Magnetic Featherboards

I have this one and like it. easy to set up, easy to remove. Holds very well. I'd buy it again.

Never saw the others so I can't comment on them.

Used my grip tites yesterday afternoon, set up on a shaper to run a bunch of stock making stiles and rails. I use them regularly. The only disadvantage is that to use them on a fence face as hold downs, you have to add a steel plate to your fence because they are magnetic. If you have lots of fences that are either aluminum, wood, or composite or laminate, they won't work without doing that. But for a cast iron table they are slick.

Haven't used the other ones, but the fact they are magnetic would solve the problem of the ones that expand and lock in a miter slot. Seems like no matter what size the stock, that thing just won't reach far enough.....

Frank

consider:

Isn't this a woodworking newsgroup? You're not supposed to give up after a try or two. Buy some rare earth magnets on eBay, mortise spaces a bit larger and deeper than the magnets. Use epoxy to glue the magnets in place and to cover the face of the magnet so there's no metal exposed. 1/8" of epoxy cover is all you need. The nickel coating on the magnets, and the magnets themselves, are a bit fragile. I have some that are over ten years old and still doing fine.

consider:

Yeah, but do they have an on/off button...? :-)

I have a magnetic featherboard that's just like the Lee Valley one in your link. It holds well enough except when it inevitably ends up straddling the miter slot, then it's prone to slip. And the plastic "feather" isn't doesn't have enough give, so I have to position it pretty carefully. It's so much trouble that I only use it for cuts that seem particularly difficult to hold. Ordinarily, I just use two push sticks.

DonkeyHody "He who lieth down with dogs waketh up with fleas."

but I don't imagine you have much to worry about with a LV product.

Yes. it would probably do the job, but what's nice about the other product is the ability to switch the magnets on/off. Anybody know how that's done?

Guess it's something like in these magnetic bases:

Could be interesting to make one myself,but maybe it would be too much work...

I don't know about on/off "switches", but there are a number of magnets that will release by pulling them away from the table with a lever or handle. Usually used on pick-up tools. The type LV sells is fairly easy to remove by 'rotating' the magnet away from the table- it just won't slide easily.