TS fence use with router

[Rob Mitchell]

I have a question for my fellow woodworkers out there. I have a TS with a long table, and a router mounted in the table. When I need to use the router, I move the fence over, add a sacrificial fence with dust collection, and run the wood against that when I want to make a moulding, or cut along the length of the wood.

Is this a common thing? It just seemed obvious to me, but I am seeing products (like one from Jessem) which are fences specifically for table mounted routers.

(This method works great for me. I even made the sacrificial fence width such that the measuring tape on the fence bar can be easily used)

[Patriarch]

Rob Mitchell wrote in news:3MlHd.45073 $ [e-mail]:

If you had access to the WoodWorks television broadcasts, hosted by David Marks, you'd see that your setup and his have much in common. My neighbor has his Unisaw setup in much the same manner, except that the router and tablesaw have an Incra system in common.

I built my router table prior to purchasing the cabinet saw, or I might have been tempted to use a setup such as yours.

Of course, Jessum and others are going to offer products to seperate you from your cash. That's why they're in business. Your choice on taking them up on their generous offers. ;-)

Patriarch

[George]

A fence for the router table is any freshly jointed piece of scrap at my house. Clamp, hang the hose on the strategically placed screw and fire 'er up.

Watch "The Router Workshop" on PBS for lessons on micro adjustments (hammer) and leave that expensive fence out of the way where it can't get hurt.

[Mike Marlow]

It's quite common Rob. I do the same thing with my saw. You might want to google a bit for ideas on ways to modify your existing sacrificial fence to allow for offsets to pick up the freshly routed edge of a workpiece and offer support across the entire length of the workpiece. Not an issue for some routes, but it can be a significant issue for others.

[B a r r y]

I did this all the time with my former saw, and it worked great.

Lurkers should know that the sacrificial fence is important, because the work should never run between the bit and fence.

Barry

[Stephen M]

I don't follow. Like when you would use the RT to mill a dado or groove?

-Steve

[B a r r y]

Dados and grooves are OK, I'm talking edges.

I've seen newbies run a board between the bit and fence when forming an edge. The work can get shot off the table like it's shot from a cannon!

While this may seem obvious to some, I've seen it attempted more than once, so I thought I'd mention it again.

Barry

[toller]

It is difficult to believe unless you have actually done it. The bit just grabs it and fires it right out. I haven't tried it and am not going to, but I wonder if you came in from the left if it would be more stable. Maybe then it would shoot up into your face instead of out to the side; which would be rather worse.

[Stephen M]

OK I understand now.

I didn't get it because I can't immagine doing that. It would lust launch the wood :-)

-Steve

message

[B a r r y]

According to a local ww'ing teacher, it comes up ALL the time!

The wood goes between the fence and the blade on a TS, so some newbies assume that the same goes for router and shaper tables.

Barry

[Dave Hinz]

You know, in a not-thinking-about-forces kind of a way, I guess that does make some sort of sense. I guess that's why training is important when dealing with fast-moving sharp spinny things.

[Steven and Gail Peterson]

If you don't want to lauch the piece, you should almost always feed against the rotation. If you feed with the rotation for some reason, take a very shallow bite and use a featherboard.

Steve Still have all my fingers.

[B a r r y]

Right!

However, trapping the board between the fence and bit often launches the board regardless of rotation. The fence allows the bit to gain serious traction, resulting in something the military should investigate.

Barry