Feather Boards

[dusty]

Is there a wrong (unsafe) way to apply feather boards to work being done on the table saw?
___________________
Making Sawdust Safely

[edflorence]

Hi Dusty;

My guess is that there are probably a number of incorrect and unsafe ways to use featherboards and a creative woodworker can always find even more!

Seriously, I use my featherboards every time I do any ripping and they are a really quick and simple way to improve the accuracy of the cut. The function of the featherboard is to keep firm, constant pressure on the workpiece so that it remains in full contact with the fence and the table throughout the cut. To do this requires two featherboards, one pushing laterally against the workpiece, effectively squeezing it against the fence, and a second featherboard pushing down on the workpiece from above, squeezing it against the table. You can get away with just the one that pushes against the fence, but I find that with the SS's small saw table (I have a 500, without table extensions) the featherboard that pushes from the top is very effective at preventing the workpiece from being lifted off the table by the blade during the cut.

To work correctly and safely, the featherboards have to be placed on the FEED side of the blade. Meaning that the featherboard has to located between the operator and the blade. I generally place them within an inch or so of the blade. What you DO NOT WANT to happen is to have the featherboard apply pressure against the blade. This would certainly affect the accuracy of the cut, but more importantly would greatly increase the likelihood of a kickback. Direct the "push" of the featherboards against the fence and table and NOT the blade and you should be fine.

Ed in Idaho

[edflorence]

Dusty;

I just re-read my post and realized I forgot something. If you are doing a "through" rip cut, as opposed to say a groove or rabbet, you will have to place your featherboards a little bit closer to the operator in order to accomodate the upper saw guard. I think this might reduce the ideal effectivenes of the featherboards to some small degree, but I think its more than made up for by having the splitter and the anti-kickback pawls in place. Both the pawls and to some extent the upper saw guard will also help hold the workpiece against the table.

Ed in Idaho

[Bruce]

If you are doing a "through" rip cut, as opposed to say a groove or rabbet, you will have to place your featherboards a little bit closer to the operator in order to accomodate the upper saw guard.

The only time the upper guard would interfere with the feather board is when the guard overhangs the edge of the board. I don't see how the kind of cut makes a difference.

[edflorence]

Bat-

On the 500 the upperguard and splitter are one unit. I am not familiar with how the upper guard works on other models, but on the 500 the splitter has to run in the saw kerf, so if the blade does not cut completely through the work the splitter will not let the work advance. If I am cutting a rabbet or groove, I have to leave the upper guard off. When cutting a through cut, I replace the upper guard. When the upper guard is lowered, it covers the blade completely and extends a little ways in front of the blade, which then requires that the featherboard be moved back towards the operator.

Hope that is clear.

Ed in Idaho

[Bruce]

You are correct that you can't use the splitter/guard on non-through cuts, but I still don't see the reason for moving the feather board forward of the guard when using it. After all, the feather board is riding against the wood, not the guard. It's been a few weeks since I cut wood, so tell me I'm not losing it.

[edflorence]

Hi Bat-

Rest assured, you are not losing it. You are correct, the feather board pushes against the work piece, so that featherboard that is attached to the saw table doesn't necessarily need to be moved back. The guard can ride up on the work so long as the featherboard doesn't interfere with it. Whether or not the featherboard would be in the way would depend on how wide the workpiece is. A wide board would move the featherboard away from the guard, but if the cut off was narrow and the featherboard set up was taller than the workpiece, it might interfere with the guard and have to be moved.

I guess I was mostly thinking of the featherboard that is attached to the fence and presses downward That is the one I was thinking would have to move to make room for the guard, but now that we are talking about it I would have to say that the same considerations apply. It depends on how wide the space between the fence and blade is and how big the featherboard is. I don't have a "t" slot in my fence, so for the featherboard I use either a handscrew clamped to the fence vertically or a featherboard clamped to the fence. Both of these arrangements take up a fair bit of room so if there is less than an inch or so of space between the fence and the blade I have to move the featherboard back in front of the guard.

Thanks for keeping me honest!

[Ed in Tampa]

Is there a wrong (unsafe) way to apply feather boards to work being done on the table saw?
___________________
Making Sawdust Safely

Yes. Placement of feather boards can be a problem. As in the case of feather board being placed to the left of the cut board to insure the board stays against the fence which is to the right of the cut board. If the feather board is placed exactly opposite the blade instead of in front of the blade, the feather board can push the board into the side of the blade and case burning. Also at the beginning of the cut before the pieces reach the splitter enough feather board pressure can cause the board to pinch the blade.

Everytime we use a feather board we have to think through the process to insure the feather board is doing what we intended and not making another problem.

I have also seen feather boards installed backwards and in the right circumstance cause a problem. The slant of the fingers should always be pointing in the direction of the feed.

The biggest problem with finger boards is they are not used often enough. We tend to try to compensate for not using them by using our hands to guide the wood through. Often this practice puts our hands and fingers in harms way.

I know I once was testing out my molder head cutter. I wanted the board to remain flat on the table but instead of using feather boards or even a jig I decided to apply downward hand pressure. Since this was my first time using the molder head cutter I really wanted to retain control of the board. I applied enough pressure that I actually pushed the table down and instead of the molder cutter taking a 1/8 inch deep cut it was now taking a full cut and needless to say the SS and it's measely (yea right) 1 1/8 hp horse power was far stronger than me. It ripped the board from my hand and slung it back at me with enough force that I'm still scared of the molder head cutter.
Had I used some feather boards and/or a hold down jig that accident would never have happened. Thankfully I have the presence of mind to be using push blocks, I shudder to think what would have happend had I not.

[Bruce]

Ed,
I hadn't even thought about the feather board mounted on the fence. You are right about that one being a problem when ripping thin pieces. I'm glad we're both on the same page now.

Bruce (batg4)