While ripping through a piece of lumber with a table saw, most woodworkers mainly rely on bare hands. Those proud of their skills might have a push tick to help minimize the risk of sacrificing the fingers to the spinning blade. And a few of the serious crafters even goes ahead to find the best featherboard for table saw to enhance their productivity.
Needless to say, these devices have been around for several decades, but, sadly a significant number of craftsmen don’t use them. For a novice, one can certainly understand as the device is not amongst the famous woodworking accessories. But as a professional woodworker, you know how crucial it’s to have one when working on a table saw.
Chances are that you may have even tried to make one yourself to test its effectiveness, and maybe it did or didn’t turn out as expected.
Then, What’s A Featherboard Anyways
In simple words, a featherboard is a tool accessory that works on bettering your cut when ripping boards or crosscutting smaller workpieces. It comprises of a simple and small design, with a row of flexible fingers, turning knobs, and sometimes magnet.
The device usually mounts on the tabletop of your table saw, whereby it provides pressure on the workpiece by pressing it against the guide fence. So, it’s more like a tiny unique fence to help align your piece of wood while pushing through the blade.
Unlike the real rip fence assembly, however, a featherboard only allows the stock you’re cutting to slide forward. The fingers pressing the wood from the edge usually clasp it solid and tight, but disable the ability to pull the workpiece back toward you.
Is It Any Good To Invest In A Featherboard?
A straightforward answer for this is a solid YES.
As mentioned, a feather board usually pressures the material you’re cutting onto the saw table and against the fence. With their angled orientation, the fingers produce some kind of resistance that only enables the wood to move in the direction of the cut. But it’s difficult for it to move backward, considering the feather board is tightly secured.
For that, the chances of the wood piece kicking back towards you are also minimal/ none. Hence, protecting you from associated injuries or damages.
Aside from the safety measure, the other benefits you can enjoy from a working featherboard include:
1. High Accuracy
This is the second crucial purpose of a featherboard, whereby it helps keep the material you’re cutting on track. Unlike the human hands, the mechanism is not weary of the rapid spinning blade, plus it’s less likely to be impacted by vibrations. Hence, it keeps your stock on the line entirely, resulting in straight and accurate cuts.
2. Better Control
While in operation, a featherboard don’t just pressure the workpiece against the fence, but towards the tabletop as well. This provides optimal support in all directions, thereby ensuring you have better control over the material you’re cutting. Better control equates to effortless and faster cutting.
3. Minimize The Risk Of Burning Stock:
A table saw can burn the stock due to various reasons. Some of them include a dull blade, low feed rate, and alignment issues. With the latter, the problem mostly happens when the blade is loose or the fence is not square to the blade. If all these components are properly aligned but you’re not able to evenly push the workpiece, it’s still possible to cause burn marks.
With a well-mounted featherboard and accurate cutting, however, your saw is less likely to burn your wood stock.
Check the bestseller top Best Featherobard For Table Saw from Amazon. Just check the product link, the details, and price.
Which Is The Best Featherboard For Table Saw?
Basically, a featherboard is a woodworking add-on that you can make by yourself, or else buy from the store. If you loving making your jigs, the process of making one is relatively easy using a piece of wood and a lock knob.
Nonetheless, the factory-made version is much favorable if you don’t have time to make yourself. Or if you want to get the best results from your craft without having any vague tryouts.
Sad to say, there are so many different featherboards in the market, all featuring different designs and constructions. More on that, the device is much like a specialty tool that you can have to solve specific problems. So, it’s quite rare to find them from the physical hardware across the street.
With that, we’ll now look at some of the online options than can quickly guide you to the best featherboard for table saw. As the custom, our list will only include the bestselling products that we have amassed after a long, extensive search and research.
They include:
Magswitch – [8110015] Universal Table Featherboard
Overall, this is the best featherboard for table saw and our most recommended on the list. It has the solidest rating and positive feedback due to its unbeaten convenience and reliability.
The featherboard features heavy-duty construction that comprises super-strong ABS UL94VO material. Hence, holds your wood stock in position with a significant force, while at the same time assuring you prolonged durability.
It mounts onto the surface of the table using two exclusive on/ off Magswitches that you can easily fasten/ loosen by turning clockwise or anticlockwise. These switches rely on some unique magnet, meaning you won’t need fitting in the miter slot as the other models.
With the flexible fingers made on both sides, this table featherboard can work on either side of the blade. you can even mount it on the rip fence to add your workpiece with extra support and better performance.
Summary Features:
1. It features a beefy build to deliver the best performance and prolonged lifetime
2. Effortless and quick to setup
3. You can mount on both the left and right side of the blade
4. Can work with wide and also narrow strips of wood
5. Compatible with a table saw, band saw, & routers
6. Supports your workpiece with a total 190lbs of hold force
7. Can work on the guide fence [if steel or cast iron]
8. The featherboard has a very friendly budget.
Cons:
If you’re a color fanatic, this piece is only available in one color at the moment- yellow.
