Best Featherboard For Table Saw

6 Best Featherboard For Table Saw

To make your woodworking process fool proof, investing in one of the best featherboards for table saw can make your life quite easier. 

For woodworkers working especially with powerful table saws, it is important to get a feather board that costs a few bucks to improve the quality of cuts while having a safer environment.

The feather board is a simple accessory that can hold the workpiece you are cutting in one place by applying even pressure and tension. This gets rid of the need to hold the workpiece with your hand minimizing the risk of touching the blade while improving the quality of cuts.

It also reduces the chances of kickbacks and the best ones are easy to adjust and set up. During my early days of the woodworking business, it was really hard to find a featherboard of my choice and requirements. But today I am clear about its specifications and working based on my experience.

Magswitch 8110015 Table Featherboard is the best featherboard for table saw as it is lightweight, 1.08 pounds only, flexible and low profile double handled board. 

However, there are many feather boards available on the market, and not every featherboard is compatible with your table saw. You should be careful before choosing one and we have written a buyer’s guide to help you with that.

We have also tested several featherboards and chosen from among them. Here is the review of the top 6 best featherboard for table saws.

At a Glance:

6 Best Featherboard For Table Saw

DesignRetailer
Best Pick1. Magswitch 8110015 Table Featherboard-Best Overall
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2. Kreg PRS3020 FeatherBoard-Best Flexible Featherboard
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3. Milescraft 1406-Best All-Purpose Featherboard
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Staff Pick4. Magswitch Starter Kit-Best Value Featherboard
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5. Bosch RA1171-Best Budget-Friendly Featherboard
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Budget Pick6. Premium Hedgehog Spiral-Best Beginners Featherboard
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1. Magswitch 8110015 Table Featherboard-Best Overall

Best Pick

Specifications

  • Dimensions: 6.9 x 3.9 x 2.1 inches.
  • Weight: 1.08 Pounds.
  • Material: Plastic/Metal.
  • Number Of Handles: 2.

The Magswitch 8110015 is a strong, flexible featherboard that is low-profile and double making it work on both sides of the blade and you can use it on the fence too. It comes with knobs of magnetic force to easily hold the featherboard perfectly in place and can be easily adjusted.

You don’t have to worry about a Miter spot or any kind of limitation as it uses magnetic attachment. The two on/off mag switches each provide a holding force of 95 pounds which helps in tightly holding large piles of materials.

You can easily remove the force and adjust the mag switches using the on/off switch. It improves the cutting quality of the blade and can be used on both sides of the blade.

The setup requires no extra tools and it provides precise positioning and tensioning so you can work without worrying about wrong positioning.

It is made up of sturdy, durable ABS UL94VO material that contains metal, plastic and can last for years.

Pros

  • Work on almost all table saws.
  • Fast setup.
  • Adjustable mag switches.
  • Easily adjustable.
  • Durable and sturdy build.

Cons

  • Can only be used on metal tables due to magnetic attachment.

To summarize, the Magswitch 8110015 has a low-profile double-sided design that lets you use it on both sides of the table and even on the fence making it the best featherboard for a table saw.

It is sturdy and lasts for years while improving cut quality every time you use it. The only downside of this featherboard is that it can be used only on metal tables due to its magnetic force attachment.


2. Kreg PRS3020 FeatherBoard-Best Flexible Featherboard

Specifications

  • Dimensions: 9 x 3 x 7.5 inches.
  • Weight: 1.28 Pounds.
  • Material: Plastic
  • Color: Blue.

If you are looking for a flexible and durable featherboard, then Kreg PRS3020 would be the best choice as it is made up of durable plastic composite. It comes with a wedge lock that easily connects this featherboard to a miter slot without the need for any hardware.

You can easily install this featherboard and the fingers consistently provide even pressure increasing the quality of cuts. The wedge-Lock system adjusts according to the saw you are working with, whether it be a table saw, router saw and miter slot, or t-slot.

It is designed to be used for ⅜’’ x ¾’’ (9mm x 19mm) miter slot or t-slot. The consistent and even pressure of this featherboard is due to its design that minimizes imperfections such as bad cuts or unsafe operations.

You can use this best featherboard for table saw against the fence too on a ¾ inches slot that helps keep your hand away from the spinning blade. This flexible featherboard is compatible and can be used on almost all table saws without requiring any additional hardware.

Pros

  • Works with all table saws and band router saws.
  • Provides consistent and even pressure.
  • Wedge-Lock system that requires no additional hardware.
  • Easy to install.
  • Durable.

Cons

  • Can’t be used on plane slots.

In the final analysis, the Kreg PRS3020 provides even pressure for high-quality cuts and less secure operations without requiring additional hardware.

