Table Saw Featherboards

[Doug Hobkirk]

I don't recall seeing many TS featherboards that come down from the top, just the ones that come from the side using the miter slot or magnets. I see them all the time for router tables (I have one on mine).

1. Are they relatively unusual?
2. If so, why? It seems like that would add significant safety...

Thanks

[Brian Henderson]

If you mean fence-mounted featherboards, I have them and I use them all the time.

[Kent Adams]

Doug, I use these, which work very well for most of my needs:

159902.jpg

[Mike Null]

It depends on what I'm doing. Whenever I use a molding cutter a fence mounted feather board is essential to maintain the depth of cut. Certain dados also require it.

[Lee Schierer]

I have magnetic feather boards that can also be mounted on my fence. They do indeed make rip cuts much safer.
lsfence1.jpg

[Doug Hobkirk]

Doug, I use these, which work very well for most of my needs:

159902.jpg

After watching the videos, these seem excellent. And their features give me a decent sense of why one featherboard would often not work. This is clearly a better solution.

Thanks

If you mean fence-mounted featherboards, I have them and I use them all the time.

That's what I anticipated, but I found very few images when I Google for "table saw featherboard."

[Don Sundberg]

I use these. Not as expensive as the Jessem ones but maybe not as nice either.

IMG_1212.jpg

[Ben Rivel]

Wow, did not know about the Jessem setup. Dang, that might be on my list now.

EDIT: In fact I just ordered the setup. Infinity Tools has it on sale for $259 free shipping no tax. Wow, didnt expect to spend that much today.

[Timothy Shouldice]

I have the Jessem guides and did a review here - lumberjocks.com/reviews/6514

[Kent Adams]

Wow, did not know about the Jessem setup. Dang, that might be on my list now.

EDIT: In fact I just ordered the setup. Infinity Tools has it on sale for $259 free shipping no tax. Wow, didnt expect to spend that much today.

You won't be disappointed. The only "painful" part for me was pre-drilling holes in my fence, but now.....I love them.

[Doug Hobkirk]

You won't be disappointed. The only "painful" part for me was pre-drilling holes in my fence, but now.....I love them.

You almost sold me! But I think I will try their router set. Woodcraft sells them for $90 instead of $250. I already use a wood face on the fence, so I can add a T-track. I think I can live without the built-in guide for optimizing the pressure. And I don't understand why I would often need to have the wheels reaching far away from the fence.

So thanks, Kent.

[Timothy Shouldice]

You almost sold me! But I think I will try their router set. Woodcraft sells them for $90 instead of $250. I already use a wood face on the fence, so I can add a T-track. I think I can live without the built-in guide for optimizing the pressure. And I don't understand why I would often need to have the wheels reaching far away from the fence.

I also have the router set but you will have to slide them right on and off the T-track each time you need to do a cut that doesn't or can't use them. I agree that the wheels don't need to be very far away from the fence but I do appreciate how easy it is to tuck them out of the way when not needed. To me that makes them easily available for the next cut when I can use them. Make something fast and simple and I'll use it. Make it take a few minutes and I'm less likely.

[Hoang N Nguyen]

Doug, I use these, which work very well for most of my needs:

159902.jpg

I also have this and while it was painful drilling into my sawstop fence, I also love it now that it's on. I use it on almost all my cuts.

I believe the long arm reach is for kick-backs. The further the arm is away from the fence, the more support short of speak it provides if you ever have a kick back. If you're just hanging onto the wood at the every tip then it doesn't have as much holding power.

Just think about holding a piece of wood at the every tip with your finger tips and then try holding it with your hold hand as far in as your hand can hold. Much more sturdy.

[Ben Rivel]

You won't be disappointed. The only "painful" part for me was pre-drilling holes in my fence, but now.....I love them.

Ha I used to feel that way, but honestly after dealing a bit with SawStop and knowing that I can order any single part, piece or sticker on my saw by itself makes me not worry about installing things like this. I can always order another tube and replace the one with holes in it if I decided I didnt like the Jessem guides.

[Greg Hines, MD]

Many table saw fences do not have the capacity to handle a fence mounted feather board, but its simple to add one, which is what I did, and I use them for dados or rabbets for the most part. I use the Bench Dog brand, given that I get them cheap from Woodcraft from time to time, and I have both fence and miter slot versions.

Doc