WHAT IS A FEATHERBOARD ?

In order to understand the importance of correct design and making up of a featherboard, knowing what it will be used for makes the process a lot more logical. A featherboard is a piece of wood that is cut at an angle and has deep teeth scored into it. The use of this is an essential one in saw table practice, in that when clamped to the saw table, the teeth of the featherboard guide small stock items of wood parallel to the blade and stop the wood from kicking back.

Of course saw tables have guides built into them for stock wood, although the featherboard is used when the stock item is smaller and needs more control while passing through the blade area of the saw table. The very fact that it has teeth means that these flex a little as the wood is pushed through, and that it would be impossible for the wood to move in a backwards direction. It's a matter of safety, and each piece of wood passed through the saw table that is of small size should never be pushed through with fingers, and here a push rod is used.

Featherboards are constructed on the diagonal for a purpose. If you were to cut slots into a piece of timber, the movement of the teeth would be limited and the board would be too rigid. Cut on the diagonal, these teeth keep the work secure and accurate. Featherboards in plastic come as stock items with router tables these days, although nothing beats the satisfaction of making your own, as part of a workshop set-up.

TO MAKE A FEATHERBOARD

Timber required.

Good flat stock in or inch widths measuring 20 inches by 6 inches (approx).

Although it is a common misconception that ply is good enough for the job, ply tends to split when cut, and certainly doesn't have the lasting ability of oak or beech.

Measuring out and cutting appropriate angle.

At one end of each featherboard mark out a 30 degree line, and cut this, leaving the other edge straight. Do several, as these will always come in handy and you will need different tooth spacing for different types of wood. For softwood passing, for example, the teeth need to be cut longer to give more flexibility of movement.

Mark out a line that runs parallel with the angled end of each board, five inches below the angled end of the board on one featherboard, and 6 on another. If you have extra board, you can make several of the five inch ones as these will be used more often if you use hardwood, or alternatively make extra of the 6 inch ones if you use softwood

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