GuidePRO GP5 Bandsaw Guide

I slapped this on my bandsaw to do some resawing as soon as I got it, and it worked like a charm. I did buy the extender top piece as I routinely run larger pieces - my only gripe there was it was painfully difficult to swap the black piece - to me this is minor however as once it is in place you should be good for awhile - unless you damage it by hitting the blade or something. Make sure you look online to see the video on how best to use it, it will help. Go to Bow-Products.com and then find the Guide Pro, there are videos there to answer just about all your questions. Once you have it all figured out, it is simple to use. The black strip is firm and non-marring, I ran some rather expensive Koa through with the Guide Pro and the results were fantastic. The pressure it applies is constant, right down to the end of the board and the material it uses is such I am confident it will not damage my blade should there be contact. While using this I felt like the feed rate was slightly higher and I was able to maintain my focus on the piece and not worry about holding it firmly to the fence. Note, if you extend it a to near the end of the bar it becomes a little difficult to get it to "lock" firmly into place - the piece you are cutting essentially needs to be in position to help it hold steady. This is fine if you are working with something short, rather a pain if you are working with a 12' board in need of resaw. My only other gripe is the Guide Pro Anchor Bar is not included, for the price I think it should be. The bar should allow you to use the Guide Pro more effectively on your saws miter slot and also allows you to use the Guide Pro on your router or table or table saw (according to Bow). It is sold separately (again, it should be included in my opinion), With the price of the bar, if you buy the extender too, you are in around $125, I personally think this is a lot more than it should be, I figure you should be able to get all three for a single Benjamin. Also, you cannot (at the time I am writing this) buy the bar on Amazon, you have to go Bow-Products.com to find it. This said regarding the price, if you are on the fence at all just get the Guide Pro to start and give it a go, I think you will find it to be a great addition to the woodworking arsenal and should it prove itself to you, look at the other two pieces. Despite the price, if I had to, I would buy one again - to me it works that well.

It really helps a lot when resawing. I feel a lot more at ease when using it.

Base model (this) great and a must have for ripping tall material. Only rated lower since extension does not positive lock in for ripping very tall material. Need to re-engineer both so lock together.

I bought a whole selection of BOW's products recently as they've been talked up on various youtube channels. I have no regrets - they're extremely well thought out and well executed and the customer service is truly superb. This particular items was one of the most expensive ones I got. I would probably get it again as it works quite well, though compared to the other items I purchased, the cost/benefit ratio isn't quite as good for this one. I'm giving it 5 stars anyway but this particular one should have a lower price. Also - I purchased the optional anchor bar because I misunderstood what it was for. That isn't needed for the bandsaw - it's for using on other tools and you might not even need it then, so make sure you understand its purpose if you're looking at that accessory.

First, I'll say this is an expensive setup, and I waited a while before purchasing due to the cost. I bought the featherboard, the anchor bar, and the extension, and together, I think they are a fantastic combination, but it is by far the most expensive featherboard setup I've had. I really like the anchor bar, as I don't have to fiddle with the stock cam. I set the anchor bar in place, then I extend the featherboard to apply as much pressure as I want. It does take a bit of practice to know the right amount of pressure. The most important thing is to make sure that the silicone part will not touch the blade, but to get it as close to the blade as you can for full support along as much of the cut as possible. So far, I've only used it on relatively small resawing tasks, but I also bought the extension so that I can do taller resaws with it as well. I use this on my Laguna 18 BX bandsaw that can resaw up to 16". This doesn't quite go that high, but neither does the stock fence, so I think that with how much support it does provide, it will be fine for taller resaw work. Overall, I don't think it is the best value considering the cost and the materials, but it is the only featherboard like it that I've found, and there is always a premium to the first. Even though I don't think it is a good value, I am very happy with it, and am glad I bought the whole set (the featherboard, anchor bar, and extension). Update 8/17/20 - I have used this featherboard a number of times now, and I've added pictures of when I was resawing a live edge red oak slab nearly 16" wide. I used my router sled to flatten one side, and then I used my bandsaw with this featherboard to thickness plane the other side flat. I've used it on smaller pieces as well, and many different species. I am using a 1.25" resaw king blade on my bandsaw which also helps. I am very happy with the purchase, even with the premium paid for it. The anchor bar is so much better than the cam in my mind, and the extension has been of a great help too for these taller resaws.

Bought with the extender, highly recommend.

These are exceptionally simple but essential pieces of equipment for anyone who uses a bandsaw, particularly if your into re-sawing. They are very well made, solid and robust. They come with 3 different sized mitre cams, 15mm, 3/4 & 5/8 inches, so the guide will fit most standard mitre guides. BOW products have provided us with a great product and everything you need is in the box. Price and quality, 5 stars 👍👍👍👍👍

Excellent feather board for my bandsaw, like all the Bow Products items I have (several). Great in conjunction with a Bow Push Handle to keep my fingers right away from the blade and prevent skipping/jamming/kicking.

Works great

Works great on my Rikon 14” bandsaw