Kreg PRS3020 True-FLEX Table Featherboard
It’s common sense that magnets can only hold on materials [like steel] that are magnetic. So, the above featherboard can never work if the tabletop or fence assembly of your table saw is aluminum or a wood product.
With this Kreg model, though, you can use on any saw table that has a smooth t-slot or a slot for the miter gauge. In that case, you certainly can’t have any issue while using a router and table saw. It’s very simple in the design and requires only a 10-second setup to get it working.
The table featherboard consists of a thick plastic composite body and a wedge-lock system that provides a firm grip without needing any additional hardware. Its fingers are only on one side and the miter bars can only fit on the standard 3/8×3/4” slot. Hence, you might be limited if by chance you have different measurements.
Summary Features:
1. It’s effortless and quick to mount setup without any tool
2. Can work on any table saw with the standard t-slot or miter slot
3. Has a thick, sturdy design for enhanced cutting efficiency and durability
4. Available in multiple buying options
5. Can mount on both the table and fence for maximum support
6. The device has carefully designed fingers that assure maximum pressure
Cons
The mounting position of the featherboard depends on where the T-slot or miter slot is. Hence, you might be limited to the size of the board it can hold.
Fulton [11553] 4-Piece Safety Table Featherboard Kit
As the name, this kit comprises four tools, which all aim at enhancing your safety and the cutting quality. Its package comes with a high-quality featherboard, push stick, and two push blocks. Therefore, the system is undeniably the most affordable unit on the list when it sells at less than $30.
For the featherboard, it has a solid plastic body, with well-cut fingers for the best grip on your workpiece. And dual tightening knobs for maximum securing on the table. The knobs attach to two metallic bars that allow the tool to run in any miter slot of 3/8×3/8”.
It also does come with two t-bolts that you can use to mount on the ¼” t-track slot of the rip fence. hence, very flexible in application.
Summary Features:
1. It can work on any table saw with the standard miter slot or T-sot
2. Has a rugged design for optimal support and prolonged durability
3. Quick and straightforward to set up and use
4. You can use on the table or fence assembly
5. Comes with a high-quality push stick to guarantee high-level safety
6. Included push blocks have washable rubber soles to give you better control every time
7. The kit is lightweight and very affordable.
Cons:
Despite its high quality, the featherboard is limited on how far from the blade you can mount. Also, it can’t work with table saws with a miter slot narrower than ¾”.
Magswitch [8110134] STARTER KIT Table Saw Featherboard
For your distinguished taste of innovative designs, this featherboard can truly make a good company for your woodworking. It consists of three components, including a universal base, magjig switches, and featherboard attachment, that you need to connect to work.
All these parts are made of top-quality materials while using the brand’s advanced craftsmanship and technology. So, you won’t need to worry about the question of quality or durability.
The universal base is the heart of the entire system. It attaches with the featherboard attachment at the front and the switches at the center inside their ports. Each of the two Magjig switches has a super-strong magnet that holds your workpiece with 150 pounds of force. The featherboard is reversible to make possible use on the left or right side of the blade.
Moreover, this featherboard unit can be attached to other Margswitch Starter Kit attachments to enhance productivity.
For instance, you can add the vertical Pro Table feather boardso that you can support your workpiece from the top and on the side. If not that, you can then create a stacked feather board configuration to enable efficient resawing.
Summary Features:
1. It features an exclusive expandable design that you can use in many forms
2. Allows you to put anywhere on the tabletop or fence, as long it’s steel or cast iron
3. Uses a superior magnetic lock system that keeps your stock perfectly secured
4. You can mount on either side of the blade
5. It’s quick and straightforward to set up without tools
6. The system is heavy-duty and durable.
BI-DTOOL [FB-FBA] Double Table Featherboards
Yet budget-friendly and a true masterpiece, this weatherboard helps secure your wood stock in position without any compromises. It has a lovely triangular design, which consists of two devices that you can use on each side of the saw blade.
Each of the featherboards has the fingers on one side and in a specific direction. Hence, presents you with the advantage to mount on either side of the blade. They come with multiple miter bars that you can use with any table saw that has the regular 3/8” by 3/4” slots. And there’s also t-slot bolts to use with the t-track slot, which is mostly on the fence assembly.
Summary Features:
1. It consists of two devices to provide maximum support and high-level cutting efficiency
2. Compatible with most table saws, regardless of whether magnetic or not
3. Doesn’t need any tools to set up or adjust
4. Has a sturdy body and innovatively designed fingers for optimal holding pressure
5. Uses a heavy-duty wedge-lock system for solid securing on the table
6. The featherboards feature a denser high-tech polymer body to enhance durability.
Cons:
The accessory is quite large in length, making it tricky to use on the standard fence without improvisation.
