VerySuperCoolTools - Reviews or Thoughts

[Nick Decker]

To update, my fence came in yesterday and I have it installed and dialed in. Very easy to assemble the extrusion to the t-square mechanism, but I'd suggest watching the video at VSCT for several helpful tips. After that, adjusting it parallel to the miter slot and square to the table top took all of about 10 minutes. As someone mentioned earlier, it fits the SawStop T-Glide rails perfectly. (Won't fit the other "Premium" fence rails.)

The extrusion is plenty straight for me. Using a dial indicator, I see a 0002" variance over 42", well within the advertised claim of .0001" per foot.

There is one area of possible concern: The extrusion rides across the table on a small piece of UHMW that's about 1/8" thick, which means there's a 1/8" gap under the fence. Not good, if you're cutting very thin stock. You can't grind/sand the piece down, because it's held in place with a countersunk flat head screw. I've ordered a couple pieces like the SawStop uses, which are thinner and adhesive backed. For now, I've put some slick tape under that end, works fine.

In all, I'm happy with it. Allan (VSCT guy) and his wife, Sue, seem like nice people and responded quickly to a few questions I had.

[Curt Harms]

To update, my fence came in yesterday and I have it installed and dialed in. Very easy to assemble the extrusion to the t-square mechanism, but I'd suggest watching the video at VSCT for several helpful tips. After that, adjusting it parallel to the miter slot and square to the table top took all of about 10 minutes. As someone mentioned earlier, it fits the SawStop T-Glide rails perfectly. (Won't fit the other "Premium" fence rails.)

The extrusion is plenty straight for me. Using a dial indicator, I see a 0002" variance over 42", well within the advertised claim of .0001" per foot.

There is one area of possible concern: The extrusion rides across the table on a small piece of UHMW that's about 1/8" thick, which means there's a 1/8" gap under the fence. Not good, if you're cutting very thin stock. You can't grind/sand the piece down, because it's held in place with a countersunk flat head screw. I've ordered a couple pieces like the SawStop uses, which are thinner and adhesive backed. For now, I've put some slick tape under that end, works fine.

In all, I'm happy with it. Allan (VSCT guy) and his wife, Sue, seem like nice people and responded quickly to a few questions I had.

I have a Mule Cab fence which has one T slot on each surface. To fix the gap under the fence problem, I took a piece of well dried 2 X 4, made it square all 4 sides and planed to 1" thick (remember to add an inch!). I then counter bored 2 holes to be able to attach it to the T slot such that the wood subfence sits flat on the saw table, no gaps. I can use this either for a no-gap fence for thin material or short fence for ripping material that may move once cut, sort of like the Euro fences. If the material spreads more than 1" I guess I'd have a problem but so far that hasn't happened. One use for T slots on table saw fences.

[Nick Decker]

Curt, I wasn't familiar with that brand, looks similar in concept to VSCT as far as using extrusions.

VSCT sells some accessory fence faces in various heights, as well as one that's designed to sit down on the table for ripping thin material. You have to sign up to get on a waiting list, which looks to me like he only makes up a batch of them if they're pre-sold.

He uses a material by Wilsonart called Compact, which I haven't yet found a supplier of and which is probably expensive, judging by what he charges for his fence faces.

Another poster here recently mentioned his method of just attaching a thin strip of wood with double-stick tape, which sounds fine for occasional use.

[Patrick Kane]

Has anyone purchased extrusions from 80/20? How straight are they? Im curious if VSCT actually does anything to the 80/20 extrusions.... Just makes me wonder how its worth it to profit $50 when you need to mill 4 sides, and then anodize the aluminum afterwards. I could be cynical and incorrect, but im guessing hes just selling standard 40mmx80mm extrusion and then eating the imperfect ones in the chance the customer is anal enough to check. My extrusion purchased from VSCT is remarkably straight, but it does have a very slight cup across the face that is typical of 80/20. It is meant to straighten once bolted together.

