What do you call the tool like a featherboard . . .

[leehljp]

ON
This thread I mentioned a board that I used on my router table that did similar to a feather board - but it did not have fingers. It put pressure evenly over about 18" instead of at the small area of a feather board in one location.

It seems like I got the idea 10 years ago from one of the wood working magazines. Making one was easier than making a feather board to me.

What do you call those and does anyone have a link to the jig?

[cabinetman]

The thread link doesn't work.

.

[leehljp]

Fixed it. Thanks Cab.

I have one of those boards somewhere but I haven't seen it since I returned from Japan. I know I packed it.

[All Thumbs]

What is a ... spring board.

[leehljp]

What is a ... spring board.

That must be it. I Googled Springboard jigs and what I got was similar but different. Below is a rough drawing (jpeg) that I made up that shows the outline.



The blue are small pieces that hold the straight pieces away and allow for flex yet good pressure for the length of the board. The black are knobs that tighten it to the miter slots.

[Pappy]

Don't think I have seen that idea before. Do the knkobs ride in slots to allow you to adjust the distance/pressure?

I remember some that Lee made with a strip of plexiglass to provide the pressure.

[leehljp]

Don't think I have seen that idea before. Do the knkobs ride in slots to allow you to adjust the distance/pressure?

I remember some that Lee made with a strip of plexiglass to provide the pressure.

The knobs just tighten it in the miter slot and hold the board there.

It is important that the outer board is about 1/2 to 5/8 in thick (front to back) so that it does not flex. The middle board should be about 3/8 in and it is the one that takes the flex. It does provide equal pressure over a longer area than featherboards do.

This afternoon (if I have time) or tomorrow I will hunt for the one that I had in Japan and take a picture of it. Seems like I got it from Shopsmith Notes years ago.

[pelligrini]

I'd call it a springboard, and I've seen some jigs like Hank's sketch too. In the other thread I thought he was describing a long thin flexible board that would contact the workpiece in one spot.

There's lots of different types of uses for springboards. Sometimes I've seen them called springpoles, like ones used with non electric lathes and saws. http://www.bloodandsawdust.com/sca/lathes4.html

I've also used springboards during assembly and glueup. My bench has some shelves about 3' above it. Some long thin strips, say 1/4" or so, will allow me to put some pressure in a middle of the piece by flexing the board and putting it between the workpiece and support above. I used to do that in my old 2nd story garage workroom too. It only had 7' ceilings, and I had very few clamps.

[leehljp]

I should have done a search . . .

Two other links from years past on this subject are here:

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread...t=spring+board

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread...ht=springboard