CMS-GE feather board?

If you have the angle stop from your MFT3 then you can make up one of these to go with your CMS. I used a short length of regular Incra "T" track, a similarly short piece of square section wood, two screws and a £1 plastic featherboard. Once made it can be inserted or removed from the angle stop in the normal way (by turning the knob).

[attachimg=1]

Peter
 

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When sawing narrow stock the blade guard gets in the way and has to be removed.
At the looks of the picture Peter is only making some grooves with the blade knife down also.
For this kind of work the blade guard also has the be removed.
The saw blade doesn't get high enough to get hurt, only at the back of the wood you have to watch out for the blade.
 
Birdhunter said:
No blade guard? Scary!

I am doing a rebate - I do give all the usual health warnings when I show this sort of thing in my videos.

The CMS-TS is a beautiful little setup and is the best small table saw that I have every used for rebate work. The reason that it is so good is that despite removing the riving knife extension (and blade guard) the saw still has a riving knife and so it is a lot safer than many other setups.

Peter
 
Understand now what you are doing. I use a different type of push stick when doing this type of cut. The stick has a long rubberized surface that contacts the wood and a spring loaded block that engages the back end of the wood. The handle is about 3" over the surface of the wood. I don't have to use my fingers to hold down the leading edge of the wood.
 
Birdhunter said:
Understand now what you are doing. I use a different type of push stick when doing this type of cut. The stick has a long rubberized surface that contacts the wood and a spring loaded block that engages the back end of the wood. The handle is about 3" over the surface of the wood. I don't have to use my fingers to hold down the leading edge of the wood.

This push stick can apply force both from above and from the rear. Once the piece of wood is setup against the fence (the process when the photo was taken) there is no longer any need to have the hands on the wood. The feather board is keeping the wood against the fence and the push stick keeps it pressed down and moving along.

Peter
 
That looks pretty slick.

Are there other T tracks that are a common size that would fit there?  If not, I can order the incra...just hoping I can pick up what I need from a box store locally if possible.

Peter Parfitt said:
If you have the angle stop from your MFT3 then you can make up one of these to go with your CMS. I used a short length of regular Incra "T" track, a similarly short piece of square section wood, two screws and a £1 plastic featherboard. Once made it can be inserted or removed from the angle stop in the normal way (by turning the knob).

[attachimg=1]

Peter
 
Hi Grasshopper

I am sure there must be other sources for the "T" track but here in the UK the Incra one is the only one that I have found that allows the Festool clamps and is the right size for the angle unit.

Peter
 
Thanks.  I will look around.

Peter Parfitt said:
Hi Grasshopper

I am sure there must be other sources for the "T" track but here in the UK the Incra one is the only one that I have found that allows the Festool clamps and is the right size for the angle unit.

Peter
 
Grasshopper have you thought of making your own featherboards?

Years back I tried to find some reasonable priced here in Denmark...IMPOSSIBLE!

So I started making my own from scrap wood and I've done that ever since. If you have acces to a band saw it's a piece of cake to make some 'customized' featherboards in all sizes and shapes. Among others I've made this one.

[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]

[attachimg=3]

Kind regards
Henrik

Oh by the way! Always saw same direction as the wood grain [wink] But I probably don't need to tell you that.
 

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Henrik,

That looks pretty slick!  Nice job.

I ended up just buying one that should work.  I'll post pics.

hrrb said:
Grasshopper have you thought of making your own featherboards?

Years back I tried to find some reasonable priced here in Denmark...IMPOSSIBLE!

So I started making my own from scrap wood and I've done that ever since. If you have acces to a band saw it's a piece of cake to make some 'customized' featherboards in all sizes and shapes. Among others I've made this one.

[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]

[attachimg=3]

Kind regards
Henrik

Oh by the way! Always saw same direction as the wood grain [wink] But I probably don't need to tell you that.
 
OK,

So I tried to set mine up closer to Peter's. 

I found the Incra t-track locally and a featherboard with a flat back.  I think this seems like a brilliant solution.

