# Feather roller, final version



## Niki (5 Aug 2006)

Good day

Today I made the final version (I hope), based on the second version.

If you have any comment, I'll be happy to here.

Thanks
niki


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[img]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t104/nanikami/Feeder%20Rollers/01.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t104/nanikami/Feeder%20Rollers/02.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t104/nanikami/Feeder%20Rollers/03.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t104/nanikami/Feeder%20Rollers/04.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t104/nanikami/Feeder%20Rollers/05.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t104/nanikami/Feeder%20Rollers/06.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t104/nanikami/Feeder%20Rollers/07.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t104/nanikami/Feeder%20Rollers/09.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t104/nanikami/Feeder%20Rollers/10.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t104/nanikami/Feeder%20Rollers/11.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t104/nanikami/Feeder%20Rollers/12.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t104/nanikami/Feeder%20Rollers/13.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t104/nanikami/Feeder%20Rollers/14.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t104/nanikami/Feeder%20Rollers/15.jpg[/img]
```


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## Mcluma (5 Aug 2006)

That looks pretty good now 8) 

ps do not be frightend of these UK safety guys who jump on you like nothing on earth - its a typical uk thing we call them good do-ers :wink: 

keep the modifications comming


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## seaco (5 Aug 2006)

Very nicely done Niki and I agree with above some people do get just to goody goody in reality if you have any sense you use your tools safely and your idea looks as though it makes things safer to me!... :wink: 

Are you still tilting the wheels down slightly?


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## Scrit (5 Aug 2006)

Since when is pointing out safe practice based on well established principles "goody-goody"? If you take that approach, then I hope you aren't a driver! Or at least not in my locale.

Scrit


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## Niki (5 Aug 2006)

Thank you Mcluma and Seaco

I think that you are both correct; "Safety is in the Head and not in the Blade", me think.

Seaco
Yes, the rollers (both) are tilted down. You can see it on the second picture (look at the screws).

Thanks
niki


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## engineer one (6 Aug 2006)

scrit i take your point, 
but at a time when fireman are being banned from
sliding down poles due to H&S new plymouth station in papers sat 05 august, sometimes common sense needs to come into play.

the problem seems to be now that those doing the risk assessments have never actually used the tools and equipment they are assessing.

we all know of machinery which is almost impossible to use in normal 
circumstances because of guarding designed to stop people hurting them selves by doing something stupid like standing on the machine.

as usual niki you have produced an interesting article which offers some better potential than normal featherboards in keeping wood properly pressed against the blade and fence. not convinced it will stop kick back, as it releases the pressure just before the end of the board moves over the blade, but it is a useful starting point.

paul :wink:


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## seaco (6 Aug 2006)

engineer one":3v2jk68r said:


> not convinced it will stop kick back, as it releases the pressure just before the end of the board moves over the blade, but it is a useful starting point.
> 
> paul :wink:



I don't think Niki said it would stop kickback but I certainly can't see it causing it?

Equal pressure either side of the blade while pushing lumber through is more important in my eyes to prevent kickback!


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## Niki (6 Aug 2006)

Thank you Paul

I did not say that it will stop kickback, I said, that you will not get kickback because of this setup.

Today, when I was cutting for the pictures, (and I made two cuts because I missed the first one and did not stop just before the end for the picture), I did not feel the transition from "roller pressing" to "roller released".

Of course, for example, if your fence is not parallel to the blade or the board is not flat, you will get it with or without the rollers.

Edit; Seaco, you are faster

niki


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## Losos (6 Aug 2006)

Hi Niki,
looks like you've arrived at a real neat solution to cutting lots of Oak boards. I await you next 'idea' with eager anticipation.

The Health & Safety legislation in England has in many ways gone far beyond 'common sense' but managers working in the industry are obliged to try to conform. As Scrit says a lot is down to common sense & what one can do in your own workshop is not always going to be acceptable in a factory, I think it's worth noting what the 'factory' rules are, even if we bend them sometimes, at least we will then know how far to 'bend'


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## mrbingley (7 Aug 2006)

I get the feeling that if you're using just ordinary steel instead of tempered sprung steel that any undue pressure will just bend the rollers and it won't come back, therefore losing the initial pressure.
If you can't get tempered steel I'd go back to wood with some spring in it.


Chris.


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## Niki (7 Aug 2006)

Thank you

Losos
I think that there is no end to safety laws and precaution but the best law is to use commonsense.
Ones, my friend told his boss, "to you and to the rabbi's wife it will not happen, you know why? Because you are not working". 

Chris
I really don't know if it's tempered steel or not but it returns to the original condition (and it was expensive in Japan).

niki


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## JFC (7 Aug 2006)

What if you do get kick back because the fence is out of square ? Many people that read this forum dont have a top of the range table saw and some fences are pretty flimsy . Maybe the pressure of the rollers will bend the cheaper fences and cause kick back ? 
Also timber bought from stock may have a slight deviation and this is normally at the ends due to bad machining , the roller would make sure that would cause a problem IMHO .
Great idea for some set ups but i dont think your going to make your millions out of it ..... unless of course you sell it to trend


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## seaco (7 Aug 2006)