The compatibility with almost all the tables, routers, and band saws makes this one of the best featherboard for table saws. However, you can’t use this featherboard on plane slots beyond t-slots which can be an inconvenience for some tasks.


3. Milescraft 1406-Best All-Purpose Featherboard

Specifications

  • Dimensions: 8.9 x 10.5 x 2.85 inches.
  • Weight: 0.8 Pounds
  • Material: Multiple materials.
  • Fit For: â… inches and â…œ inches miter slots.

The Milescraft 1406 is a unique featherboard that reduces kickbacks by applying consistent and proper tension and pressure across the workpiece for high-quality cuts. This consistent pressure and tension are created by unique rail construction that comes with pre-load tensions for better performance.

It can be used with â… and â…œ inches miter slots making it compatible with almost all the table saws. The dual slide motion, side to side, and forward action make installing this featherboard easy.

It comes with all the components you need to mount it with miter slots or a table saw. The ergonomic knobs can be adjusted to provide non-slip loosening while preventing less or more tightening.

It comes with split rail miter bar construction makes this featherboard durable and ensures that it holds well even on a fence. This would be easily adjusted to the depth of the board to make each hole at a precise distance from the next even when working on up to 1-½ inches thick materials to provide maximum hold.

Pros

  • Includes all hardware for strong and quick attachment.
  • Durable construction.
  • Holds well against a fence.
  • Fit for up to â… inches miter slots.
  • Pre-load tensioning prevents kickbacks.

Cons

  • Difficult to adjust on curve spots.

To conclude, the Milescraft 1406 is the best flexible featherboard for a table saw due to its pre-load tensioning and unique rail construction. It provides consistent pressure and tension to prevent kickbacks while providing a tight grip when working on 1 or 1-½ inches thick materials. This helps in increasing the quality of cuts while providing safety to the operator.

The only drawback of this featherboard is that it has a curved track on bolts which makes it hard to adjust sometimes.


4. Magswitch Starter Kit-Best Value Featherboard

Staff Pick

Specifications

  • Dimensions: 8.5 x 4 x 2.3 inches.
  • Weight: 2.24 Pounds.
  • Material: Plastic/Metal
  • Number Of Handles: 2

The Magswitch starter kit includes a mounting base, reversible featherboard, and two MagJig to add up to everything you will need to hold your workpiece in one place.

Furthermore, the reversible feather can be mounted on either feed, left or right depending upon your need and two MagJig provides a force of 150 pounds for a firm hold. This serves as a purpose for all working holding attachments you will need resulting in high-quality cuts and fewer kickbacks.

It has a low-profile design and magnetic grip that can turn on and off for quick release and easy installation. You can easily assemble and disassemble this kit for cleaning or using it without requiring any tool.

It can be placed anywhere on the table saw or fence as long as there is iron or metal available.

This flexible featherboard can not only keep your hands away from the running blade but also provide even pressure on the wood against the fence for quality cuts. The knobs can be easily adjusted to strong or loose grip making adjustments much easier for operators.

Pros

  • Fully reversible.
  • Includes all hardware required for holding attachment.
  • Low profile design for small table saws.
  • Lightweight and durable.
  • Protection from kickbacks.

Cons

  • Can only be used on metal or steel tables.

To summarize, the Magswitch starter kit is the best value, reversible featherboard for a table saw that can protect you while providing even pressure to the material you are cutting. This even pressure can’t be provided by hands and assembling this kit is incredibly easy.

However, you can use it on metal tables and the grip on steel tables isn’t strong as on metal tables as it uses strong magnets for magnetic attachments.


5. Bosch RA1171-Best Budget-Friendly Featherboard

Specifications

  • Dimensions: 5.5 x 11 x 6 inches.
  • Weight: 0.35 Pounds.
  • Manufacturer: Robert Bosch Tool Corp.

The Bosch RA1171 is the cheapest reversible featherboard on our list whose performance is the same as the Magswitch 8110015. If it came with all the hardware required for mounting then it would have been the best featherboard for a table saw but you have to buy them separately.

This reversible featherboard can be mounted on either side of the fence and is compatible with all table saws as long as you have the right hardware.

They can be set up side by side to provide hold over long fences or surfaces as much as you need. By getting the fit bolts, this featherboard will fit quite well and improve the quality of cuts while providing protection.

Two featherboards come as a pack and you can use them to evenly apply pressure to the piece of material you are cutting.

Pros

  • Budget-friendly.
  • Reversible.
  • Easy to set up.
  • Compatible with almost all table saws.
  • Sturdy and durable build.

Cons

  • You need to buy mounting hardware separately.

In short, the Bosch RA1171 is the best budget-friendly featherboard table saw that is reversible and provides a firm grip while being compatible with almost all table saws.

