On Mon, 14 Feb 2005 19:00:19 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:


"mac davis" wrote in message
Not sure on featherboards yet, but I just made a fence for my band saw out
of 2
x 2" stock and 4 rare earth magnets, (one on each end on the table side, 2
along
the fence for the table surface), and it stays put really well..

Not sure on a featherboard, as the force directed on them is sort of a
sliding
action, and a magnet will slide much easier than it will "pull off"" a
surface..


In paragraph one you state you made a fence and it stays well put.

In paragraph tow you mention how a magnet will slide easily.

I'm confused, Won't the fence slide easily? I put a lot of pressure
against it when I resaw and I don't think I'd trust a magnet. The force of
a featherboard will be the same as on the fence as the wood is pushed
between them.

If the fence stays that well put, how do you make very tiny adjustments to
it?
Ed

As far as I can tell so far, the main reason that the fence stays put is the
combination of magnets on the bottom and on the "squaring tee" or whatever you'd
call the part of the fence that rides on the side of the table..
I think that keeps it where you put it, in addition to the fence being tall, and
the log round, so a lot of the side force is up high... it seems that the log
trying to push the fence "over" is very difficult, but if I try to use the fence
for things like plywood, the back tends to move..
My guess (just starting experimenting a week ago) is that if the work is pushing
sideways on the magnets, they slip, but if the force is trying to "pull" them
off the table, the magnets are very hard to move..

I'll have to try adapting my featherboard to a "t" or something and try it.. (it
clamps on right now, as it's built for a router table)

opps.. almost missed your last question, about adjustments..
I copied my Shopsmith fence and put an allen setscrew in each side to the "T" so
that if you want an angle, you run one set screw in to push one side of the "T"
slightly away from the table side, or in my case, the metal plate that I bolted
to the side of the table..

The whole setup will probably become obsolete when I put the riser block on and
build a resawing sled.. (also plan on putting a larger table (wood) over the
existing one, so magnets won't help any more)


mac

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