# Featherboard position



## dabeeler (Oct 1, 2007)

what is to correct way to position featherboards for face routing molding on a router table?

Thanks,
David


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## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

I would use 2 to press against the fence, one that ends just before the bit, and the other starting just after. Another one on the fence to hold the stock down.


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

AxlMyk said:


> I would use 2 to press against the fence, one that ends just before the bit, and the other starting just after. Another one on the fence to hold the stock down.


Hi David, I generally just use 2, see picture, but I agree with Mike that you need to support it as much as possible. When I am doing molding I set them up as the pic shows except I have both of them bridging the fence opening so the work is controlled by the feather boards before, during and after the cutting takes place.


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## dabeeler (Oct 1, 2007)

Thanks for the help. I did my first molding over the weekend and got some snipe at the end of the cut along with some chatter marks on the longer pieces and was thinking I might have improperly positioned the 2 feather boards thus causing the problem. I had one starting just before the bit and ending just on the outfeed side and another pushing on the outfeed side itself. I did not have one above the molding but did lower the bit guard as far as possible to help hold downward pressure. In hindsight I thought I made a mistake by having the first featherboard pushing the work against the bit.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi dabeeler

Making molding is tricky,,you may want to try the hold downs below, I like to make molding on the Horz.router table but it can be done safe and easy with the right hold downs..

They hold it down and to the fence all with one device,it's best to use two on them on the router table...

http://www.grizzly.com/products/searchresults.aspx?q=buddies
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dabeeler said:


> Thanks for the help. I did my first molding over the weekend and got some snipe at the end of the cut along with some chatter marks on the longer pieces and was thinking I might have improperly positioned the 2 feather boards thus causing the problem. I had one starting just before the bit and ending just on the outfeed side and another pushing on the outfeed side itself. I did not have one above the molding but did lower the bit guard as far as possible to help hold downward pressure. In hindsight I thought I made a mistake by having the first featherboard pushing the work against the bit.


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## dabeeler (Oct 1, 2007)

bobj3 said:


> Hi dabeeler
> 
> Making molding is tricky,,you may want to try the hold downs below, I like to make molding on the Horz.router table but it can be done safe and easy with the right hold downs..
> 
> ...


Now those look interesting. Do you find these better than featherboards?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi dabeeler


Yes they are better than featherboards,,I have many types of featherboards and the buddies hold down the work on just about any job on the router table..I can take my hands off the stock and it will just say in place unlike the featherboards 

It's hard to make molding because at some time you must take your hands off/free to move it forward..or when you come to the end of the pass.. 

If you get a lot of snipe at the end or start you may want to make it a bit longer and just off the bad part...after..

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dabeeler said:


> Now those look interesting. Do you find these better than featherboards?


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

bobj3 said:


> Hi dabeeler
> 
> Making molding is tricky,,you may want to try the hold downs below, I like to make molding on the Horz.router table but it can be done safe and easy with the right hold downs..
> 
> ...


Decent price on those from Grizzly, Bob. Rockler wants $57 and $27 for the track.


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