Some people like board buddies, but I didn't. I tried a pair but found that they got in the way and made it difficult to push the work through the saw when doing narrow rip cuts. They also interfered with the guard when doing the narrow cuts. I returned mine and now use Grrippers for feeding and guiding most all stock through my saw.

Jessem now makes a smaller version of the board buddy type system that should be less intrusive, but I haven't tried it.

Charley

 

Ever since I found the Rigid version of the Mag Switch Featherboards, I use them for everything. The board buddies are cool, but I like something I can use at more than one tool.

Universal Featherboard : Magswitch - Magswitch

 

Good Yes,I have been using them for a long time now,I use them on the router table ,table saw and the RAS one pair can used on all the machines I have, It's very quick to switch them over from machine to machine,the trick to milling wood is keep your fingers out of the path of your cutting tool and unlike the Gripper your hands are Not in the path...or to say your not running your hand over the cutting tool..

http://www.grizzly.com/products/For-Radial-Arm-Saws-Orange/W1106

http://www.grizzly.com/products/For-Table-Saws-Yellow/W1104

http://www.grizzly.com/products/For-Shapers-Green/W1105

http://www.grizzly.com/products/24-Board-Buddies-Track/W1108

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyDPnyeW6oA
...

 

I agree with BJ. I use mine mostly for ripping larger sheets. They work very well. Just bought a pair of the green ones for my shaper. They do help keep your hands away from the cutters/blades! If set at a slight angle they hold the board tight against the fence as well as against the table!

I do agree though that they are not really good for narrower parts, but I use feather boards and push sticks for those anyway.

 

This may be a solution to an experimental project I want to try when I get back on my feet. I want to rout a centered 1/4" by 1/4" lengthways dado into both flat edges of a 3/4" piece of oak quarter round.

Since trying to use a vertical and a horizontal feather board would still be iffy as far as securing the workpiece flat to both the table and the fence, I'm wondering if these buddies might hold the piece both down and in. Anybody tried that? (Sorry, John. I didn't mean to hijack the thread).

 

It looks like they might work Jim, but it's hard to be sure how they will react to that rounded surface. If they don't work I would clamp a 3/4" board down on the TS table and another on the fence so that the corners are just touching and that way you would have the quarter round trapped between them.

 

saw buddies

John I use something similar that uses inline roller skate wheels works quite well.

 

We have and use Board Buddies and like them a lot. They are not a problem at all if set up correctly. Not to change subject, but Grip-Tite was making a product called the 'KickStop 2' which I would have purchased. It was the same principal as the Board Buddies, only they used a sand paper roller and a one way bearing. It was the same as their magnetic roller guides without the magnet, and made for a T-track (perfect for a router table). They have taken it off their site, to much money being made from the magnetic ones I suppose. If I remember correctly these would have cost around $30. BJ might remember seeing these.

Products-and-Prices

 

Yeah Charles. That rounded surface is my main concern. I think I'll try your idea first. Thanks. Jim