Where have you been all my woodworking life??

2232 Views 5 Replies 5 Participants Last post by Glenmore, Aug 19, 2005

siric

Discussion Starter · Jul 26, 2005 (Edited)

Need help choosing router table fence

Found this forum just yesterday.. didn't know that it existed and I spend yarns of time on the net!! Anyway, glad to be here.

Am a newbie.. been going for about 3 years and am in the process of building my router table. The top is made of 1 1/4" MDF edged with hardwood. I made my insert out of 3/4" lexan and have purchased an extra base for my Bosch 1617 so that leave it mounted on the insert.

After much debate on another forum, I added a t-track slot at the front to hold a featherboard, etc.

My sticking point is now the fence. I was going to build a great one from one of my mags but really don't have the time as having a 2-year old keeps me busy as it is!! So I have decided to buy one and am looking the Veritas by Lee Valley, the Freud SH-5 and the Benchdog 40-006.

Can I get some guidance on which is best?

Thanks

SiRiC

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reible

· #2 · Jul 27, 2005

Welcome!

Have you seen the router workshop series on PBS? They have a very interesting method of using a strip of plastic and a couple of clamps to make a fence that works for a lot of the things you need to do on a table with a router. While most of the expensive fences have dials or other fine tuning methods Bob and Rick opt for a small hammer (fine adjusting tool). Before you spend the big bucks look at the system they use.

In case you have no idea what I'm talking about check out:
www.routerforums.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=181&c=18&cutoffdate=all

Hope this helps,

Ed

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siric

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jul 28, 2005

Hi Ed,

Unfortunately, the PBS that we get does not show the Router Workshop.

If I could get some further on how to construct that plastic one, I would surely give it a try.

Thanks

Steve

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Mike

· #4 · Jul 28, 2005

Steve, you will love the simplicity of the fence Bob and Rick use. It is simply a piece of UHMW or HDPE 3/4" x 2" x slightly longer than your table. It is held in place with a pair of C clamps. They make a clearance cut in the bottom of the fence so the bit can be underneath allowing you to "retract" the bit for shallow depths of cut.

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Visteonguy

· #5 · Aug 18, 2005

Hi SiRiC,,, I was just looking at some of the post farther down the list and seen yours.... They do use a simple peice of plastic on the Router Workshop, and it works great,,, cannot get much simplier then that,,, but if you cannot get, or do not want to spend the money on a peice of plastic,,,, just substitute a regular peice of wood for the plastic strip,,, I do and it works just as nice.. and it does not bother ya to take another divit out of it to put a different type of profile bit in the fence,, once it gets too chewed up,,, its fire wood now,, and ya just put on another peice of wood. Only thing it requires is that is has to be straight.

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Glenmore

· #6 · Aug 19, 2005 (Edited)

Steve welcome to Routerforums. I've bought the oak park straight edge for my router table and two of there clamps with the knob ends on them. If you order the router fence just make sure that you can clamp it down. I made that mistake so I had to revamp my router table a little couldn't put the clamps somebody forgot to leave a lip on the edge of the table. Here's the link for www.oak-park.com. if you would like to go there and check it out.

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