JFC":1ty9tsk0 said:


> What if you do get kick back because the fence is out of square ?


The spring in the metal should account for that!


JFC":1ty9tsk0 said:


> Many people that read this forum dont have a top of the range table saw and some fences are pretty flimsy . Maybe the pressure of the rollers will bend the cheaper fences and cause kick back ?


Test the fence and if it flexes dont make one!


JFC":1ty9tsk0 said:


> Also timber bought from stock may have a slight deviation and this is normally at the ends due to bad machining , the roller would make sure that would cause a problem IMHO .


Again the spring in the metal should help there!


JFC":1ty9tsk0 said:


> Great idea for some set ups but i dont think your going to make your millions out of it ..... unless of course you sell it to trend


If people like Niki didn't invent and take the time to photograph and write about things this forum would be a less colourful place!


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## Niki (7 Aug 2006)

Thank you JFC

As you can see in the pictures of the prototype and this post, my fence is a home made (or shop made) fence. If the fence is flimsy, I would not cut nothing on this table saw (I got 2 kickbacks some 10 years ago).
I think that even with low end saw, one can make a good and accurate fence. I had one of those low end bench saw for almost 10 years (the EB is 6 months old) without any kickback.

niki


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## Niki (7 Aug 2006)

Thank you so much Seasco

You are for sure faster then me.

niki


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## seaco (7 Aug 2006)

Your welcome mate, keep up the good work!... :wink:


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## devonwoody (8 Aug 2006)

Niki, for your inventive mind, how about designing a system that allows a wedge to drop between the saw cut after it has left the blade and the riving knife has already been grabbed by the timber tension.

That should keep you busy this weekend


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## JFC (8 Aug 2006)

I don't think the spring in the metal is going to help if the timber runs out on the fence side , wont it push the timber round and cause the wood to snatch ? 
Niki asked for opinions and im giving them . I think that its great he posts his ideas but i also know people will adapt it to their own materials and give it a go . Table saws aren't very forgiving when they snatch !


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## Scrit (8 Aug 2006)

JFC":2etht0fs said:


> I don't think the spring in the metal is going to help if the timber runs out on the fence side , wont it push the timber round and cause the wood to snatch ?


With a long rip fence (one that extends past the front of the sawblade) then that's a possibility as the timber can "destress" and jam between the blade and the rip fence - then "Hey Presto!" Kickback. If the rip fence is short there is nothing for the timber to "wedge" into and it doesn't really matter too much what is happening before the timber reaches the blade other than it os running straight at the blade.

Scrit


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## seaco (8 Aug 2006)

JFC":ndxqogxx said:


> I don't think the spring in the metal is going to help if the timber runs out on the fence side , wont it push the timber round and cause the wood to snatch ?
> Niki asked for opinions and im giving them . I think that its great he posts his ideas but i also know people will adapt it to their own materials and give it a go . Table saws aren't very forgiving when they snatch !



Then you should'nt be pushing it through the saw in the first place straighten one edge first... :shock:


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## Niki (8 Aug 2006)

Devonwoody
Your idea will keep me busy for 2 years not one weekend. I know to make only simple things, this one is too complicated for my small brain.

JFC
Thank you for your comments, its better to inquire than to have an accident.

Today I cut the other edge of oak boards straight, and than cut strips of 70mm and 40mm, I used the feather (I would say feeder) roller.
It went like butter, I've never had such an easy cut; pushed the oak and finish with the push stick. I had to re-adjust the roller unit for each cut but it took seconds.
I did not feel anything when the roller pressure was released and if I did not look at the roller, I would not know when the pressure is released. 

niki


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## JFC (8 Aug 2006)

> Then you should'nt be pushing it through the saw in the first place straighten one edge first...


Do you check all you timber you have bought P.A.R before milling it up ?
I do a quick check when i buy it but after that i trust its been machined to the quality i expect . Sometimes its not up to that quality or has moved while sat waiting to be shaped . 
Im not quite sure where your point is as you seem to be sticking up for an idea without taking into consideration the possible bad points .
Keep posting Niki , i do actually like your ideas but you did ask for input so i gave it .
Jason .


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## JFC (8 Aug 2006)

On the riving knife idea , a riving knife that had the side away from the fence angled out would work quite well .... maybe ?


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## Scrit (8 Aug 2006)

JFC":3e9q0sk1 said:


> On the riving knife idea , a riving knife that had the side away from the fence angled out would work quite well .... maybe ?


Alternatively just do your ripping on a bandsaw......

Scrit


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## Jake (9 Aug 2006)

Nice timber, Niki.


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## devonwoody (9 Aug 2006)

Scrit, your suggestion re the bandsaw is worthwhile, these days I use a bandsaw to rip short pieces, its safer, less noisy and less sawdust in the playroom.

However I do not have the confidence to rip long and heavy pieces because my BS and most others look as if they would become unbalanced, or the table unable to support weight of heavy pieces.


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## Scrit (9 Aug 2006)

devonwoody":1itph7kg said:


> However I do not have the confidence to rip long and heavy pieces because my BS and most others look as if they would become unbalanced, or the table unable to support weight of heavy pieces.


Then why not put a run-off table behind it, same as you should be doing with a table saw? 

Scrit


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## devonwoody (9 Aug 2006)

Scrit, the bandsaw table is too high, the position of the saw and short of space for such equipment, and I do have the Triton which I can operate outside for overlong pieces.


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