However, you will need to buy all the mounting hardware including two hex bolts, two washers, and two knobs to mount this featherboard on any table saw.


6. Premium Hedgehog Spiral-Best Beginners Featherboard

Budget Pick

Specifications

  • Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1.75 inches.
  • Weight: 0.57 Pounds.
  • Material: Nylon.
  • Shape: Spiral.

The premium Hedgehog featherboard has a simple, spiral design that comes with only one knob for quick, easy, and hassle-free adjustments. For beginners, this single knob featherboard will make it easier to control and cut materials with high accuracy.

It helps in holding the material you are cutting tightly against the fence for clean and smooth cuts. Due to its tight grip, it reduces wood kickback and other dangers making woodworking a safer job. It can be mounted on either side of the fence as it has one knob installation.

This featherboard can fit miter slots up to ¾ inches wide due to the aluminum miter clamp of ¾’’ x ⅜’’. The featherboard body is made up of durable, high-impact nylon that is sturdy and lasts longer. You can use this featherboard on either side of the fence just by reassemble it.

It is compatible with all the table saws and for some of the DEWALT table saws, you might need to add modifications to fit it.

You can adjust this featherboard using one hand helping you concentrate more on your work than adjusting. It provides a sturdy and tight grip by applying even pressure on the workpiece while increasing the safety and quality of cuts.

Pros

  • Single pivot for easy adjustments.
  • Lightweight.
  • Durable.
  • Compatible with almost all table saws.
  • Reversible featherboard.

Cons

  • No t-bar in this featherboard.
  • A bit expensive.

To summarize, the premium hedgehog spiral provides one-handed adjustments and a strong grip making it the best featherboard for table saws, especially for beginners. It is lightweight and reduces kickbacks while increasing the quality of cuts.

The only downside of this best featherboard is that it doesn’t have a T-bar to fit the miter slot and is a bit expensive as compared to other featherboard on our list.


Buyer’s Guide

There is a large variety of featherboard available on the market and choosing one can be quite hard. For professional and beginner woodworkers, safety is the most important thing and a small thing like a featherboard can play an important role in protecting them when working with power saws.

There are some factors that you still have to consider before choosing a featherboard to get the best results. Here are some of the key features you will need to consider before choosing a featherboard:

Ease Of Adjustment And Setup

Having a feather board that takes long can be frustrating and it removes the purpose of feather board by taking too long. The feather board you choose should lock quickly and you should be able to adjust it without extra effort.

Some of the examples of feather boards are those that use hold-down attachment or magnetic force to mount. This makes adjusting and setting up a feather board easy. However, some feather boards that use magnetic force can’t hold that well on steel.

Tension Control And Pressure

The feather board you choose should provide consistent pressure on the workpiece while you are cutting for high-quality cuts.

By providing good tension control, it can reduce the chances of kickback and other dangers and ensure a safer environment for cutting. You should opt for a model that provides even pressure and better tension control from beginning to end.

Durability

Having a durable feather board is important as you don’t want a cheap piece of plastic that might break while you are cutting and injure you or damage your workpiece.

When working with power saws, it is important to get a durable feather board and the best feather boards are made up of a combination of composite plastic and metal. 

Size And Position

Feather boards can vary in size and you should choose a footprint depending upon a table saw that you have. For small table saws, a low-profile feather board would be best.

You should choose after carefully researching the position of which feather board will attach to the table as what is considered standard by the saw manufacturer is different from feather board’s standards. 

Conclusion

In the end, a feather board can help woodworkers a lot when it comes to accurate cuts and protecting themselves. However, not every feather board would be a great choice as there are various features to consider before using one.

These accessories are important as it provides a safer environment when it comes to cutting with power saws. Allowing you to keep your hands safe while increasing the quality of cuts. In our experience:

Best Overall-Magswitch 8110015 is the best feather board for a table saw as it is a small but strong accessory that can hold your workpiece with even pressure and tension. It is reversible and protects the woodworker’s hand while improving the quality of cuts.

Best Value-Magswitch Starter Kit would be the best featherboard for a table saw as woodworkers can get most of the benefit from it. With two powerful MagJig, you can hold up to 150 pounds with ease.

Best For Beginners-Premium Hedgehog Spiral offers one-handed adjustments which make it the best featherboard for table saw for beginners. This would be the best accessory for newer woodworkers with less experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a feather board work with more than one kind of saw?

Yes, it depends upon the feather board you choose and the best feather board can be used with different kinds of saws including table saw, band saw, and router.

What is the purpose of a feather board?

It helps to ensure a workpiece that you are cutting in a place against the fence throughout the cutting process. This not only helps in getting smoother and clean-cut but also protects your hand by keeping it away from the blade and workpiece.


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