Section 5: Shop Made Safety Accessories; Featherboards - Grizzly G0941 Manual

SEcTION 5: ShOp MADE SAFETy

Featherboards

easily made from scrap stock, featherboards
provide an added degree of protection against
kickback, especially when used together with
push sticks. they also maintain pressure on the
workpiece to keep it against the fence or table
while cutting, which makes the operation easier
and safer because the cut can be completed with-
out the operator's hands getting near the blade.
the angled ends and flexibility of the fingers allow
the workpiece to move in only one direction.
Making a Featherboard
this sub-section covers the two basic types of
featherboards: 1) those secured by clamps to the
table or fence, or 2) those secured by a wood run-
ner that mounts in the table saw miter slot.
Material Needed for Featherboard Mounted
with clamps
hardwood ⁄ " x 3"–6" x 10" x 28" .......................1
3
4
Material Needed for Featherboard Mounted in
Miter Slot
hardwood ⁄ " x 3"–6" x 10"-28"..........................1
3
4
hardwood 3 ⁄ " x (miter slot Width) x 5"l ...........1
8
Wing nut / "-20 ..................................................1
1
4
Flat head screw ⁄ "-20 x 2" ...............................1
1
4
Flat Washer ⁄ "-20..............................................1
1
4
To make a featherboard:
1.
Cut a hardwood board approximately
to size. the length and width of the board
can vary according to your design. most
featherboards are 10"–28" long and 3"–6"
wide. make sure the wood grain runs paral-
lel with the length of the featherboard, so the
fingers you will create in Step 3 will bend
without breaking.
2.
Cut a 30º angle at one end of the board.
model g0651/g0652 (mfg. since 1/10)
AccESSORIES
⁄ " thick
3
4
We recommend using a bandsaw for making
fingers in the next step because it tends to
be safer. A table saw can be used, but it will
over-cut the underside of the ends, produce
a thicker kerf, and require you to stop the
blade half-way through the cut, which can be
dangerous.
3.
make a series of end cuts with the grain
⁄ " apart and 2"–3" long, as shown in Figure
1
4
76 (a). alternatively, start cuts at 2"-3" deep,
then make them progressively deeper, as
shown in Figure 76 (B).
Figure 76. patterns for featherboards
(top view shown).
IMpORTANT: Cuts made across the grain will
result in weak fingers that easily break when
flexed. When made correctly, the fingers should
withstand flexing from moderate pressure. to test
the finger flexibility, push firmly on the ends with
your thumb. if the fingers do not flex, they are
likely too thick (the cuts are too far apart).
NOTICE
Only Steps 1–3 are required to make a
clamp-mounted featherboard. Refer to page
55 for instructions on clamping.
3 ⁄ "–
8
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