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If you are new to the world of woodworking, and particularly new to the world of working with your projects on table saws or bandsaws, you may never have had the opportunity to work with a featherboard before.
You may even be a little skeptical – how could anything called a “featherboard” actually help with my projects? But you would be surprised at the big difference a simple featherboard can make.
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Read on to learn more about these amazing tools and how they can help you be as safe as possible in the shop.
Hoping to cut right to the chase? Below are the best table saw featherboards:
Comparison Chart of the Best Featherboards for Table Saws
Product | Our Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|
Magswitch Table Feather Board Pro  | ||
JessEm 4016 Featherboard  | ||
Kreg PRS3020 True-FLEX  | ||
Magswitch 8100494 MagSquare 165  | ||
Bench Dog 10-005 Feather-Loc  |
How to Choose a Featherboard
If not all featherboards are the same, how do you figure out which one would work best for you? Here is what you should be keeping your eyes out for when choosing what featherboard option you specifically need:
Stability
This is kind of the whole point of a featherboard, right? You want a model that is going to provide maximum stability not only for an increased level of safety, but so that you can make the most accurate cuts possible.
Color
We know, you’re rolling your eyes – what does color even have to do with anything? But color actually really matters when it comes to featherboards.
You want something that is going to stand out against your wood, or plastic, or metal, or whatever you are cutting. The best featherboards are generally an extremely distinctive and unnatural color, like orange or bright yellow.
Ease of Setting Up
The last thing you want is a featherboard that is going to further complicate the process of making smooth cuts in your work pieces.
You do not want to spend any extra time adjusting your featherboard before you can get cutting, so make sure you invest in a model that is quick and easy to set up.
Review of the Best Featherboards for Table Saws
Now that you have a better sense of what to look for with featherboards, let’s check out some actual products:
Best Overall:
Magswitch Table Feather Board Pro
PROS
CONS
What Are People Saying?
Users love how quick and easy it is to set this featherboard up. Unlike many other featherboards, which require a ton of little adjustments before they can be used properly, this model is one you can just set up and go.
What We Love About It
We really appreciate how well this model works when you are pushing a board through your table saw when the board is positioned on its side. This extra efficiency is because this model has an extra layer of magnetic strength, as well as feathers that are taller than many of its competitor brands.
Who’s This Perfect For?
Because of the taller feathers, this model is an ideal option for larger table saws that are designed for working on projects at a bigger scale. This makes this product a great choice for woodworking on a more industrial scale.
Final Thoughts
This product is our best overall pick for a reason - it works especially well with larger projects that need an extra layer of efficiency. Its taller feathers and stronger magnets guarantee that you will not be disappointed when working with this model.
Runner-up:
JessEm 4016 Featherboard
PROS
CONS
What Are People Saying?
People are so impressed with this model that they report immediately ordering another backup set to have on hand to get more projects done! Plus, if you want to shake things up, this product comes in several different color options.
What We Love About It
We are big fans of the four different tightening knobs built into this model. You can use two of the knobs to lock in the rail, and then use the other two knows to adjust for more fine tuned tensioning.
Who’s This Perfect For?
If you are new to working with table saws, this model will put you at ease. It has a range of extra safety features, including a mechanism which requires users to move both sides of the board at the same time before the board will budge.
Final Thoughts
This featherboard is a phenomenal model with a range of features that set it apart, including an extra set of tightening knobs, some additional safety aspects, and the ability to work with multiple different kinds of saws.
Best for the Money:
Kreg PRS3020 True-FLEX Featherboard
PROS
CONS
What Are People Saying?
Users report being extremely impressed with the Kreg brand, which may not be as well known as other woodworking brands. But people are reporting that because of their experiences with this particular product, they are replacing their featherboards from other brands with this Kreg option.
What We Love About It
Featherboards may not be the most expensive woodworking tool, but they can still cost a pretty penny. That was why we were so shocked when we saw how low Kreg is offering this model for. Given the high quality of this product, the price is truly a steal of a deal!
Who’s This Perfect For?
If you want to find yourself a model that will work with pretty much any saw on the planet, this is the product for you. This model comes with universal adapters, so you will be able to throw it on any saw you want and get going right away.
Final Thoughts
You will not be able to believe you can find such an all around fantastic featherboard for such a low, low price. With its universal adaptability and its ease of use, you should hop on this deal as soon as you possibly can!
Best Magnetic Featherboard:
Magswitch 8100494 MagSquare 165
PROS
CONS
What Are People Saying?
Recent buyers really appreciate the thread mounting holes on both sides of this model, which allow for a simple attachment process for the brackets.
What We Love About It
While most magnetic featherboards provide an additional layer of added stability, they can also be a real pain to clean – because of course, all of the debris just sticks right to the magnets. This is not the case with this product option, since you can just turn the magnetic field right off! Say goodbye to metal dust that will eventually gum up your device’s mechanism.