JessEm [4016] Double Table Saw Featherboard
This is a great alternative for a stackable featherboard that you can use on holding a taller workpiece or vertically against the fence. It consists of two like devices, featuring a heavily molded plastic body and flexible feather tips that have rounded edges. Thus, presses on your wood piece without pinching or leaving any marks.
The featherboard can attach on the table saw using the regular miter slot or the T-slot track. It comes with the foot bars for both and ergonomic tightening knobs that are too-free to use.
In case you’re working on a thinner stock, this unit can be dismantled and used singly. It however comes with the miter bars and locking knobs for only one stacked unit. So, you can’t use the two pieces differently at the same time.
Summary Features:
1. It features a high impact plastic build for optimal performance e and durability
2. Can work on any table saw with the standard miter slot or t-track slots
3. You can stack to work on taller wood pieces
4. Supports your workpiece without scratching
5. Can mount on either the table or fence.
6. The featherboard is versatile in application and budget-friendly.
Cons:
The kit comes with only one miter slot bar unit. So, you can pull apart the two featherboards but can’t use them separately at the same time.
Quick Guide: Essential Factors To Consider While Looking For The Best Featherboard For Table Saw
While researching for the products in the reviews, we came across several clients who claimed that their products didn’t work out for them. After following up, it turned out that the featherboard they picked couldn’t mount on the table, possibly because they picked the wrong system.
Lucky you, here are some of the key features you should watch out for while choosing your featherboard:
Design
As you can see from the reviews, featherboards are not just different in terms of brands, but in making as well. There are various designs, with each featuring its unique attributes and the best area of use.
If it’s the single model, they’re the best for clamping thinner stock. Then, the stackable featherboard is good for thicker workpieces and when supporting boards vertically against the fence.
Locking Mechanism
Sadly, quite a number of people have had issues with this one, whereby they purchased a tool but failed to mount on their table saw. The main reason for that is after the miter bar of the featherboard failed to fit in the table slots.
Therefore, you have to first determine the size of the miter slot and T-track slots of your table saw before making any purchase. It will help ensure what you buy is the right accessory for your table and can work without any compromises.
But if you want a better alternative, you can consider a Magswitch featherboard that features the exclusive magnetic lock. Its design allows you to mount anywhere on the tabletop or fence, without the limitation of the miter slot. All needed before ordering is to make sure your equipment is steel or cast iron due to the magnetism properties.
Maximum Tension
For this one, its purpose to make sure you get a feather board that holds your workpiece with a significant force. Thereby, curtailing the chances of it sliding along the miter slot or on the table while it should remain at a fixed position.
Usually, a slot-mounted featherboard that has a heavy-duty wedge lock system is the most favorable for this factor. But the magnetic locks are also as good as long they can back your wood stock with a superior force.
Ease Of Use
The last thing you would need is a featherboard that requires a screwdriver or Hex Allen wrench to mount or adjust. It’s not only boring but time-wasting as you reach out for the spanner to loosen or tighten the bolt.
Therefore, a tool-free featherboard is the best for this purpose. It will make adjustments easier to do, which in turn improves the work speed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it necessary to invest in a featherboard?
A featherboard is more of a specialty woodworking accessory that you can use with your routers, table saw, or band saw. It’s not a must-have tool, but it helps a lot in pressing the workpiece on the table and against the fence. Hence, enhancing high cutting accuracy while still lessening the risk of dangerous kickbacks.
How Many Featherboard Do I Need When Cutting?
Featherboard usually comes in various designs and sizes. So, how many you can use to hold down your workpiece primarily depend on the length of your piece. In most scenarios, however, just one device is enough for the support, but you can use two [top and side] for maximum productivity.
Is A Table Saw Worth It?
Without question, YES. The tool is one of the most common tools in woodworking, especially when it comes to ripping along the grain. It’s also great in making crosscuts, miters, and bevel cuts, plus you can even use it to make grooves for joints.
Final Verdict
Well, safety is one of the vital measures when it comes to operating any tool. With its versatility, a table saw is one of the most sought after tools by both the novice and adept woodworkers. It can be used in a wide array of applications, including gripping plywood, cutting laminate flooring, making bevel cuts, and more.
Sad to say, though, a table saw is not so safe to operate due to its high risk of kickbacks. More than two woodworkers have incurred painful injuries after the blade had thrown a workpiece back towards them.
If you can get the best featherboard for table saw, however, the chances of the wood kicking back when cutting are very minimal. The device usually offers some kind of resistance that allows you to push the workpiece forward with little pressure. But then, it inhibits reverse movements, including kickbacks.
In our article, we have shared 7 different models of featherboards that you can check out online and better your woodworking.
We hope you can get the right piece for your tool so that you can properly maximize your skills without any drawbacks.
Last update on 2023-03-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
