Featherboards make rip cuts safer on a table saw by preventing workpieces from moving backward in the event of a kickback. But, conventional featherboard designs must be clamped to the saw table or installed in the miter slot, then removed for other cutting operations. They can limit the width of workpieces to be ripped, especially on sheet materials, and in typical use, they only provide lateral pressure – not downward pressure.
JessEm offers a “next generation” solution to featherboards here, with its new CLEAR-CUT TS™ Stock Guides. Made of anodized aluminum and cold-rolled steel, the guides mount to a T-slotted track that’s fixed to the top of the rip fence. Knurled knobs allow the guide arms to be positioned anywhere along the track and rotated up or down to suit different stock thicknesses. An acetol resin roller wheel on each guide arm pitches inward at a 5-degree angle to help steer workpieces against the fence during ripping. Each roller is mounted on a one-way needle bearing to prevent kickback, and the guide arms are spring-loaded to put downward pressure on stock being cut.
When mounted to the rip fence, CLEAR-CUT Stock Guides provide up to 3-1/8-in. of vertical travel and can accommodate a maximum stock thickness 13/16-in. above the mounting surface when mounted on the included aluminum T-track. Then, when not needed, the guide arms can be slid in and over the rip fence, so they’re out of the way for other sawing operations. That means you’ll never need to remove this safety feature from your saw.
JessEm provides everything you need to mount this system to most commercially available rip fence styles. The kit comes with two stock guides, a 30-in. T-slot mounting track, a drill bit for drilling pilot holes for the installation screws, all the necessary mounting hardware and a T-25 Torx screwdriver. Made in Canada, JessEm’s new CLEAR-CUT TS Stock Guides sell for $279.99.
