Featherboards with the tablesaw

[transatlantic]

I like to use the long type of push stick, as it enables you to finish the cut with your hand still in front of the blade. I am not comfortable with other types as they mean you're reaching over the blade.

One of the problems with long push sticks is that you only have pressure at the front of the workpiece, and so the back end can lift up. It's never actually happened to me, but I often see the back end vibrate a bit, and so I think it could happen any day soon!

The ideal solution to this would be to pick up some of the JessEm stock guides. However, my current saw is only a cheapy and not a great fence, and so I cannot justify them at the moment. Maybe when I get a better saw.

I was wondering if anyone uses featherboards attached to the fence? just past the center of the blade, to hold the stock down? It's very rare you see them, and so am wondering if there are downsides?

 

[Bodgers]

I like to use the long type of push stick, as it enables you to finish the cut with your hand still in front of the blade. I am not comfortable with other types as they mean you're reaching over the blade.

One of the problems with long push sticks is that you only have pressure at the front of the workpiece, and so the back end can lift up. It's never actually happened to me, but I often see the back end vibrate a bit, and so I think it could happen any day soon!

The ideal solution to this would be to pick up some of the JessEm stock guides. However, my current saw is only a cheapy and not a great fence, and so I cannot justify them at the moment. Maybe when I get a better saw.

I was wondering if anyone uses featherboards attached to the fence? just past the center of the blade, to hold the stock down? It's very rare you see them, and so am wondering if there are downsides?

With these types of push sticks, you need to use two at a time. Doesn't really work otherwise. M Wandel has a video on this...

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[transatlantic]

With these types of push sticks, you need to use two at a time. Doesn't really work otherwise. M Wandel has a video on this..

Not sure how that helps. The second push stick will be supporting the offcut, not the piece that is lifting between the blade and fence

 

[Bodgers]

With these types of push sticks, you need to use two at a time. Doesn't really work otherwise. M Wandel has a video on this..

Not sure how that helps. The second push stick will be supporting the offcut, not the piece that is lifting between the blade and fence

You don't support the offcut...

https://youtu.be/gdIQY_7T26k

Skip to around the 2 min point:

https://youtu.be/ZkvO99lswZg


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[shed9]

I have a set of Jessem Clear Cut guides on my table saw. Just superb, they hold down on the surface and also pull it towards the fence at the same time. Easy to setup and never had an issue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaSLoaDgpeE

 

[Trevanion]

I've always liked a pair of spiked push sticks for anything that can't be hand fed, I could never get along with the birdsmouth push sticks. Spiked ones mean you can apply pressure and push from anywhere on the face of the board rather than the back edge of the cut.

 

[powertools]

I've had a count up this afternoon and I have 9 different push sticks all for different types of cuts. The type you have shown is about the worst you could have and my opinion fitting feather boards to a table saw to try and compensate for a bad push stick would just make a bad situation even worse.

 

[Bodgers]

Powerfeed, that's the best push stick

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[transatlantic]

I've had a count up this afternoon and I have 9 different push sticks all for different types of cuts. The type you have shown is about the worst you could have and my opinion fitting feather boards to a table saw to try and compensate for a bad push stick would just make a bad situation even worse.

Care to explain why? ..which is what I was asking :wink:

 

[powertools]

I will be quite happy to explain but it will need to be over the weekend.
The push stick that you have shown only protects you from pushing your fingers into the blade but does nothing to protect you from the biggest risk once the wood has passed the centre point of the blade.

 

[transatlantic]

I have a set of Jessem Clear Cut guides on my table saw. Just superb, they hold down on the surface and also pull it towards the fence at the same time. Easy to setup and never had an issue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaSLoaDgpeE

Yep. I just don't have a good enough saw for them.

 

[shed9]

I have a set of Jessem Clear Cut guides on my table saw. Just superb, they hold down on the surface and also pull it towards the fence at the same time. Easy to setup and never had an issue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaSLoaDgpeE

Yep. I just don't have a good enough saw for them.

I can see what you mean they can be pricey and are in investment to some degree relevant to the kit you put the on. I was just very lucky as I found someone who bought them on a wim and I got them a lot cheaper than RRP. I'm surprised there are not more similar designs as the concept is sound.