If people's experience with 80/20 is positive, i think ill order a different length than what VSCT sells.

[Nick Decker]

I wondered that myself, Patrick. Don't see how he can precision mill and anodize for what he's charging. I guess the way to find out would be to buy an extrusion from 8020, measure it and compare.

[Patrick Kane]

I wondered that myself, Patrick. Don't see how he can precision mill and anodize for what he's charging. I guess the way to find out would be to buy an extrusion from 8020, measure it and compare.

I just purchased a length of 54", so ill let you know when i get it. It was like $93 shipped to my door after taxes. Im guessing its going to arrive pretty straight, with a slightly cupped face, and generally much better than any biesemeyer fence face.

[Nick Decker]

Cool, please let us know what you find out. Did you get the same profile that VSCT sells?

I wasn't aware of the slight cup on the face. Can't see how it would matter much, at least for my purposes.

[Patrick Kane]

I did get the same profile. I already have a dozen or s of the expensive tnuts. Also, if you get another profile, it would complicate connecting to the tsquare.

[Lisa Starr]

I'm done! Building the guide rail for the saw was easy. Although I have access to a machine shop full of tools, I didn't bother. Just the tools in my home shop were more than sufficient to get it built. The "how to" info on the VSCT site is good. My T-square and extrusion arrived the same day as I mounted the rail system to my table saw. After watching the video explaining the steps for adjusting the fence to square/parallel it took me about 10 minutes to assemble them and adjust. BTW, the stuff from VSCT was very, very well packed and has very nice finishes.

[Nick Decker]

Congrats, Lisa. Glad it worked well for you.

[Patrick Kane]

Thought i would follow up on this after i received my 80/20 extrusion(and sold my original VSCT fence). First, the VSCT fence extrusion was just about perfectly flat/straight. My Veritas straight edge and a 1.5 thousandths feeler gauge couldnt detect a flaw. I cannot say the same for the 80/20 extrusion. I forget off the top of my head(was a month or more ago), but i ordered 54"+/- length of the same extrusion profile for my powermatic 72. The first face i checked was far from perfectly flat. I couldnt detect a flaw for the first 40"+/-, but the remaining foot trailed off by about .008-.009". I assumed it got bent during transit and the reverse face would exhibit the opposite .008" flaw. Surprisingly, I checked the other face along its length and had a few areas where .0015" would slip under and .002" would bite the straight edge, but not slip under it. Im a little confused how that is, but that is the face i mounted onto the VSCT fence to register against. If i ever do work left of the blade, then i will need to consider the flaw in that face, but i have done this once in my life.

In short, i saved quite a bit of money over ordering from VSCT, and i ended up with a longer extrusion to boot. After selling my original extrusion, it netted out to very little for the upgrade. I dont know how typical my results are, but i wouldnt expect a perfectly straight extrusion from 80/20. That isnt what they do, but it does seem like you can get something pretty darn close to straight.

[Nick Decker]

Thanks for the update, Patrick.

After using my VSCT fence quite a bit, I have a few thoughts to add to my original impressions. Note: I'm commenting mostly about how it compares to the SawStop T-Glide fence.

I'm still impressed that the VSCT fence is well made and accurate. Nice and straight, without the wavyness of the plastic faces on the SS fence. The SS fence is heavier, yet it glides from one position to the next easier. Not a big deal, just feels easier to use in that regard.

The SS fence is easier to tap or nudge a few hairs into position with one hand. This is because when you let go of the locking lever on the VSCT, it drops down enough to cause some drag on the lateral movement of the fence. So you have to use two hands, one to hold up the locking lever, the other to tap or nudge. I've put a magnet on the bottom of the steel part, which holds the locking lever up, problem solved.

Bottom line, I like the VSCT better. It's straight and smooth, as well as giving you the benefit of a lot of jig-building versatility with the various slots along it.