The blank blade plates are useful. They are made out of acrylic with the mounting screw holes drilled and countersunk, but no blade slot. The aluminum plate that comes mounted on the saw has a blade slot that is wide enough for the blade to be tilted from vertical to 45 deg., however is wider that the blade for that reason. When making strips in the vertical setting, the thinner ones can get eaten into the slot.
With the blank, you install it with the saw lowered, turn it on and raise it. It cuts it's own tight tolerance slot. I have no idea how i would make one with the blade on an angle, but the need hasn't arisen.
I wouldn't get the adjustable read-out fence. When I cut stuff, I set the fence with a thickness gauge. The finer blade teeth don't have much of any set. and then cut a lot of strip to at least get some consistency.