I’m interested in getting this for my saw, but every video I’ve seen so far conveniently either omits any clips of actually pushing a narrow piece through the saw, or cuts away right before the hand reaches the bar in the way, except one, which showed the person letting go of the piece to move his hand up and over the 1st roller bar. So my question is, how do you push a somewhat narrow piece through? You can’t use a traditional push stick because the bar is in the way, and if you’re ripping a bunch of narrow pieces, 1 1/2-2” face frames for example, maybe the following pieces will push through the previous pieces, but then you need someone catching the pieces after they go through the blade because you’re busy pushing the next piece through (and then you still have to somehow push that last piece through). I want to like them, and clearly people do, so how do you do it with the bars in the way? And a video, or a link to one, that actually shows it in action getting over, under, or around the bar would help a lot. Thanks!
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Replies
I simply remove or fold up the front guide leaving the rear guide in place behind the blade. The rear guide is sufficient to apply pressure to the fence at the most critical point as well as providing anti-kickback protection. You can also make or purchase a push stick with an extended nose that can fit under the bar.
I've been using these for over a year and I can't recommend them enough.
Thanks, I like the idea of the extended nose push stick, not sure about having to lift up the front guide. years ago I had a power feed on my TS, but we were running lots and lots of face frames. I can't justify that expense now. The JessEm comes closest to that security.
I assure you they are rock solid even with one roller, plus the rear roller is the more important one anyway its where kickback starts. JessEm engineering and machining is over the top, not a piece of plastic anywhere they make some incredibly high quality products.
If you are going with the push stick look at the one from BOW I think if you inverted it would be work well and have a longer reach.
The specs for the BOW are 14 × 3.5 × 1.1 in, so that 1.1" would be too big to push 3/4" face frame stock. But the idea is a sound one, and I'll look for a similar product, as is Derek's below, thanks to you both. Normally I wouldn't think of pushing wood through a saw with a 3/8" dowel, but the anti-kickback of the JessEm makes it safe.
I use a 2 foot long 3/8” dowel. It squeezes through.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Do these require that the back end of the fence have a hold-down? My fence rides on a rail at the back end using just gravity.
They work on Sawstop saws which is only connected at the front. Here's a video of it on the SS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVrCW7LAqbE
I use them on an old Delta Unifence which has no back rail at all, if that's what you are asking.
I’m not at this point yet but this seems clever
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=er-MGlF1xtc
The problem I have with some of these hold downs and other devices is, on many cuts they require you to shift your hands and relinquish control of the piece you are cutting part way through the cut, then repositioning your hands and the push stick to complete the cut. Or, to withdraw the pushing device toward you and past the spinning blade after the workpiece has been pushed through.
Those types of things raise the hair on the back of my neck -- and I'm not going to use those techniques. I did that back in the years when my only stationary power tool was a radial arm saw.
If something makes me think "this makes me feel less safe," I'm not going to try it.
For almost all ripping, I am perfectly safe using the saw's riving knife and blade guard, and guiding the piece through the cut using a variety of push blocks -- under my control at all times. Anything that gets in the way of that isn't making me safer.
It's not about speed, convenience, or machismo. It's about letting go of a board, or having very limited contact with, while it's in contact with a spinning blade.
My two cents.
That's what initially concerned me about the JessEm, but some folks have suggested ways to keep contact.
John, the whole point of these hold downs is to increase control of the cut, and not reduce this area. It does this via the wheels, which turn in towards the fence. These force the workpiece against the fence, which stabilises the cut. The result is a smoother finish.
I use the JessEms on both the rip fence of a Hammer K3 slider and the fence of a router table.
Regards from Perth
Derek
John I've used tablesaws for over 40 years with everything from nothing but an uncovered spinning blade to a variety of different holddowns/anti-kickback devices and I can say I've never been happier or felt safer user a tablesaw than I do now with the JessEm guides installed. They are flexible, easy to set and do the job they claim to do with minimum fuss. They do things that push sticks simply can't. The other day I was ripping 1⅛" x 72" strips from some very reactive poplar that was pinching the blade something terrible even with a riving knife yet the JessEms never faltered and kept the the strips tight to the fence and not once did I have a need to worry about kickback and the resulting cut was as clean as I could ask for. If I had simply been using push sticks I doubt the operation would have been nearly as stress free or the results as good.
I’ve used these on a delta contractor saw, no roving knife and I believe it added substantially to control and safety. Using these and a microjig splitter when ripping truly improved that saw. I have yet to move them to the sawstop which displaced the Delta. It truly never crossed my mind to use only one roller with narrow stock! Thanks for this tip!
So, I've ordered one. Thanks for all the comments. I still see a less-than-ideal situation with narrow stock, but I decided the overall safety of it outweighs the negatives.
I've cut numerous strips as thin as 1/2" using just the rear roller with total security and never a bind or kickback and clean results. Don't be afraid to temporarily remove the front roller even JessEm says you can use just one when necessary.
Installed the Hold Down today. Quality is very good, and although I haven’t run boards through the saw with it yet, I did test it on a board without the saw running. With just one hold down I was able to pull the wood backwards under the Hold Down. The roller didn’t turn in reverse of course, the wood slid under it. Not enough friction with just one roller. I’ll be doing more complete testing tomorrow.
The holddowns pressure is adjustable by simply letting the arm pivot down slightly, also make sure when you set the pressure you don't have the workpiece under the wheel but touching only the black aluminum arm.
Yep, I followed instructions.
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