Use and features
There are several features to the auxiliary fence jig for the table saw that include more clamping area, feather boards, and flush trim capabilities. I will go over each of the features in detail below.
- 8″ fence face
- Rip fence clamping
- Featherboards
- Flush trim capabilities
8″ fence face
The average rip fence has a 3 – 4 inch fence face. This makes it difficult to control tall wood pieces. The 8″ fence face allows for more vertical surface area for the wood to ensure the wood is flushed against the fence and doesn’t veer off course.
Rip fence clamping
The rip fence has notches on the sides and top of the fence that allows for easy clamping to the original rip fence.
Featherboards
The rip fence has feather boards that press the wood against the tabletop. This feature ensures the wood does not lift up while being cut with the table saw blade. This issue is most common when cutting thin pieces of wood.
Flush trim capabilities
The rip fence has a 4″ face with an inset for the table saw blade. This inset is designed so the user can insert the blade and create flush trim cuts.
Materials
- 8×24″ plywood
- 4 x 24″ plywood
- (16) .75x2x2″ blocks
- (2) 1.5 x 3.5 x 3.5 blocks
- Wood glue
- Nails and nail gun
- Clamps
- 8 wood strips
- #10-24 x 2″ Machine Screws
- Washers and nuts
- 5/16″ drill bit
- Drill
Steps Overview
- Joint plywood
- Joint one side of 8″ and 4″ plywood
- Cut feather board track in 8″ plywood
- Add plywood strip over the feather board track
- Assemble the feather board
- Assemble spacing between plywood faces
- Cut flush feature on 4″ plywood
Steps
Joint Plywood
I used spare scraps of plywood that were not dead straight. It is important for one 24″ side of the 8″ and 4″ plywood to be straight, because it will be pressed against the table saw tabletop. While it will not be a huge issue, it can affect the rigidity and quality of the table saw auxiliary fence.
To flatten the plywood, you can use a jointer or use a table saw with the leveler or taper jig method. To learn about the leveler and taper method, check out my articles here.
Cut feather board track in 8″ plywood
- Align 8″ wood and mark blade location
- Mark 2″ from the left and right of the blade line for the feather board location
- Mark 2.5″, 3 1/8″, and 3 5/8″ away from the blade line just like in Step 2
- Set the blade at 1/8″ high and cut from the 2 to 2.5″ line and the 3 1/8 and 3 5/8″ line
- Set the blade at 1/4″ high and cut from the 2.5 to 3 1/8″ line
Now we will align the 8″ wood against the table saw fence and see where the blade lies. We will now mark a line 2″ from the front and 2″ from the back of the blade.
The inner section of the dado, from the 2 1/2 and 3 1/8″ line should be 1/4″ deep, and the outer sections of the dados, from the 2 to 2 1/2″ and from the 3 1/8 and 3 5/8″ line should be 1/8″ deep.
Add plywood strip over the feather board track
- Insert 1 5/8 x 8″ 1/8 ” thick plywood over the feather board track
- Cut out groove in plywood strip
Assemble feather board
To create the feather board clamp, we will cut 2×3″ wood. Afterward, we will pilot hole a 5/16″ hole into the wood. Now we will take out the screw, add the washer, insert the wooden clamp, and screw in the bolt. At this step, we will just start the bolt and not screw it all the way.
Now we will separate the washer and wooden clamp and slide it throughout t track. Lastly, we tighten the bolt to ensure to clamp the clamp in place and ensure it is functioning properly.
Nail wood blocks together
We have 16 wood blocks. We will glue and nail pairs of wood blocks together to create pairs of 8. These wood blocks will be used for the spacing between the two plywood fences and will give us enough room to place our clamps on the top of the fence.
Assemble wood blocks in between the plywood
Now that each pair of wood blocks are assembled, we will now assemble the blacks between the plywood sheets.
First, you want to make sure the jointed side for both plywood is on the bottom of the jig. You will now space out the blocks in the plywood, having one pair on top of the other. You can use this photo as a reference.
The actual spacing is not as important as long as it’s fairly evenly spaced. What is more important is making sure the wooden blocks do not behind the blade. This is because the 4” side will be the flush trim and having a screw or nail there will interfere with that feature.
Once we align our blocks we will nail them in place and wait for the wood to dry. When nailing, make sure the nails are inset under the wood so it doesn’t interfere with the rip fence alignment.
Cut flush feature on 4” plywood
To cut the flush feature, we will clamp the auxiliary fence to the rip fence with the 4” face on the outside. Afterward, you will start the table saw and very lightly slush the rip fence against the blade.
Warning: pushing the rip fence too quickly can cause damage to the blade and saw and personal injury.
Conclusion
In this article, we went over how to create a table saw auxiliary fence jig and its features. Some of the features of this jig are having an 8” face, feather board feature, clamping capabilities, and a flush-trim feature.
To learn about different types of table saw jigs, check out my article here
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