Jessem Clear Cut Stock Guides for Table Saw -- Setup question

[ear3]

I've been so happy with the Jessem guides for my router, that I decided to get some for my Incra Fence on the Table Saw.  I was just wondering, for those who have them, what you do in terms of optimal positioning of the rollers.

The manual seems to suggest that they should be positioned pretty close to the front and back edges of the table saw -- but in some of the company demonstration videos, they have them much closer to the blade (running front to back).  Also, is it better (assuming there is enough space), to stagger the plane of the rollers, i.e., have the front roller, for example, closer to the fence and the back one closer to the blade (running side to side).

Finally, what's the minimum cut width you've managed to do with them?  As long as you have the back one clear of the blade and splitter assembly, it seems like you could do a rip of as little as 1", or even .75".

For anyone else considering getting them for their Incra fence, note that you have to expand the rollers to create the proper 30 degree angle when they are resting on the table.  In the factory set shortest position, once on top of the Incra fence they point straight down at a 0/90 angle.

Thanks.

 

[jbasen]

I've also been very happy with the Jessem guides.  I previously had a set of board buddies and the Jessem's with the slight angle on the rollers to hold the work piece against the fence are, IMHO, far superior.

I position the guides based on what makes sense based on the size of the work piece.  If I can I position them, as the manual suggests, close to the front and back of the saw.  However, that makes no sense if you are ripping a piece of wood that is only 1' long.  The shorter the work piece the closer I position the guides to the blade.  I try to position the guides so the work pieces is engaged by the back guide before it exits the front guide.

The minimum width of the work piece is again related to its length.  If the work piece is long and you can position the guides far from the blade than you can cut something very narrow.  If the work piece is short then the guides start interfering with your ability to push the work piece past the blade and you can't cut something very narrow. 

For short, narrow work pieces I like to use the micro-jig Grr-Ripper.

I don't have any scientific evidence for any of this.  It is just what I've found works best for me.

 

[ear3]

[member=18233]jbasen[/member] Thanks for the tips.  The guides work great, BTW.

I've also been very happy with the Jessem guides.  I previously had a set of board buddies and the Jessem's with the slight angle on the rollers to hold the work piece against the fence are, IMHO, far superior.

I position the guides based on what makes sense based on the size of the work piece.  If I can I position them, as the manual suggests, close to the front and back of the saw.  However, that makes no sense if you are ripping a piece of wood that is only 1' long.  The shorter the work piece the closer I position the guides to the blade.  I try to position the guides so the work pieces is engaged by the back guide before it exits the front guide.

The minimum width of the work piece is again related to its length.  If the work piece is long and you can position the guides far from the blade than you can cut something very narrow.  If the work piece is short then the guides start interfering with your ability to push the work piece past the blade and you can't cut something very narrow. 

For short, narrow work pieces I like to use the micro-jig Grr-Ripper.

I don't have any scientific evidence for any of this.  It is just what I've found works best for me.

 

[jeh]

Will they work with the Festool router table fence?

 

[jbasen]

I'm not familiar with the Festool router table so I can't give you a definitive answer. 

However, I can tell you a few things

1) The table saw clear cut stock guides come with a T-Track that you mount to the top of your fence.  The guides ride in that T-Track.  If your fence already has a T-Track on top (as it looks like the Fence on the Festool router table does from the photos on the Festool web site I looked at) then you need to lengthen the special bolts with the aluminum knobs that Jessem supplies with the guides as they will be too short.  I had to go through this procedure as I have a Very Super Cool Tools table saw fence.  The aluminum knob is attached to the threaded stud with red thread-loc.  The only way to get it off is to heat the threaded stud with a small torch or you risk breaking the stud trying to get it out as the red thread-loc is designed to be a permanent lock and is very strong.  Then get a piece of threaded rod at the hardware store and cut a new piece that is a little longer.  I also had to do some filing of the T-Lock bar that comes with the guides so it would fit my T-Slot.  None of this is very hard to do

2) Jessem makes a set of guides that are similar to the ones for the table saw but are designed specifically for a router table.  These guides are designed to fit into a T-Slot in the front of the fence instead of on top.  From the picture on the Festool web site it looks like there is a T-Slot on the front of the fence of the Festool router table.  But again, I can't be sure since I don't have a Festool router table 

Here is a link to the router table guides

http://www.jessem.com/CLEAR-CUT_STOCK_GUIDES.html

Sorry I can't give you a definitive answer but hopefully this information will be helpful.

 

[Lbob131]

Rutlands  in the UK  sell  the Jessem kit.  The loaded router table is nearly  £900  quid.

 

[Birdhunter]

I liked the Clear Cut guides on my router table so I bought the table saw guides. I didn't want to drill into my table saw fence so came up with a different solution.

I mounted the Jessem T-track on a board that was the length of my fence and a little narrower. I mounted a Magswitch at each end of the board.

When I need the guides, I put the board on top of the fence, twist the Magswitches to the ON position, and I'm ready to cut.

Anything less than a 1" to 1 1/2" width cut and the Jessem guides don't work on the table saw.

 

[dutchie]

Will they work with the Festool router table fence?

I believe they do, do a search on the forum I'm fairly sure I've seen people posting pics of the Jessem's on the CMS OF fence.

 

[ear3]

I have a friend who also employs the MagSwitch method for his TS fence, and he says it works quite well.

I liked the Clear Cut guides on my router table so I bought the table saw guides. I didn't want to drill into my table saw fence so came up with a different solution.

I mounted the Jessem T-track on a board that was the length of my fence and a little narrower. I mounted a Magswitch at each end of the board.

When I need the guides, I put the board on top of the fence, twist the Magswitches to the ON position, and I'm ready to cut.

Anything less than a 1" to 1 1/2" width cut and the Jessem guides don't work on the table saw.