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What is this gizmo on my planer for?

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awemawson:
I've been using my Dominion Supreme Eliot combination woodworking machine quite a bit recently (making a vast linen store / airing cupboard for support of our letting holiday cottages) and using the planer I realised I don't have a clear understanding what a bit of the planer fence is intended for.

It slides in a vertical slot in the planer fence and is locked by a wing nut. I'd assumed it was to give more stability to the fence - maybe to stop vibration - but I've a feeling that there must be more to it than that.

Virtually every 'professional' (ie heavy cast iron) planer that I see pictures of on the web has a very similar arrangement.

... so what am I missing ? What's it for ?

Pete W.:
Hi there, Andrew,

I think it has two functions, first to (help) hold the work-piece flat to the table and, second, to do that in a way that facilitates forward movement but opposes kick-back.

The modern equivalent, I think, is a plastic gizmo with parallel flat leaves, all slanting in the appropriate direction.  The term 'feather-board' comes to mind.  They are also recommended for use on router tables.

A browse on the Axminster site might show you some pix of the thing I've tried to describe.

I'd try to find you a pic and add it to this post but I'm eager to go and machine a back-plate for my recently acquired (pre-enjoyed) 4" Grip-Tru lathe chuck.  Please excuse me. 

awemawson:
No Pete I don't think so - I'm familiar with anti kick back devices. This gizmo stays in the plane of the fence and the timber slides past it - the only thing it's touching is the 'outfeed' table, which is height adjustable, so I assume (dangerous) this is why the gizmo slides vertically.

Pete W.:
Hi there, again, Andrew,

Chuck back-plate job got delayed by real-world factors!!   :bang:   :bang:   :bang:  So here I am again.

My mistake about finger/feather boards and anti kick-back - I wasn't looking closely enough at your photos. 

mexican jon:

--- Quote from: awemawson on August 27, 2016, 05:49:33 AM ---No Pete I don't think so - I'm familiar with anti kick back devices. This gizmo stays in the plane of the fence and the timber slides past it - the only thing it's touching is the 'outfeed' table, which is height adjustable, so I assume (dangerous) this is why the gizmo slides vertically.

--- End quote ---

Do you not mean the infeed table  :scratch: and as far as i'm aware it is just a support fence that you adjust depending on how much you lower the infeed table  :thumbup: It also stops you putting a line down the side of the piece of timber you are planing  :scratch: without it the side of the timber running against the guard could end up marked.

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