I've been thinking of adding a vega fence to a Jet JWTS-10 saw. I have
not purchased the saw yet, but the $400 deal on the entry-level version
of this saw (with steel wings) includes a pretty sad fence. And I
don't like steel wings, either. But $400 is still a bargain for the
rest of the saw.

Vega indicates that it has built-in support for table boards. But they
don't seem to have any manuals in PDF format, so I don't know how thick
they expect these boards to be or how they attach. The photos of the
fences on amazon look like there is a flange on the bottom of both the
front and rear rails. How much do I need to build a board up to to
make a board that is flush with the top of the table? Does it just
screw from the bottom of this flange?

Also, if I don't use the steel wings, there are just two places to bolt
the fence rails to the cast-iron saw table itself. Is that sufficient?

TIA,
Phil

wrote in message
ups.com...
I've been thinking of adding a vega fence to a Jet JWTS-10 saw. I have
not purchased the saw yet, but the $400 deal on the entry-level version
of this saw (with steel wings) includes a pretty sad fence. And I
don't like steel wings, either. But $400 is still a bargain for the
rest of the saw.

Vega indicates that it has built-in support for table boards. But they
don't seem to have any manuals in PDF format, so I don't know how thick
they expect these boards to be or how they attach. The photos of the
fences on amazon look like there is a flange on the bottom of both the
front and rear rails. How much do I need to build a board up to to
make a board that is flush with the top of the table? Does it just
screw from the bottom of this flange?

Also, if I don't use the steel wings, there are just two places to bolt
the fence rails to the cast-iron saw table itself. Is that sufficient?

Stop. Re-think what you are doing. Does it make fiscal sense to buy a saw
and then upgrade everything you already don't like, or is it better to just
spend a few $$ more up front and be happy from the start? Look at the
dollar difference to get a cast iron extension and better fence already
included.

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
I've been thinking of adding a vega fence to a Jet JWTS-10 saw. I have
not purchased the saw yet, but the $400 deal on the entry-level version
of this saw (with steel wings) includes a pretty sad fence. And I
don't like steel wings, either. But $400 is still a bargain for the
rest of the saw.

Vega indicates that it has built-in support for table boards. But they
don't seem to have any manuals in PDF format, so I don't know how thick
they expect these boards to be or how they attach. The photos of the
fences on amazon look like there is a flange on the bottom of both the
front and rear rails. How much do I need to build a board up to to
make a board that is flush with the top of the table? Does it just
screw from the bottom of this flange?

Also, if I don't use the steel wings, there are just two places to bolt
the fence rails to the cast-iron saw table itself. Is that sufficient?

Stop. Re-think what you are doing. Does it make fiscal sense to buy a saw
and then upgrade everything you already don't like, or is it better to just
spend a few $$ more up front and be happy from the start? Look at the
dollar difference to get a cast iron extension and better fence already
included.

In a word, yes. The Jet is $400 w/ a new trunion so the motor doesn't
hang out the back (smaller, better dust collection). To move up to a
version w/ CI extensions and better fence is several hundred dollars
more. And the fence is comes w/ is nowhere near as good as the Vega.

Already thought about it.

As I recall from putting a vega on an old craftsman it just had a
couple of L brackets that attached to the rail. You'll have to get it
all assembled to find out how if will fit your saw. It is a nice
fence. I made a frame so that I could mount a rockler router table in
it.
Mike M

On 7 Oct 2006 08:43:31 -0700, wrote:

I've been thinking of adding a vega fence to a Jet JWTS-10 saw. I have
not purchased the saw yet, but the $400 deal on the entry-level version
of this saw (with steel wings) includes a pretty sad fence. And I
don't like steel wings, either. But $400 is still a bargain for the
rest of the saw.

Vega indicates that it has built-in support for table boards. But they
don't seem to have any manuals in PDF format, so I don't know how thick
they expect these boards to be or how they attach. The photos of the
fences on amazon look like there is a flange on the bottom of both the
front and rear rails. How much do I need to build a board up to to
make a board that is flush with the top of the table? Does it just
screw from the bottom of this flange?

Also, if I don't use the steel wings, there are just two places to bolt
the fence rails to the cast-iron saw table itself. Is that sufficient?

TIA,
Phil

I love my vega fence that came on a used JET contractors saw. Board
buddies have to mounted on another board to work on the fence. On mine
I used 1/4" hardboard, but it to width of the channel on top of the
fence, then rounded the corners of the hardboard to slide easily into
this channel.

Allows quick installation and removal of the board buddies, but I don't
use them very often!

The best accessory is the finger-saver sled. BUY ONE.

Alan