# Good Featherboard or Other Must-Have’s with Dewalt dwe7491rs



## djtech2k (Dec 19, 2020)

Just got this new table saw a week or so ago and built my first cross cut sled for it. So far I love it. I am relatively new to woodworking outside of tinkering.

What kind of accessories are must have kind of things? For example, from videos it looks like feather boards are a big help so I think I want one. Any advice on which to get? I see them on the table mount and also on fence mount. Table mount seems simple but not sure how fence mount would work on my saw.


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## djtech2k (Dec 19, 2020)

Well I ordered this one, so I hope it works well.

Milescraft 1406 FeatherBoard for Router Tables, Table Saws and Fences - - Amazon.com


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## Lakewood Brian (Nov 15, 2019)

A zero clearance insert is a no-brainer. And I'd give boardmates or board buddies a serious look. They could be the best safety device I've purchased in my entire shop. I mounted mine to an auxillary fence on my Dewalt jobsite saw. Bonus is they make my cuts better. I did a lot to my saw, most of it was worth while. A long auxillary fence has been a game changer. Having a portable saw is nice. But I've learned you can only go so far w/ these jobsite saws.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

When it comes to featherboards you want more than just one. I have used 4 at a time.

George


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

I had a jobsite saw. The main issue I had with featherboards was positioning them where I wanted them. I have homemade wood featherboards and the kind that expand and lock in the miter slots.

It was awkward to clamp the featherboards on the jobsite saw - places to clamp were limited. The left miter slot on the jobsite saw was farther from the blade than cabinet/contractor table saws, so miter-slot-locking featherboards (and that Rockler Thin Rip Jig) could not reach to a position close enough to the front of the blade for narrow stock. I measured the SawStop jobsite saw one day, and it had the same issue. Do all jobsite table saw have miter slots farther from the blade than "standard" table saws?

Featherboards need more precise positioning than you would think, and they tend to move while you tighten the clamps, leaving the featherboard too tight or too loose or at the wrong angle against the workpiece. Despite practice, it was frustrating, and very tempting to skip the featherboard(s).

When rip cutting with the fence, sometimes I wouldn't bother with featherboards, but would clamp a straight board to the fence, just above the workpiece being cut, to keep the workpiece down and prevent it from popping up. The Rockler Universal Fence Clamps are handy for that (because they go inside the board. Micro-jig's Matchfit dovetail clamps can be used the same way (with drill holes) and are even more flexible. Both can be used to hold auxiliary fences, too.

Many of the issues I had with featherboards and similar accessories were eliminated when I replaced the jobsite saw with a cabinet saw. The miter slot is closer to the blade, so those miter-slot-locking featherboards and the thin rip jig fit and work, there are good places to clamp around the edge, and the cast iron top allows me to use magnetic accessories.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Jobsite saws have an aluminum top, and one drawback is that magnetic accessories don't work on them.

I bought a MagSwitch Woodworking Starter Kit and never looked back. Positioning the featherboard is a breeze, and you can use the MagSwitches with your own homebuilt featherboards and jigs, too. (You need a 40 mm Forstner bit for the holes.) Unfortunately, it does not work with jobsite saws.

Here are Links:
Rockler Universal Fence Clamps: https://www.rockler.com/universal-fence-clamps
Rockler Thin Rip Jig (not that great): https://www.rockler.com/thin-rip-tablesaw-jig
Micro-Jig MatchFit Dovetail Clamps: https://www.microjig.com/products/dovetail-clamps-2pk
(Note: You can use them with drill holes, but their real power comes when you use a router and dovetail bit.)
MagSwitch Woodworking Starter Kit: https://magswitch.com/product/woodworking-starter-kit/
(Note: A 40 mm Forstner bit lets you make your own stuff and use the mag switches.)


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