Grip-Tite Magnetic Featherboards // Opinions? (Video link)

[KIMOSABE]

Does anybody here have a set of these?

do you like them?

I get the featherboard part, but do they also push the work against the fence?

How much do they cost?

[Walter]

[Morris Dovey]

Dunno - I've been looking at the switchable magnetic do-dads, and the manufacturers seem pretty proud 'em.

I just got an Enco sale flyer with this item - and I've been thinking that two of 'em would make a pretty solid anchor for a featherboard...

I kinda like the $8.89 price, too.

[Kenneth]

Howdy,

I am not sure that the brand is the same, but I have a pair with what appear to be the same "fingers" but the body is of wood rather than plastic.

They work well, and yes, can be positioned to hold stock against the fence.

The idea (which, by the way, is not well illustrated in the photo) is that the "fingers" are of a springy plastic. So, if the block is positioned on the table appropriately, the finger will bend against the stock pushing it toward the fence.

Simple, and works well...

All the best,

[Bob S.]

I have a set of the older models (wood body). They work and I use them often but if the Grip-Tite ends up being over the miter groove, the magnet is not strong enough to hold on my model. Be careful about using the long (L shaped) plastic hold down on a finished surface - it can mar that surface of your wood from the pressure exerted.

I consider them pricey for what they are ($40 ea) but they work except for over the groove as I said.

Bob S.

[Phisherman]

featherboards, all shop made from the scrap pile. Hard to believe someone would buy a steel faceplate for a tablesaw fence just to hold these?

[MB]

I have the old wooden ones too. They are very convenient. And convenience means I'll use it. Except as some one mentioned about being over the miter slot. Even then I can usually position it to hold the board up against the fence.

I also have a product that clamps to the fence and has spring loaded wheels that hold the stock down and into the fence. It's called "rip staight" (IIRC) and it really works well if you have a lot of ripping to do. (When ripping multiple peices, you can use the next piece to push the first one thru. I think the two grip tites on the steel aux fence plate might have the same benefits.

Do the magnet bases sold by Enco have enough force to make a jig for the table saw? The mag tites are almost 3x the price, so I;ve avoidd them. The ones at Enco create possibilities.

Mitch

[Nova]

I've had the "Rip Straight" fixture on my old saw. When I bought a new saw I opted for the Woodstock "Board Buddies". I much prefer them.

[KIMOSABE]

Except as some one mentioned about being over the miter slot. =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

Either in the video or maybe in something I read, it made a point of saying that they were strong enough to hold even over the miter slot. So maybe they're acknowledging they know they had a problem and have made improvements.

If I'm in for an ounce, I'm in for a pound, so it looks like the $159 set with the fence, featherboards, and rollers does everything.

I'm going to a woodshow at the end of the month in Somerset, NJ. Maybe I'll be able to see or pick up a set there. Things are often available at a discount.

[Morris Dovey]

They say 130 lbs. I've got two similar bases in use in the shop (one holds a work light at a drill press, the other holds a dial indicator) and they're fairly tenacious.

I was going to order two to hold a pair of lasers on the ShopBot, and I think I'll order another pair for holding a featherboard on the TS - 260 lbs of holding power ought to do the job...

...and I might have to order one more to serve as the ultimate refrigerator magnet. :D

[Robatoy]

Heh.. that's what I am working on as we speak. One laser is mounted on the spindle carriage, shooting a line along the Y axis, and the other is going to get mounted on the end-plate shooting a line along the X axis. $ 24.00 total. And as I often use an insert V-bit, the point actually comes to a real point. I zeroed on the plate and dropped a .001 pinhole in a piece of plastic and tweaked my (so far just one) laser onto the dot. My one beef is, that the laser line is a bit fat, but whaddaya expect for a 10.00 dollar doodad.

I spent some time yesterday (Friday) afternoon with the designer/ builder of my CNC, and we have decided to implement a couple of upgrades at minimal cost to me. No, no tool-changer yet..but by summer I'll be needing one :-]

I can't believe how much fun I'm having.

r

[Morris Dovey]

That's the setup I have now, but the magnets on the lasers (on sale at $9.95 ea from Home Depot) leave a lot to be desired. I just finished ordering 5 of the magnetic bases and I'll see if they do a better job.

(I also ordered a 12" digital caliper so I don't have to tie myself in knots using a 6" caliper to accurately measure 7-5/16"-wide boards.)

If you decide you want /precision/ positioning, I have a gizmo at

that locates a reference point on the workpiece within one step in all three axes in about 45 seconds - but I'm not sure it's compatible with your controller/software.

Good on ya! When I wanted serious upgrades, I ended up having to scratch build another machine to get 'em. :(

That's gonna hurt (big time!) but it'll make a lot of work go ever so much faster. I don't think you'll be sorry.

Well, it took you long enough to get with the program. :)

[mac davis]

Never used these, but I use the Magswitch type and like them a lot:

feather board that lies flat keeps the work against the fence, the vertical one holds the work on the table..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[Charlie Groh]

...rats, I bought the wrong type! Although I like it for it's holding power, *this* design looks very, very good...

cg

[-MIKE-]

I like those but for the price you'd think they'd use something better than tiny metal wingnuts.

First thing I'd do is put some knobs on it.

[Upscale]

Even so, they work well and are easy to use. I have a set too, purchased this past summer.

[Pat Barber]

[Larrybud]

KIMOSABE wrote in news:87ccfc92-61ab-4b04- [e-mail]:

Yep, I've got one. It also pushes against the fence.

They work well in conjunction with regular feather boards, because the limitation is that if the work piece is such a side that the grip tite is position on top of a miter slot, it has no holding power.

[Morris Dovey]

The mounting hole is on the top, so I'm thinking of a Z-shaped bridge with mounting holes in the top leg and slots in the bottom leg, so that my featherboard can fit between the magnets - hoping that will let me deal with the case when the magnets might otherwise be located over the miter slot.

This should give me 260 lbs of holding power and (in cooperation with the Board Buddies and splitter pawls) a reasonable amount of kickback protection. :)

I'll post pix when it's done.

[-MIKE-]

I don't doubt it. It's just something that bothers me in many areas of manufacturing.

Drum equipment is the same way. You'll have this expensive product that is supposed to be cutting edge technology, best of the best in performance, only to have one or two little parts made out of cast zinc instead of machined steel, just to save a nickel on the front end. They of course, wear out in a few months, or give you enough bloody knuckles that you end up replacing them yourself.