it like any table saw fence. If you’re shopping new, you’re really choosing among modern T-square style fences, which is what actually dominates the current market.