 

[Bodgers]

I will be quite happy to explain but it will need to be over the weekend.
The push stick that you have shown only protects you from pushing your fingers into the blade but does nothing to protect you from the biggest risk once the wood has passed the centre point of the blade.

That's why I mentioned earlier that they should be used two at a time rather alone - as shown in the videos above.

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[transatlantic]

I will be quite happy to explain but it will need to be over the weekend.
The push stick that you have shown only protects you from pushing your fingers into the blade but does nothing to protect you from the biggest risk once the wood has passed the centre point of the blade.

That's why I mentioned earlier that they should be used two at a time rather alone - as shown in the videos above.

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Still doesn't look right to me. I've watched the videos, and he is using the second stick to try and push the board against the fence, with the tip of the stick. It just doesn't seem as though he has much control.

https://youtu.be/ZkvO99lswZg?t=176

Having a small featherboard attached to the fence seems like it would be so much easier. But have not tried it yet as I am waiting to hear from Powertools why its a bad idea.

 

[Bodgers]

I will be quite happy to explain but it will need to be over the weekend.
The push stick that you have shown only protects you from pushing your fingers into the blade but does nothing to protect you from the biggest risk once the wood has passed the centre point of the blade.

That's why I mentioned earlier that they should be used two at a time rather alone - as shown in the videos above.

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Still doesn't look right to me. I've watched the videos, and he is using the second stick to try and push the board against the fence, with the tip of the stick. It just doesn't seem as though he has much control.

https://youtu.be/ZkvO99lswZg?t=176

Having a small featherboard attached to the fence seems like it would be so much easier. But have not tried it yet as I am waiting to hear from Powertools why its a bad idea.

I don't think it is a question of one or the other.

You aren't going to be using them to take the place of a push stick.

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[powertools]

There are so many different types of cuts that we all make on our table saws that inorder to answer your question we need more information about the issue you are trying to resolve.
There are many experts on this forum and I don't claim to be one of them but I am supprised that none of them have responded to your post.
Although I assume that your diagram was for illustration purposes only it does show just about all that you can do wrong in using a table saw.
If you want to keep the section of your cut to be the bit between the fence and the blade you need to position your push stick on that bit inorder to be able to push it all the way through the process to hold the work down you can do that on the offcut side without having feather boards in the way on your workpiece.
Two push sticks is a good idea but your second one on the offcut side of the blade would be far better to be a 12 in length of broom handle with a rubber walking stick end on it that you position anywhere on the offcut and apply force in any direction.

 

[MrTeroo]

"There are many experts on this forum and I don't claim to be one of them but I am supprised that none of them have responded to your post."

Maybe that's what you get for being unnecessarily rude to other, well respected posters?

 

[transatlantic]

There are so many different types of cuts that we all make on our table saws that inorder to answer your question we need more information about the issue you are trying to resolve.
There are many experts on this forum and I don't claim to be one of them but I am supprised that none of them have responded to your post.
Although I assume that your diagram was for illustration purposes only it does show just about all that you can do wrong in using a table saw.
If you want to keep the section of your cut to be the bit between the fence and the blade you need to position your push stick on that bit inorder to be able to push it all the way through the process to hold the work down you can do that on the offcut side without having feather boards in the way on your workpiece.
Two push sticks is a good idea but your second one on the offcut side of the blade would be far better to be a 12 in length of broom handle with a rubber walking stick end on it that you position anywhere on the offcut and apply force in any direction.

Can you explain why the featherboards are a bad idea?

It would be similar to the jessem guides, although admittedly not as good, as they would only supply downwards pressure, where as the jessem guides also supply sidewards pressure.



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[transatlantic]

"There are many experts on this forum and I don't claim to be one of them but I am supprised that none of them have responded to your post."

Maybe that's what you get for being unnecessarily rude to other, well respected posters?

Its a safety issue. Id like to think people would still help out in that regard. Despite them having disagreements with what I might have said on an unrelated topic.

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[Bodgers]

"There are many experts on this forum and I don't claim to be one of them but I am supprised that none of them have responded to your post."

Maybe that's what you get for being unnecessarily rude to other, well respected posters?

Its a safety issue. Id like to think people would still help out in that regard. Despite them having disagreements with what I might have said on an unrelated topic.

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Primary purpose of featherboards aren't for safety. Consistency and cut quality.

Just because it was on a different thread doesn't excuse it.

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