Section 5: Shop-Made Safety Accessories; Featherboards - Grizzly G0623X Owner's 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" x 10" (Minimum)
3
4
Hardwood ⁄ " x 6" x 28" (Maximum) ..................1
3
4
Material Needed for Featherboard Mounted in
Miter Slot
Hardwood ⁄ " x 3" x 10" (Minimum)
3
4
Hardwood ⁄ " x 6" x 28" (Maximum) ..................1
3
4
Hardwood ⁄ " x (Miter Slot Width) x 5"L ...........1
3
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 hardwood board approximately
to size. Length and width of board can vary
according to your design. Most featherboards
are 10"–28" long and 3"–6" wide. Make sure
wood grain runs parallel with length of feath-
erboard, so the fingers you will create in Step
3 will bend without breaking.
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ACCESSORIES
⁄ " thick
3
4
2. Cut a 30º angle at one end of board.
3. Make a series of end cuts with the grain
⁄ " apart and 2"–3" long, as shown in Figure
1
4
101 (A). Alternatively, start cuts at 2"-3" deep,
then make them progressively deeper, as
shown in Figure 101 (B). Cuts made across
the grain will result in weak fingers that will
easily break.
10" (Minimum)
⁄
3
A
8
2"-3"
B
⁄
3
8
Figure 101. Patterns for featherboards
(top view shown).
When complete, the fingers should flex when
pushed with moderate pressure. If the fingers do
not flex, they are too thick.
Note: We recommend using a bandsaw for mak-
ing fingers 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.
If you are securing the featherboard with clamps,
no further steps are necessary. Your featherboard
is complete! If you are making a featherboard that
mounts in the miter slot, continue with Step 4.
Model G0623X/G0623X3 (Mfd. Since 05/22)
30°
Kerf
"
⁄ "- ⁄ "
1 1
16 8
2"-3"
Initial Cut
Kerf
⁄ "- ⁄ "
1 1
16 8
"
Progressively
Longer Cuts
⁄ "–
3
8