PG

"Puff Griffis"

01/09/2005 1:24 PM

Question: Feather board's 101

I have been wood working for many years off and on but have never =
used feather board's. After a close call the other day on the table saw =
and knowing that my cut's could become more accurate I want to start =
using them. My questions are simple. What angle should the feathers be =
cut at and where in reference to the blade should the feathers be =
placed? Thanks in advance.
Puff


This topic has 10 replies

vv

"vdubbs"

in reply to "Puff Griffis" on 01/09/2005 1:24 PM

01/09/2005 11:03 AM

http://www.woodzone.com/tips/featherboard.htm

Sb

"SonomaProducts.com"

in reply to "Puff Griffis" on 01/09/2005 1:24 PM

01/09/2005 11:03 AM

The feathers should never go past the front half of the blade. You do
not want to be pushing the wood into the blade where it is headed up.
I prefer to only have them only go as far as maybe the first inch of
the blade. You can go a bit farther with down force feathers, if you
have room to push.

I use pre made version but 45 is proably a good angle.

BW

vv

"vdubbs"

in reply to "Puff Griffis" on 01/09/2005 1:24 PM

01/09/2005 11:10 AM

And another.
http://www.woodshopdemos.com/sstat-15.htm


I just put "making feather board" in a search on google.com, got lots
of links back.

Careful though, you can endup chasing rabbits as you can follow other
links to other projects too. LOL

Sb

"SonomaProducts.com"

in reply to "Puff Griffis" on 01/09/2005 1:24 PM

01/09/2005 12:01 PM

Yes, the feather board should hold the wood before it gets to the blade
and just past the front cutting edge of the blade. Pinching the wood
into the back side of the blade, where it is coming up out of the table
is dangerous and will cause blade scoring on the offcut pieces edge.

BW

m

in reply to "Puff Griffis" on 01/09/2005 1:24 PM

01/09/2005 4:10 PM

You can use featherboards to hold the work against the fence or mounted
on the fence to hold the work down.

A board holding work against the fence should not be any further
forward than the front edge of the blade.

I prefer a couple of inches back.

To use mounted on the fence you can have one in front of the blade and
one behind the blade.

You can find plastic boards in most building supply stores.

DD

David

in reply to "Puff Griffis" on 01/09/2005 1:24 PM

01/09/2005 12:03 PM

mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net wrote:

> Which is the front end of the blade - the part cutting the wood? So are
> you saying that the featherboard shouldn't go past the center of the blade?
>
>
OF COURSE NOT! Why would you want to press on the cut-off portion of
the workpiece?? think about it...

Dave

Lr

"Leon"

in reply to "Puff Griffis" on 01/09/2005 1:24 PM

01/09/2005 6:32 PM


"Puff Griffis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
I have been wood working for many years off and on but have never used
feather board's. After a close call the other day on the table saw and
knowing that my cut's could become more accurate I want to start using them.
My questions are simple. What angle should the feathers be cut at and where
in reference to the blade should the feathers be placed? Thanks in advance.
Puff

I don't thing think the angle is as much critical as absolutely not having
the feather board past the front cutting edge of the blade. If it is past
the front cutting teeth the feather board can push the waste into the teeth
as soon as the cut is complete. Then you may get a closer look at the
waste.

Lr

"Leon"

in reply to "Puff Griffis" on 01/09/2005 1:24 PM

01/09/2005 8:29 PM


"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net" <"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net"> wrote
in message news:[email protected]...
> Which is the front end of the blade - the part cutting the wood? So are
> you saying that the featherboard shouldn't go past the center of the
> blade?


The feather board should not be beside any part of the blade, only in front
of the teeth. It is senseless to put the feather board against the waist
after the waste has been cut free. The waste is naturally going to be
pushed into the blade after being cut free. That could have bad results.

ma

"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net" <"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net">

in reply to "Puff Griffis" on 01/09/2005 1:24 PM

01/09/2005 12:50 PM

Which is the front end of the blade - the part cutting the wood? So are
you saying that the featherboard shouldn't go past the center of the blade?

SonomaProducts.com wrote:
> The feathers should never go past the front half of the blade. You do
> not want to be pushing the wood into the blade where it is headed up.
> I prefer to only have them only go as far as maybe the first inch of
> the blade. You can go a bit farther with down force feathers, if you
> have room to push.
>
> I use pre made version but 45 is proably a good angle.
>
> BW
>

Lr

"Leon"

in reply to "Puff Griffis" on 01/09/2005 1:24 PM

01/09/2005 8:27 PM


"SonomaProducts.com" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Yes, the feather board should hold the wood before it gets to the blade
> and just past the front cutting edge of the blade. Pinching the wood
> into the back side of the blade, where it is coming up out of the table
> is dangerous and will cause blade scoring on the offcut pieces edge.

Actually the feather board should not even be next to the blade at any part
at all. The front teeth can still catch the waste and throw it around.


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