Half-length table saw fences are common in Europe; they allow room for the movement of stressed lumber when ripping. I tried one and really liked it for ripping lumber but didn’t care for it when cutting sheet goods so I made a snug-fitting fence cover that I could reverse, thus presenting a choice of a half length or a full length sacrificial fence facing the blade. You’ll need to adjust or modify the measuring pointer on the fence rail to compensate for the thickness of the new fence cover.
