# Featherboard Fit- Shim or return



## AzOwl (Jan 25, 2015)

I bought a Kreg featherboard, to use with my Ryobi table hoping it will help when smoothing the buildup edges for my SS project.

Today I did a test fit and see that the guide bases are higher than my slot is deep so the feather board bottom is about 3/8"-1/4" higher than the table top. Now I doubt this is the way it should work, more than likely the Ryobi table is not made to our standards, however I want to have a feather board that works. They advertise that it works with most 3/4 & 3/8 tables guide slots (straight and T'd) I have 3 slightly different ones and it doesn't work right with any of them - all will need a modified guide foot to fit tool slot.



















As I see it I can...
1. Return the feather board and look for another brand that will fit.
2. Make some slot guide feet that are shorter and will fit each of my table guide slots.
3. Put a shim under the feather board body to support it level as is.

What do you suggest?


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

I would call Kreg. They have provided me good customer service in the past, they may have a solution for you.


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## oldwoodenshoe (Nov 28, 2011)

Al,

A standard miter slot is 3/4" wide by 3/8" deep. That is why Kreg's says it fits a standard miter slot. However, your Ryobi table looks like it has a slot that is 3/4" wide but only 1/4" deep. That is why it doesn't fit. Some of these small portable router tables are built with less than 3/8" deep miter slots. I have an old portable Craftsman router table that also has a shallow miter slot. All of my other saws and router tables all have the full standard 3/8" depth miter slot. The problem isn't with the Kreg feather board, it is with the undersized slot in your router table.

Glenn


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

Al,

Take a look at something like these Miter Slot Locking Fixture Kits
Miter Slot and T-Slot Table Accessories The write-up says that it fits standard 3/4" x 3'8" slots, but I have a couple of these somewhere and I'm sure that they're less than 3/8". I'll try to dig them out tomorrow and let you know.

Tom


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## AzOwl (Jan 25, 2015)

Those kits look like they might work Tom, but If I have to I can make the rectangle and recess it for the flat head bolt a lot cheaper. A PITA that I didn't want to spend time on but I guess it either spend $$ testing possible solutions or get some 3/8"x3/4" stock and start whittlin.

I'll call Kreg tomorrow and see if they make something that would work. With all the foreign tools so commonplace you would think they would anticipate that need.


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## MikeMa (Jul 27, 2006)

Question, does this prevent the featherboard from getting locked down in the slot? If it locks down, does it hold the work piece against the fence as you need? If so, I don't see any reason why you can't use it.


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## AzOwl (Jan 25, 2015)

When I tighten down the thumbscrews it tightens up so that sliding it in the slot becomes difficult, I don't know that I would say it is rock solid though (w/no workpiece). It does tip up/down though.

I called Kreg and they said their products are made to fit standard slots 3/8" deep and they don't offer any kits for shallow foreign slots. They couldn't offer any suggestions. I told them they were missing a big market with all the non-std. brands the big box stores sell to the home hobbyist.

Here is my fist solution, it was simple and took 5 min... anyone see any problems with this?










Bolt heads were sanded smooth to the thickness of the gap.










Camera angle makes it look sloped, it's not.










Now to try it and see if it works... How tight should it be pressing against the feed piece?

Notice the quality factory workmanship of the miter slot!
I suppose if I wanted to do it right I could route out the slot to the proper depth and install a new aluminum guide maybe with T slot.


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

I would just route it out and replace with a proper miter track


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## timbertailor (Oct 4, 2009)

Semipro said:


> I would just route it out and replace with a proper miter track


If the table is thick enough, that is what I would recommend too.


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## Jamespeck (Dec 30, 2020)

oldwoodenshoe said:


> Al,
> 
> A standard miter slot is 3/4" wide by 3/8" deep. That is why Kreg's says it fits a standard miter slot. However, your Ryobi table looks like it has a slot that is 3/4" wide but only 1/4" deep. That is why it doesn't fit. Some of these small portable router tables are built with less than 3/8" deep miter slots. I have an old portable Craftsman router table that also has a shallow miter slot. All of my other saws and router tables all have the full standard 3/8" depth miter slot. The problem isn't with the Kreg feather board, it is with the undersized slot in your router table.
> 
> Glenn





oldwoodenshoe said:


> Al,
> 
> A standard miter slot is 3/4" wide by 3/8" deep. That is why Kreg's says it fits a standard miter slot. However, your Ryobi table looks like it has a slot that is 3/4" wide but only 1/4" deep. That is why it doesn't fit. Some of these small portable router tables are built with less than 3/8" deep miter slots. I have an old portable Craftsman router table that also has a shallow miter slot. All of my other saws and router tables all have the full standard 3/8" depth miter slot. The problem isn't with the Kreg feather board, it is with the undersized slot in your router table.
> 
> Glenn


I beg to differ Glenn. This is a design flaw on Kreg's end. These Feather Boards are sold as accessories for table saws, router tables, etc... I don't see any disclaimer in the product description warning of this issue. Therefore, the accessory being sold should be designed to properly fit the targeted tool. Clearly Kreg isn't asking Craftsman to modify the design of their mitre slots, but rather Kreg should have designed an adapter of sorts that they could provide to their customers, of course at no additional cost..


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Welcome to the forum @Jamespeck


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## sunnybob (Apr 3, 2015)

James, youve picked a 5 year old thread. I think the original poster is gone.


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## david_de (Jun 3, 2013)

I do not think I would trust a miter slot that was less than 3/8 deep for anything. There is not much to keep anything from flipping out of the slot, in my opinion. That may also be the reason they do not make any attachments that fit the shallow slot, liability. But clearly if they say it only fits a standard slot and give the dimensions for a standard slot, they were not misleading anyone. If I buy a pair of size 10 shoes that are sold as a size 10, and they do not fit my size 11 foot that would be my fault. On the other hand I have bought a lot of stuff that did not work for what I thought it would only to find out it was my error in not checking more closely on what I needed and what I was buying. I might not be the only one here that has ever done that. ;-) Often I try to "make" it work and usually that never works out well so I shit can it and start over.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Old thread. Let it die in peace.


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