119 - Featherboards & Push Sticks

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This video is an accompaniment to an article I wrote for the June 2009 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine. The video focuses on featherboards and push sticks, and the article covers a broader selection of safety issues. Download the PDF of the article for free at our website: thewoodwhisperer.com/119-feath...

[@cncprofessor]

Thanks for sharing, Marc. I was trained machinist/toolmaker but traded my toolbox with the teacher’s hat many years ago. Until just few months ago, I have never worked with wood; but since then, I started to build some toys for my grandchildren. I never thought I was going to do that let alone to enjoy doing it. I find your sharing woodworking experience via videos most helpful for novice ‘woodworker’ like me, and your presentation quite easy to understand and to follow. Keep up the good work, and thanks again.

[@MegaStephySteph]

I just got a little hobby table saw, and this video has really helped me figure out how I can get myself working safely. Thanks a bunch!

[@bazanderson8283]

12 years on and this is still a good and relevant video 🙏

[@TravisKlein1]

minus him using his hand on the plastic applying perpendicular force towards the blade, DO NOT EVER DO THAT

[@chuckcostello5167]

Holy clamp wall, Batman! Cool little video. Thanks for the general overview.

[@batesdesignandbuildltd.6529]

hey you have a real good channel. i like your honest reviews and how you explain pros and cons and explain with alot of details. keep up the good work

[@ihavetwonipples]

mark you're the man as always. Push sticks are far too important but fingers are even more important!!!! I recently purchased a saw with a riving knife, wow what a difference. It's the little things in life that really make a difference. More videos please!!!

[@jessielacson]

Thank's I learn a lot from you. Good job

[@woodwhisperer]

@lucserre the issue there is that the bulk of the workpiece is "outside" the blade. And typically as you push the piece through, you tend to support the bulk. By supporting the outside area, you are risking a kickback. Furthermore, you have only a small amount of space between the blade and the fence, which makes it difficult to control.

[@rochat]

This is the second WoW shirt I've seen you wear so far. WoW usually kills productivity, but you seemed to find a way to combat that. Good job.

[@lawrencekay1096]

A really clear guide, thankyou!

[@JosephLundeen]

All I can see are the h. Dission & Sons hand saws on the wall in back, I love these videos but I couldn't ignore the composition, put them all the same angle or something, but thanks for the knowledge and thank you for these great videos I know you spend a lot of time on them and the brain grab is invaluable it means so much, thanks

[@mikekelm8076]

Great information, and great shirt.

[@woodwhisperer]

@joe65968 Yeah it is. But that's just usually what I end up purchasing when I run out just because its convenient, and if I need something with water resistance I have it. But there isn't a whole lot of difference between white and yellow glue. And for interior furniture, either one will give sufficient bond strength.

[@dennisdownes9319]

Great video......always refreshing to find a professional who isn't "mocking safety!" I LOVE the GGGGRRRRRRRRIIIIPPPPPEER!

[@woodwhisperer]

You can. I usually use my left hand to apply pressure into the fence while using a push stick in the right hand. As the end of the piece nears the blade, I stop pushing with my left hand and just push through with the right.

[@raabsand]

Very informative thanks!

[@woodwhisperer]

@hugitibugiti That is a modified PM2000. Just has a fancy paint job.

[@MrHeyDAWG]

what a dream shop that you have. If i would win a million, i would have a shop like you

[@woodwhisperer]

@CommonSensePete Thanks Pete. I do sell some DVDs. I wouldn't call them comprehensive studies exactly, but they are on various topics and projects. You can check them out at shop thewoodwhisperer com (dots removed because I can't post links in comments.)

[@corran22]

Very helpful. Thanks!

[@woodwhisperer]

@supraroyalty Yup.

[@kitohammond]

Great Content. Thanks

[@woodwhisperer]

It's basically just a powerful magnet. I'd look up magswitch and see if they have any info about how their product works online.

[@Yahoomediaclub]

Just purchased both featherboards and gripper, almost lost thumb last week, due to my own negligence whilst setting up extractor unit...to busy watching where the dust was goin🤪⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@robinelche]

great great video as always hello from mexico :)

[@hugitibugiti]

Your videos are great!Quick question.What is the table saw you are using?

[@joe65968]

@TheWoodWhisperer we were finding that that white glue was not holding up, after many domino joints failed, solid laminations spread apart too. we were also getting furniture back with failed joinery. it also is impossible to sand, it gums up quickly unlike Titebond II or III. It would be interesting to do a video on glues. 2

[@JayKayinNH]

Good video, thanks for posting! What's the music at the beginning?

[@hiprockdud]

Can you explain more about magswitch? How the magnet works, how it grips and not sliding away?