Who’s This Perfect For?
As mentioned above, this board is ideal for working with cutting metal because of its ability to turn off the magnetic field. It also helps that this product is endorsed by both professional welders and professional metal fabricators. If you're someone who is de-stacking sheet metal thinner than 0.5mm, their E-series is perfect.
Final Thoughts
This is a phenomenal product that works especially well for those who want to work on projects involving metal. However, it is versatile enough to be used with any project that requires an extra level of added stability.
Best Bench Dog Featherboard:
Bench Dog 10-005 Feather-Loc
PROS
CONS
What Are People Saying?
People have been very pleased with the amount of precision their table saw is able to gain when they use it in conjunction with this product. One user even said that this model is so effective, they have been able to use their table saw to slice something as fine as soft cheese! How is that for impressive?
What We Love About It
This model is so incredibly versatile. It can be adjusted to work from a wide range of different angles, and it works in both the vertical and horizontal planes, so you can make basically whatever cut imaginable.
Who’s This Perfect For?
If you are a little nervous about working with a table saw, or a featherboard, or both, you will greatly appreciate this model. It is thin enough for users to be able to work with it even under a router table’s protective shield. Say goodbye to feeling as though you do not have sufficient control of your cuts!
Final Thoughts
This is an excellent product option and the best model we could find from the reputable Bench Dog brand. Its versatility and its additional level of added control on the user’s part makes it stand out from the crowd. We promise you will not be disappointed if you choose to go with this model.
Below are the best featherboards for table saws:
What is a Featherboard?
A featherboard is essentially a stabilizing device that can be used when working with power tools such as a table saw or a band saw. They help to hold the piece of wood, metal, or whatever you may be working with in one spot so that you can make straight, even cuts.
Featherboards help both in improving the quality of your cuts and in increasing overall safety when using a power tool – we all know the feeling when the work piece slips and you snatch your hand back from being cut.
Are All Featherboards The Same?
All featherboards operate with the same basic concept – one side of the board will have a series of ridges cut into the wood (the “feathers”) which allows it to be flexible and maintain steady pressure on your work piece, while the other side will have a straight edge to balance your piece against.
However, beyond that, featherboards can have a range of variations. Some are designed to attach to certain miter slots, some have magnets to keep them in place and provide an extra level of security, and finally, some users decide to make their own featherboards themselves.
What Do I Need to Know Before Buying?
If you are still not feeling super confident on how to determine which featherboard is right for you, never fear. Here are some additional aspects you should keep in mind when narrowing down your choices:
Compatibility
A featherboard will not be particularly useful for you if it can’t even fit on your work table, will it? Make sure you check and double check that the featherboard you are interested in will be compatible with your specific saw, and with the materials you intend to work with.
Size
Again, this plays into fit and how well your featherboard will work with your specific work site. However, size is also important in terms of the amount of pressure you want your featherboard to exert on your work piece, which can also impact how precise your cuts are.
Versatility
You want a featherboard that you will be able to use on a ton of different projects, not just one you can use only once. Some featherboards are designed specifically so that users will be able to operate them from different angles and with a wide variety of different materials.
How to Use a Featherboard on a Table Saw
- Position your featherboard within your table’s miter slot (unless you are using a magnetic featherboard, for which you simply need to magnetize to the table itself).
- Place your work piece against your table saw blade.
- Adjust your featherboard so that it is snugly up against your work piece, and tighten it until there is no give or wiggle anywhere on your table saw. This may take several rounds of tightening, adjusting, and re-tightening and re-adjusting.
- Make sure your featherboard is placed right before the end of your work piece, not extending past it, but also not right up against the edge of your table.
- Use a push block to guide your work piece through just as you usually would, and enjoy the total lack of wiggle provided by your featherboard!
For a more comprehensive overview of this process, check out the video below.
Conclusion
Featherboards are a huge component of safe woodworking and metalworking operations, whether you are knocking out do it yourself projects in your home shop or working on projects at an industrial level.
Make sure you find yourself a featherboard that is compatible with your specific needs, your specific equipment, and the specific materials you are intending to cut on your table saw. We promise, you will not be able to strike out if you go with any of the products we have reviewed above.
People Also Ask
Featherboards can be surprisingly complex to operate, even for a concept that may seem so simple. Because it involves safety, you can never be too careful about operating a featherboard, so we have taken the time to answer some of your most frequently asked questions regarding these tools:
Should I Make My Own Featherboard?
Plenty of people do decide to make their own featherboards, as the cost is usually dramatically lower and that way you do not have to go through the hassle of finding one that will work for you.
However, keep in mind that homemade featherboards can miss out on many of the convenient and stabilizing aspects of store bought featherboards, like magnets for added strength.
What is the Best Material for a Featherboard?
Featherboards can be made from a wide variety of material, but we are going to be old school and argue that the best one is good old-fashioned wood. The best woods for the job are the most flexible options, such as hickory or ash.