jussi Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 I should say new to me. This has been out for a year or 2. Jessem's Clear Cut Stock guides for the tablesaw. I have been a fan of the router table versions since I bought one a year ago. When they released the tablesaw version I was intrigued but the price tag put me off and I was pretty happy with the board buddies I had. A month or so ago a pair popped up on craigslist and I couldn't resist. After some haggling I got them for a good deal (not gloat worthy by any means). I was all set to install them when I realized I needed an adapter since I recently upgraded my tablesaw fence to an Incra. Other projects and distractions got in the way and I didn't get the adapter till earlier this week and today I finally installed them. Just like other Jessem products they are very well made.. Fit and finish are great. All the adjustments and smooth and very easy. Dialing in the hold downs to the thickness of the board is faster and easier than the board buddies. And I can use them for thinner stock (a problem with the board buddies). They also come off real easy if I don't them. The only 2 negative points I would give it is installing the incra adapters. I won't go into detail but it's a bit of trial and error and I think they could have made it much easier if certain holes were lined up. I also wish the rods were longer when doing dados where the dados are farther away from the fence. That way you can have them right over the blade. I realize you can put the pressure yourself with push pads but the hold downs apply a more constant force. No big deal though and overall I am very happy and would definitely buy again. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary-ks Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 Looks nice. How much down force is applied to the board? Also does it keep the board up against the fence all the way thru the cut? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jussi Posted February 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 It depends. You can vary the pressure by adjusting the height of the individual hold downs. In the video below it shows their recommendation of how to set the tension. The rollers are angle slightly towards the fence so it pulls the piece tight to it. The bearings also only spin one way which helps prevent kick back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 Thanks for the review jussi, i was thinking of buying these last year and never did. Maybe this year..... Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jussi Posted February 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 It's a great add-on. I'm sure you won't be disappointed if you decide on getting one. Incremental tools will give you a 10% discount for your first order if you sign up for their email list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT Proctor Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 I looked at them when they first came out and thought they would be a pain. How do you use a push stick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jussi Posted February 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 9 hours ago, CT Proctor said: I looked at them when they first came out and thought they would be a pain. How do you use a push stick? Unless the cut is really small you can still fit the push stick between the hold downs and the blade. And when the cut is that small I use a sacrificial board that's as thick or thinner than my stock and push it forward. The guides pull it toward the fence so I don't need to apply lateral pressure. But they also remove easily if I feel I don't need them. Another equally large benefit (at least for me) is to use them when making dados. They apply constant pressure over the dado giving you a more consistent result. You can of course do it by hand with push pads but long pieces sometimes with large/long pieces it's very hard to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted February 2, 2016 Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 What do you do if a board moves enough to start to bind on the blade? When I'm pushing a board that starts to bind, I immediately pull it back and go again, widening the cut where the two parts start to converge back to the width of the blade. I remember one a couple of days ago where I had to do this six times on one board. I just don't understand how you do that with something that only rotates one way. Unless it's something for some oddball special setup, I don't want anything on the table but the blade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jussi Posted February 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 How far did the board travel when you pulled it back? At or past the back of the blade? Personally I wouldn't pull a board back that had gone more than an inch or so. Certainly not if it had gone past the back of the blade. For me there's too much chance of kickback. If it started binding I'd bump the off paddle with my knee and start again. If it was real bad go to the bandsaw and joint it. I had to do that a few times. I can definitely see this might not be for everyone. Probably the same reason alot of guys take of the anti kick back pawls. And some of the work flow does change which might put some off. For the short time I've had it however it works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted February 2, 2016 Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 I don't know in terms of distance. I just pull it back when I feel it starting to bind. It's all by feel. If the board is well past the blade, I lift the back end until it clears the blade, and most of the time start all over again. One is never forced through. I've been using a table saw with no kind of "safety" device on it for 50 years, and never had a kickback. What do you do when a board starts to bind with something that doesn't allow you to retract or lift it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jussi Posted February 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 4 hours ago, Tom King said: What do you do when a board starts to bind with something that doesn't allow you to retract or lift it? As I said I would stop the saw and take out the piece after the blade stopped spinning. I wouldn't lift it while the saw was running. The guides are spring loaded so you can lift them up, taking away the tension and pull board out. They're also aren't permanently attached. They can swing up out of the way by loosening 1 knob or taken out completely by loosening 2. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted February 2, 2016 Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 If I'm running a couple of hundred pieces, and have a few that start to bind, it would be really aggravating to me to have to stop the saw, and unrig something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_r_ Posted February 2, 2016 Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 Just put a set of these on my Sawstop PCS, havent even gotten to try them out yet but they are definitely made well. I will be ordering the router table ones soon too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Posted February 2, 2016 Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 I got a set for X-mas this year. I will say they are very well made but I find them more in the way then they are helpful though. I find it impossible to use a push stick with them engaged. Now if you're cutting something wider then the reach of these buggers they work great. They definitely keep the work tight against the fence all the way through the cut. I haven't had a problem yet but I wonder how well the little tires will keep their grip over the years with all the dust/chips coming off the saw blade? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jussi Posted February 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 7 hours ago, ben_r_ said: Just put a set of these on my Sawstop PCS, havent even gotten to try them out yet but they are definitely made well. I will be ordering the router table ones soon too! I went the other way and got the router guides first. But I really haven't put them to use yet. 21 minutes ago, Derek said: I got a set for X-mas this year. I will say they are very well made but I find them more in the way then they are helpful though. I find it impossible to use a push stick with them engaged. Now if you're cutting something wider then the reach of these buggers they work great. They definitely keep the work tight against the fence all the way through the cut. I haven't had a problem yet but I wonder how well the little tires will keep their grip over the years with all the dust/chips coming off the saw blade? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I agree using them with smaller rip cuts is more cumbersome. So far I found what works for me is using scrap wood to push the stock through. No sideways pressure needed from me. Which is nice because you never out your hand over the blade. It's not as fast as using a conventional push shoe though. I'll see how it goes. I may find I end up just taking them off for smaller rips in the future. Time will tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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