[@boughttheticket]

An alternative to using your hand pushing wood against the fence is to use an anti-kickback feeder wheel just after the blade to hold the wood against the fence so it does not "wander" into the rear of the blade after the cut is done. Grip-Tite makes one that can be clamped to a fence for $15.

[@ivankoran]

thanks for the video. I'm still super afraid of the tablesaw after my friend cut part of his thumb off while we were cutting some stock, but this sort of helps give me some ideas to be safer. still worried

[@WorkingTimbersCo]

Marc, what brand is the yellow push stick in the video?

[@woodwhisperer]

It's an old Craftsman stick that I don't see on the market anymore.

[@WorkingTimbersCo]

The Wood Whisperer Thanks!

[@silviodallapozza3394]

Good, Bravo.10+

[@0neonrose]

I like your favorite yellow push stick and can not seem to find one like it. Can you tell me what brand & where to find one. Thanks

[@jmvillacio]

Thanks for the info, I live in a far away small town down in Mexico and have two carpenters friends that have a missing finger or two because of cutting wood pushing with their hands, one of them sold me all his tools because he cant work no more with one hand, Im gonna build some push sticks from scrap, no way to get down here those fancy plastic sticks, thanks again .

[@robertbrunston5406]

Thanks

[@christopherdismuke723]

Are there any downsides to the GRR-Ripper besides cost?

[@vallejokid1968]

What about when you are ripping a long piece? If you don't have a feather board do you just use another stick to keep the sideways pressure?

[@joe65968]

Mark, first off your videos are great. just a video idea, white glue vs. yellow glue. the current shop i work at used white glue for years, however when i got hired i suggested to switch to yellow, since we work on high end pieces. Ive seen you use Titebond II is that your general everyday glue?

[@WTFarmGirl]

Why does no one show using a featherboard for downward pressure such as rabbit cuts? Not one person shows how to set it up!

[@glenncarpenter7148]

I purchased a Grr ipper It has a tendency to slide over the workpiece. What am I doing wrong

[@LucS0042]

Good video, thanks. Is there a safety concern with cutting a work piece on the 'outside' of the blade? I heard that its not as safe, but I can't figure out why that would be...

[@Doro469]

Luc Serre not unsafe. Just not very repeatable.

[@hosoiarchives4858]

What push stick is the one he likes?

[@kenwolff6355]

What would you recommend to cut 1/16", 1/8" up to 1/2" edge strips for like cabinet plywood on a table saw? I did it with cutting leaving the strips between the fence and blade using two push sticks (one pushing forward and one on the left side of the stock/blade pushing down and in past the blade. Is that flirting with a potential injury or ok to do? I am new to table sawing.

[@GNU_Linux_for_good]

07:30 Hmm.. and why not cutting thin strips like these from the outside *generally* ? Thanks.

[@Teddy-zz6kp]

What IF you have a cast aluminium table? I do

[@woodwhisperer]

You are pretty much stuck with a clamping type of featherboard like the ones that go in the miter slot.

[@windsunh2o]

Crap. My Dewalt portable table saw has an aluminum table too...thanks for bringing this up. I would have bought a magnetic featherboard without even thinking to check this.

[@Teddy-zz6kp]

Thanks.

[@ldwithrow08]

I know it makes people cringe to mar the pristine purity of the table, but I drilled and tapped a double row of 1/4-20 holes at right angles to the blade, close enough together that you can always reach one in each feather board slot. A couple of 1/4-20 knobbed screws will hold them down nicely

[@renerguez]

@@woodwhisperer Hi Marc, great video I just bought a dewalt Portable table saw (yep,cast aluminum table). Since I have never used a table saw before I feel some anxiety about it, so im trying to learn everything I can about table saw safety. I will not use dado blades and I think I will avoid the use of the table saw for joinery, only rip and some cross cuts. Considering the use of the bladeguard, riving knife, anti kickback pawls, the featherboard and the board buddies, oh and of course a push stick like the yellow one on the video all together, how safe would be the table saw? What do you think it is posible to use all these accesories together? I also dont know about the grriper. Everyone seems to love it but you need to remove the blade guard to use it in some cases (narrow boards).

[@MystiqueULH]

I play WoW too. Wondering what realm you are and glad you are Alliance cause the horde doesn't have humans LOL

[@derekresendes2984]

Don't like the gripper. I always like to have eyes on the blade and workpiece...... while wearing safety glasses on said eyes, of course

[@Rai2M]

Bet you also hate your fingers :)

[@JesseWright68]

I think any sort of pusher that allows one's hand to be directly above the blade while pushing downwards is a bad idea. That Grripper thing just looks dangerous.