Is the T-Glide worth it, yes. It is as good as any fence on any of the cabinet saws, the premium fence, not so much. When you see and move them both you will see/feel the difference immediately.

 

The basic fence is not so bad but in comparison, the t-glide fence is so much nicer to use and stays aligned very well. The basic fence is light weight and flimsy compared to the t-glide fence.

Also, you can always upgrade for the same price if you decide that you dont like the stock fence

 

considering the cost of the saw your are considering, I would opt to go for the better fence than the 'cheap out' and feel I should have gone with the better one everytime I used the saw…

as for size, I think that unless you are working with sheet goods on the TS , 30" rip capacity is more than enough. anyhthing bigger for a one mans shop is easier to do with a circular saw/router on the floor

 

Thanks for the feedback.
Cole: I didn't know I could upgrade for the same price after the purchase if I'm not satisfied with the basic fence. That's really nice to know.
I know it's not much extra to go with the T-glide, and most people probably figure that it's already costing them x amount of dollars, what's another x%. But in the price bracket of this saw I'm trying to scrape out everything I can to reduce the sticker shock : ) I'm a sucker in the stores though and if I wait to buy until I see them side by side I'm sure you're all right and I'll end up with the T-glide.

 

I'm also considering this saw, hoping for fall sale. Have no experience with the upgraded fence but for the small incremental cost relative to the saw am planning to get it. Extra 6" of space could also help with ts-mounted router, freeing up whatever space your router table is taking up. At least that's my long term plan, with a small shop.

 

I just bought a PCS yesterday. The 36 inch models have better adjustments for squaring the fence in a couple directions. I saw both and there was no comparison.

 

The T-glide fence, definitely.

Of course, if you could get (and fit) an Incra TS-LS fence, that's a step up from the T-glide fence.

Incra TS-LS Fence

But that's a whole other can of worms.

 

I had the same question, and I contacted Saw Stop, and asked if I could substitute the premium fence with the T-glide on the 30" model. Below was there response.

Hi Joe,

Thank you for contacting SawStop. In response to your request, this saw comes one of 3 ways, with a 30" fence, a 36" or 52". So yes, you would just want to order either the 36" or 52" if you wanted our T Glide style. Thanks!

Maybe I misunderstood Saw stop, but it sounds like the T-glide is only available on the 36" and 52" and not the 30"

 

My understanding is that the better quality fences only come in the 36 and 52 inch models.