Router Fence Micro Adjuster

[Ron Paris]

I'm still trying to learn as much as I can about work with a router. On page 110 of his book on routers, Bill Hylton shows how to build a micro adjuster for a router table fence. Do you need to build one for each side of the fence?
On my table saw, when I lock the fence, it locks on both sides. Other than the Kreg and a few others, I don't see this happening on many router table saw fences. Is there a reason for this? Most seem to lock the fence in place with a clamp or two. Also, do people use any sort of gage to help tell the distance the cutting edge of a router bit is from the fence? I have been using a steel ruler but have to say this is not as accurate as I would like.
Thanks
Ron

[keith ouellette]

Because of the plane that the bit spins in the fence orientation is only important at the center of the bit so if the fence is straight the work will always be the same distance from the center of the bit.

Thats why you only need a micro adjust on one side and not on both.

On a table saw the blade spins in a different plane so its rotation is in orientation with the fence and the fence needs to be as parallel to the blade as possible.

If your fence flexes easily at the end it needs to be fixed to the table at both ends but a good fence will be stiffer than that.

If you have a miter slot on you router table then the fence will need to be parallel to the miter slot on operations where you use the fence in conjunction with the miter.

[Chip Lindley]

Ron, you will get tons of different answers in this thread. Each user has his own personal needs and favorite router fence setup. You can go as High Tech or as simple as you wish with a router fence. A fence that locks down like a table saw fence needs some sort of fine adjuster at one end or the other. I see no need at both ends.

A fence that pivots at one end and has a radiused slot at the other, with a bolt and tightening knob for finer adjustment will satisfy most. I have used a straight edge as you mention, to line up the ball bearing of a bit with the fence face. It doesn't get much simpler. Of course there are those who enjoy toying with their more elaborate (and expensive) *micro-setups.* Your further experience using a router table will tell you what you need most, and can easily live without.

[Bill Huber]

I have a Micro adjuster I made for my Jessem fence, I don't use it all the time but when I need it, its there.
The times I need it is when I want to take off just a little more, I mean just a little more and with the Micro adjuster it is very easy to do.

Here is the one I made and it could be made to work with any table.
http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/micro_adjuster

Now one the gauge for setting the fence I use a Wiexy and it is really great.

http://www.wixey.com/heightgauge/index.html

If I am just setting the bearing to the fence I just use a straight edge and that works fine. But if I want to cut say 3/8 of an inch in then I use the gauge for that. That is also a time when I use the micro adjuster, makes it much easier to hit it spot on.