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Router table micro adjust for fence

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7.9K views 29 replies 13 participants last post by  RainMan 2.0  
#1 ·
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

 
#2 ·
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
 
#3 ·
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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#4 ·
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.
 
#7 ·
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. :)
 
#8 ·
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:
 
#10 ·
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
 
#14 ·
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????".
 
#17 ·
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.
 
#19 ·
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! :)
 
#20 ·
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.
 
#21 ·
. . . 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.
 
#23 ·
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.