This setup is light-years ahead of the OEM festool featherboard.  Thanks Peter!

Thanks to everyone else who chimed in as well.

[attachimg=1]
 

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These look pretty slick!

Does the $129 price come with both the infeed and outfeed rollers?

Also, I read reviews complaining that these don't work well with narrow stock.  How narrow a board can you use with these?  (I rabbeted a 1" wide board today, which I assume would be too narrow).

bkharman said:
I use JessEm clear stock guides. They work very well. I keep them on my Incra fence but they do work with the CMS fence as well.

yba8epyq.jpg
 
If you have narrow stock there is a trick. Have a wider piece to put on top with a rabbet the width of the board.
So if you had a ¾" board and wanted a ¼ x ⅜ rabbet in it, make a jig that has a ¾" wide recess (and matches the thickness of your board).

The tail catch at the back allows you to put constant pressure to move the board through the bit. Now adjust the rollers to meet the new height, which is your board + the jig height. You can also do this with feather boards.

If it is hard to understand, I can sketch it up and post.
 
Thanks for the reply.  Without jigs, how narrow can your stock be to use these?

I'm having a tough time picturing the jig (but don't worry about sketching it).  Next time you set it up, just post a picture.

Also does the $129 price provide both infeed and outfeed rollers?

bkharman said:
If you have narrow stock there is a trick. Have a wider piece to put on top with a rabbet the width of the board.
So if you had a ¾" board and wanted a ¼ x ⅜ rabbet in it, make a jig that has a ¾" wide recess (and matches the thickness of your board).

The tail catch at the back allows you to put constant pressure to move the board through the bit. Now adjust the rollers to meet the new height, which is your board + the jig height. You can also do this with feather boards.

If it is hard to understand, I can sketch it up and post.
 
Grasshopper said:
Thanks for the reply.  Without jigs, how narrow can your stock be to use these?

I'm having a tough time picturing the jig (but don't worry about sketching it).  Next time you set it up, just post a picture.

Also does the $129 price provide both infeed and outfeed rollers?

It would depend on the cutting bit. A chamfer or round over, I would probably stop at about 6 or 7 cm (around 2")

I took a pic on the Incra and as you can see the wheels are about 3-4cm (1.5") from the fence.

The price is one set. In and out feed.

Cheers. Bryan.

24a7f958a14813e1a96d7bd8b83c016e.jpg
 
bkharman said:
Thanks Bryan.

Grasshopper said:
Thanks for the reply.  Without jigs, how narrow can your stock be to use these?

I'm having a tough time picturing the jig (but don't worry about sketching it).  Next time you set it up, just post a picture.

Also does the $129 price provide both infeed and outfeed rollers?

It would depend on the cutting bit. A chamfer or round over, I would probably stop at about 6 or 7 cm (around 2")

I took a pic on the Incra and as you can see the wheels are about 3-4cm (1.5") from the fence.

The price is one set. In and out feed.

Cheers. Bryan.

24a7f958a14813e1a96d7bd8b83c016e.jpg
 
Bryan,

Thanks for your help!

I just ordered these off Amazon.  The price was dropped to $89+shipping!

http://www.amazon.com/JESSEM-Clear-Cut-Precision-Guides-JessEm/dp/B00EZDWLSM

bkharman said:
Grasshopper said:
Thanks for the reply.  Without jigs, how narrow can your stock be to use these?

I'm having a tough time picturing the jig (but don't worry about sketching it).  Next time you set it up, just post a picture.

Also does the $129 price provide both infeed and outfeed rollers?

It would depend on the cutting bit. A chamfer or round over, I would probably stop at about 6 or 7 cm (around 2")

I took a pic on the Incra and as you can see the wheels are about 3-4cm (1.5") from the fence.

The price is one set. In and out feed.

Cheers. Bryan.

24a7f958a14813e1a96d7bd8b83c016e.jpg
 
Works perfectley, the thing I changed to your design I didn't use a piece of wood between the featherboard and angle thing.
I could mount the featherboard directley to the t-track, still hovers a bit above the table.

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