What Router Fence Height?

[Doug Hobkirk]

I'm building a fence. Norm's newest design is tall, although I don't know exactly how tall. What do you experienced RT users like?

PS - My instinct would be to make it about 8" high, seemingly plenty of room for a T-track (or two) for a vertical featherboard.

[Jeff Willard]

I see nothing wrong with tall, especially if you envision the use of vertical raised panel, or lock miter bits-or anything else that may require stock to be passed across it vertically. The downside would be more material, increased weight, and possibly more difficulty in storage. FWIW, mine is only about 3" tall, and I can't remember ever having a need for more.

[Joe Scharle]

My primary fence is 7" with a T track in the center. Allows tall fences to be mounted when needed for lock miters etc. I made some dedicated fences that bolt-on, for zero clearance use with these bits. Helps with subsequent setup too.

[Myk Rian]

Depends on what you're doing I suppose. My primary fence is an Incra jig. 3" fence on it.

[pat warner]

Max Control (ability to get predictable/good results) on the router table requires that the table & fence be flat, straight & square.
The bigger they are, the more difficult it is to keep them flat, straight and square to one another.

[glenn bradley]

I have removable sliding faces in a few heights. I normally leave the lower ones on but that is just because when I have the fence off, the low faces allow me to tuck the fence into it's storage slot. The taller faces are there to but the fence won't "store" with them on.

I have never found the taller faces to be a problem when I didn't really require the height. I have found the lower ones to be a problem when I needed more vertical support. If I could only have one set, I'd go taller. My tall ones are about 7" tall IIRC.

[Gene Howe]

The top of my fence has a dove tail slot running lengthwise, in which a mating piece rides. That male part is attached to a "tall" fence so it can be removed, leaving a 3" fence.
As far as square and flat is concerned, I've never had a problem. However, I don't find a need to use the "tall" fence often. Maybe 3 times since I installed it, 10 years ago.

[Don Stanley]

I'm building a fence. Norm's newest design is tall, although I don't know exactly how tall. What do you experienced RT users like?

PS - My instinct would be to make it about 8" high, seemingly plenty of room for a T-track (or two) for a vertical featherboard.

My fence is rather tall. Click image below for a closer look.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/852/thumbs/7_Fence1.JPG (http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/852/7_Fence1.JPG)

I like the height, but it does interfere with the crank handle used to raise/lower the router, when the fence is too close (the crank is inserted into black Allen socket on the left-front corner of the router plate). I should also mention that I have a tall crank, but it's not tall enough :(

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/852/thumbs/8_Fence2.JPG (http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/852/8_Fence2.JPG)

-Don

[Chip Lindley]

My primary fence is only 3" tall! A 1-1/4" x 3" x 28" piece of hard maple has served as my fence for years. I trust it more than a piece of MDF or melamine-coated PB. Twice in 20 years, I have run it across the jointer to true the face back into perfect flatness. As said, the larger the fence, the harder to keep it straight and flat.

I mainly run small bits on my RT, doing edge treatments, sliding dovetails, rabbeting or slotting. Shapers handle the big stuff; panel-raising and rail/stiles.

[glenn bradley]

I like the height, but it does interfere with the crank handle used to raise/lower the router, when the fence is too close (the crank is inserted into black Allen socket on the left-front corner of the router plate). I should also mention that I have a tall crank, but it's not tall enough

My crank handle fix (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=141352&d=1265698766).

[Gene Howe]

My crank handle fix (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=141352&d=1265698766).

Glenn,
Where did you find the little driver? I'm in a tool supply challenged area and have been looking for one for my lift.

[Lex Boegen]

I suggest making the tall fence as a detachable sub-fence. They're a necessity if you're making raised panels with a vertical panel-raising bit. The advantage to making it a detachable sub-fence is that you can add shims behind the attachment points to make it a perfect ninety degrees to the table surface. I'm about to bite the bullet on an Incra LS17 Super System, that comes with a detachable upper rail that performs the same function as a tall fence, but I may still make a tall sub-fence for it anyhow. I'll have to see how I like their rail and whether I can attach featherboards to it the way that I like.

[Jeff Miller]

I think mine is about 8" high and I like being able to use the feather boards I but could use a longer crank for the lift.




http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f32/woodfarmer/GO690%20router%20table/101_6870.jpg?t=1269793391



JEFF:D

[Doug Hobkirk]

Crank handle! That is why I ask you guys questions like this. I need to solve that before finalizing my plan. THANKS!

And then you throw in more food for thought like motorizing the crank, making an extension for a shorter fence, etc. This is simply great.

PS - Jeff's fence is about what I had planned [I've been using a straight board (with a half circle cut out in the middle) that I clamp to the router table top.]

[glenn bradley]

Glenn,
Where did you find the little driver? I'm in a tool supply challenged area and have been looking for one for my lift.

Costco; $12 - $14 depending on when you walk by. I have been running one of them for well over a year. I bought a second because I thought the first one had to die soon . . . . not.

[Greg Hines, MD]

Crank handle! That is why I ask you guys questions like this. I need to solve that before finalizing my plan. THANKS!

And then you throw in more food for thought like motorizing the crank, making an extension for a shorter fence, etc. This is simply great.

PS - Jeff's fence is about what I had planned [I've been using a straight board (with a half circle cut out in the middle) that I clamp to the router table top.]

Mine is about 7-8" tall, with a solid Melamine upper with T-track in it, and then movable lower faces, to be able to close it completely or gap as needed. It has worked out just fine so far. I also have an original Incra Jig and their fence system for routing dovetails, but mostly I use my home built fence system. I do not have any new photos of it, but you can see it in some old posts of mine.

Doc