Feather board simple version

[reible]

I've used feather boards a lot longer then i have a shopsmith. I'm going to post one of my early ones for you to see. Not so pretty to look at but since its about the simplest ones I've made I'm going to use it to explain how to make one like it.

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Step one is to find some cheap wood with a section void of knots and strange grain patterns. Mine is pine but other woods would work too. Length and width are not so critical, this one is 3/4 x 5-1/2 x 15-1/2. The first cut is to establish the angle. Again this is not critical.

Next you will need the rip fence set up, a rip blade and since these are non through cuts no blade guard. (You can always do a guard up if you want to and to be honest it would be safer that way). Now adjust the fence to make a cut that is just better then the width of the saw kerf. You can pretty much eye ball cuts but if you want to mark the end points it will look a little better... as you can see I did not do that. After making the first cut I bumped the fence over and kept repeating that for the width of the board. If you want it to look better then mine then you will need to measure... You hatchet guys of course have at it like I did.

Optional hole to hang it with and you have a feather board.

To mount you can attach a runner to go in your miter slot or make a clamp something like this:

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Note: I think you can find these clamps in a how to I posted here some where back in time.

OK now a few improvements can be made to these right off the bat but would really be difficult after they are built. If you were to plane, sand, some how remove some of the wood on the bottom of the feather area for clearance and dust issue that would be a good decision. Making a few different sizes (widths and lengths) is also a good idea

Ed

[heathicus]

I think a featherboard like this is one of the easiest things to make, but one of the most useful things to have.