# Router table micro adjust for fence



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Guys why is it when I see what I think is a micro adjuster for the fence , it's always on one side only ? For some reason I always thought you would want one on each end of the fence in order to keep it parallel to the miter slot . Not that your guiding material using the miter slot all the time , but it still has me wondering . I'd like to implement something like this when I build my fence but was thinking two of them


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

I agree, Rick, Some operations you can just adjust one end of the fence,and when the miter slot is used the fence has to be parallel to the miter slot. But if you notice that upper slide bar on the fence, it is always parallel to the fence and has a miter gauge on it so you can make adjustments by moving one end of the fence. I have the same setup, but still out of habit adjust both ends to the scale on the table.

Herb


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Rick & Herb, this fence is an example of "Whistles and bells" routing. That is not a slam, just a term for the method where everything gets micro adjusted or has measuring devices down to a ten thousandth of an inch.

Using the "Keep it simple" method you clamp your fence in any position on the table, place the wood against the out feed side of the fence and eyeball your cut line in relationship to the bit. Not where you want it? Slightly loosen the clamp nearest to you and use a Router Workshop fine adjusting tool.

Both methods work and you should use the one you are most comfortable with.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Took me a while to work that one out, Rick.

Now, due to assistance from the forum, I am almost a routoligist, and only ever adjust one end of the fence.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

jw2170 said:


> Took me a while to work that one out, Rick.
> 
> Now, due to assistance from the forum, I am almost a routoligist, and only ever adjust one end of the fence.


routoligist . Hey James I'm liking that term  
Hopefully if spend a few years with you guys I can claim that title too


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Mike said:


> Rick & Herb, this fence is an example of "Whistles and bells" routing. That is not a slam, just a term for the method where everything gets micro adjusted or has measuring devices down to a ten thousandth of an inch.
> 
> Using the "Keep it simple" method you clamp your fence in any position on the table, place the wood against the out feed side of the fence and eyeball your cut line in relationship to the bit. Not where you want it? Slightly loosen the clamp nearest to you and use a Router Workshop fine adjusting tool.
> 
> Both methods work and you should use the one you are most comfortable with.


Mike I'm a bells and whistle kinda guy . As soon as I build my table for my extention I would like to build a fairly good fence , as complicated as possible lol .
Thinking linear actuators ? 
J/k


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Rick, this is the best part of the forums: seeing what others think about how to tackle any job. When Brian and I are working on a project we combine Brian's Canuck logic with my Yankee ingenuity and we usually get very good results.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Mike said:


> Rick, this is the best part of the forums: seeing what others think about how to tackle any job. When Brian and I are working on a project we combine Brian's Canuck logic with my Yankee ingenuity and we usually get very good results.


Sounds like the making of a great team to me  

When you think about it we have the most powerful router think tank in the World . Combine the experience of all the members here and I suspect we'd have a billion years of knowledge . Ok you guys aren't quite that old
:grin:


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

RainMan1 said:


> suspect we'd have a billion years of knowledge . OK you guys aren't quite that old
> :grin:


every front that moves in says other wise...


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## 4DThinker (Feb 16, 2014)

Given that at least since mankind started recording its progress we've all built on the shoulders of our predecessors, there may be a billion combined years of experience among router users across the world. Now throw in the internet age when the connection to all knowledge that came before is at our fingertips, and progress should be exponential from here on out. 

4D


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Mike said:


> Rick & Herb, this fence is an example of .
> 
> Both methods work and you should use the one you are most comfortable with.


Hahaha, Mike that is funny, coming from you the router guru. But I have done a similar thing,not with the hammer,but the palm of my hand. Good one.

Herb


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

4DThinker said:


> Given that at least since mankind started recording its progress we've all built on the shoulders of our predecessors, there may be a billion combined years of experience among router users across the world. Now throw in the internet age when the connection to all knowledge that came before is at our fingertips, and progress should be exponential from here on out.
> 
> 4D


You would think so . Maybe I'm holding us back ?


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## 4DThinker (Feb 16, 2014)

RainMan1 said:


> Maybe I'm holding us back ?


I doubt it. You may just be one of the advanced thinkers that doesn't share. There is all the past knowledge we have built on, but think of all the knowledge that was lost because it was never passed on or the civilization fell apart or got buried under lava. I had to clean out my Dad's house when he passed, and came across boxes of sketch books he had filled over his life. Yet none of his children knew him as an artist. Beautiful works of art. 

