I've been using the Jessem table saw stock guides for a while now and feel comfortable writing a little review of them now.
I've used them when ripping sheet goods and boards of many different sizes. Today I used them to rip some 1 inch x 3/4 strips out of a walnut board about 5 inches wide by 3 feet long. Then I cut some 1/2 x 1/4 rabbets in the strips. The Jessem stock guides gave me an incredible sense of control when doing these operations.
For those unfamiliar with them, the spring loaded, angled wheels of the stock guides simultaneously apply a downward force on the top of the stock while drawing the stock toward the rip fence as the stock is advanced. The guides can be adjusted so the set of wheels on the infeed side are outside of the cut line while the outfeed set of wheels is inside the cut line. This helps reduce the possibility of kickback as the piece between the fence and the blade is controlled. Kickback is also reduced or eliminated because the wheels only rotate in one direction and cannot raise more than a small amount off the table. Thus, the work piece cannot be lifted and thrown back at the operator.
Once mounted to the fence, the stock guides are easily adjusted. Two brass thumbscrews on each guide adjust the front-to-back position of each guide. The height of each guide, as well as lateral adjustment is set using the large top knob.
Setting the height is absolutely critical but not difficult. Do NOT make the mistake of adjusting the height by placing the stock under the wheels! Per the instructions, slide the stock (or something of the same thickness) under the black bracket ONLY. Then tighten the top knob. The wheels hang lower than the bracket and thus using the bracket to set the height ensures the proper amount of spring-loaded force is applied to the stock once it is fed under the wheels.
I've annotated one of my previous photos to show where you put the stock to set the height of the guides.
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I find the stock guides much easier to use and much more secure than the Shopsmith slot-mounted feather boards. Those feather boards are very good but they have their limitations; obviously you can't use them if the stock starts out wider than the distance between your fence and the miter slot. In addition, if you are cutting strips from a piece of stock, you have to readjust the feather boards with each cut. If the strips are narrow, the feather boards may not reach far enough.
Not so the Jessem stock guides. Set them once and you can cut strip after strip. And you can set the wheels extremely close to the fence for working narrow stock. When cutting rabbets in narrow stock, I set the guides laterally so the wheels were only over the unrabetted part of the strips. This made the thin strips quite stable.
You can still use push blocks on wide stock and push sticks on stock of any width. Of course, the push stick needs to be no thicker than the stock itself so that it can slide under the bracket.
About the only thing you can't use with them is the Shopsmith fence rider, but with these guides it is a trade-off you will be happy to make. The grip of these things is quite impressive. You can let go of the stock mid cut and the stock isn't going anywhere. Walk to the back of the saw and pull it through if you want.
I can't say enough about these. If you buy them I don't think you will be disappointed.
