Router Fence

[peter]

I had gone through some past issues in my magazine collection and was looking at the "Micro-Adjustable Router Fence" by Pat Warner in the Fine Woodworking Magazine (Oct 2000 issue)and was thinking about making this router fence. Has any one out there looked at or made this router fence. Any feedback would be useful.

Thanks again,

Peter.

[soundman]

I have looked at the article you mention in detail. I too have been meening to build a new fence, but for my spindle moulder.
I occurs to me that the design in FWW is a little more intricate than it needs to be.
I think it depends on what type of milling you plan to do, as to the needs of the fence.
Some sort of screw advence on the fence would bee good.
The guage on the design looks good in principal but I think would prefer to use my digital vernier and a straight edge between the fence & the tool edge.
There is no dout that the fence in question is a beautifull piece of work and a wonder but I don't think it would be ideal for me.
Simple always seems to be best.
Hmmmm http://www.ubeaut.biz/idea.gif

[Vonrek]

I agree with Soundman. I've seen Mr Warner's fence on his website and although it looks like a real beauty I think it is a bit of overkill. To make it would take a great deal of precision and I feel that you have to question whether its worth it. Although the precision that the fence would afford you would be great, I feel that this kind of precision is not always necessary in wood. Wood as a material is alive and needs to be treated this way. Plastic or metal is different and tolerances of thou's are necessary and acheivable, but I feel we need to ask whether wood should (or can) be treated as just another material and with such minute tolerances. I feel that a lot of woodworking has become too engineered with a corresponding lack of "aliveness". Not that work should be sloppy, but the slight uneveness of a handplaned surface or radiused edge is much more pleasurable to feel and behold than a precisely milled profile.

I have gooten (way) off the topic but I feel that the tools that we surrond ourselves with, reflect in our work and a micro tolerance fence will take a lot to build, finetune and probably set up while also (I feel) tend to separate the worker (human) from the wood and the outcome.

Don't know if I've helped the least bit but I have had me say!!

Cheers, Tim

PS: Check the router table post in this forum for a discussion on sources for table (and fence) plans to consider.

[peter]

Thanks for your replies. I think deep down I agreed with you but needed someone else to tell me. I will look at aomething a little more practical and less flashy.

Thanks for your advice.

Peter.