4D


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## PhilBa (Sep 25, 2014)

To get back to the original question, I don't use a miter slot/gauge very much on the table but it seems to me that a fence and miter gauge aren't used together very much. 

As to microadjust. I like it a lot. Not because of extreme (and unnecessary accuracy) but because it's predictable. 3 clicks of my incra LS wheel is always the same and I can get back to where is started from if I go too far. I hate tapping on a clamped fence to move it just a skoshi only to have it blast well past. Then it's "where was I????".


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## timbertailor (Oct 4, 2009)

Is this centered enough for you Rick?


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

timbertailor said:


> Is this centered enough for you Rick?


Nice looking piece . I really like Woodpecker accessories


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## 4DThinker (Feb 16, 2014)

When I need to move my router table fence just a little, I'll put a piece of tape down against the edge. Back edge if moving forward and front edge if moving back. Then I can see how far I've moved, and get back to it if I need to. Peel up the tape and reposition if moving again. You could also just clamp a small block against the back edge, then see how far you are from it when moved. If only one end of the fence is moved, and the bit is half way from the fence end, then a move at the end will be half that at the bit.


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## PhilBa (Sep 25, 2014)

Yeah, 4D, that's smart. I still like the way my LS works but that's definitely better than guessing!


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Herb, the hammer really is a Router Workshop method of adjustment. Just back the pressure off the front clamp slightly and a light tap or two usually gets it perfect, then lock the clamp back down.

Rick, A billion years? I am 3 years older than you Bubba!

OH! You were talking about Harry!


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## jcbrowne (Apr 15, 2015)

Rick, should you adjust both ends of the fence to obtain a "micro-adjustment" the highest precision you obtain is subject and dependent on the thread of the adjusting screws – since the fence advances in a parallel way.. 
i.e. 1 mm turn of both threads equals to a micro-adjustment of 1 mm or a fraction of this in correspondence to the percentage of turn.

If you adjust only one end of the fence, the other being considered the pivot point, the precision which you obtain in your adjustment is directly proportionate to the advance of the adjusting screw and the distance of the adjusting screw to the pivot point.
Say you pivot a 24" (609.6mm) fence on one end and turn the 1mm per turn adjusting screw one turn the other end of the fence. The centre of the fence (where the router bit is located) will advance half that distance (0.5mm) in fact duplicating your precision.


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## Ratbob (Apr 6, 2015)

jcbrowne said:


> . . . Say you pivot a 24" (609.6mm) fence on one end and turn the 1mm per turn adjusting screw one turn the other end of the fence. The centre of the fence (where the router bit is located) will advance half that distance (0.5mm) in fact duplicating your precision.


Only true if the bit is exactly 1/2 way between the pivot point and micro adjuster. If you use 3/8" 16 tpi threaded rod for the micro adjuster one full turn will move the fence 1/32" wrt the bit.


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## Quillman (Aug 16, 2010)

No fence on this one, 
the motor moves on 45° dovetailed ways.
Always parallel, always square to the work sled.
Nothing wrong with a pivot fence, calibrate with scrap.
I rev. = N at a designated centerline. But, to be sure, a pivot fence, driven x screw or hammer, is an invitation to error.


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## PhilBa (Sep 25, 2014)

A hammer is for persuasion. Usually a reluctant part to go into place or get out of the way. Fences don't need persuasion, they need caressing... :laugh2:

Pat, that's very cool looking. Do you have a video of it in action? I'm having a little trouble figuring out where the work piece goes.


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## 4DThinker (Feb 16, 2014)

My hammer gets more use knocking things down. Often used with a crow bar. Thought I could do better then I bought that crow bar, but apparently that is the only bird allowed to drink alcohol.


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## Quillman (Aug 16, 2010)

See first 3 pix.


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## marc82much (May 8, 2011)

Quillman said:


> See first 3 pix.


I did. It didn't help.


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## PhilBa (Sep 25, 2014)

marc82much said:


> I did. It didn't help.


Hate to say but, me too... Got a video of it?


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## Quillman (Aug 16, 2010)

No video, no plans for one. Sled slides past the cutter.
The cutter/router is driven x the screw, in and out, closer to the work.
You slide the sled past the cutter, slide it again as necessary.
Pretend it's a fence that you adjust for each pass that requires a deeper cut.


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## sunnybob (Apr 3, 2015)

if you want to build it yourself, this one is easy, and can be amended to make the whole thing longer across the table is you want to.

Router Table Fence


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Well I can't wait to get the table made tommorow as I think half the fun is going to be making differant fences , coping sleds etc


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