Router table fences - offset capability

I’ve used my router and my table-saw to joint wood. I had a jointer but found it’s foot print in the shop to be a waste of space because I didn’t really use it as often as I had thought so I sold it and freed up the space and I don’t regret it one bit. I usually will cut pieces to rough length and then joint on the table-saw or router. Now that I have my router table built with the Incra wounder fence I find it very easy to use. If your building a project that requires long stock then a jointer would be helpful but not absolutely essential.

-- www.thepatriotwoodworker.com Proud Supporter of Homes For Our Troops

No…...!!!!

-- " Don't ever wrestle a pig in a mudhole....he'll be having more fun than you..!!

I used to use my router table as a jointer until I bought a jointer. Now I haven’t done so in over a decade.

-- PaulMayer, http://www.vernswoodgoods.com

Yes, I use this feature on my Incra system all the time, for two reasons:

1) Edge-jointing smaller/thinner stock I wouldn’t dare run over the jointer. A good plane would handle this but my handtool skills are lame.

2) My jointer has never been quite right and I don’t trust it.

Granted #2 is specific to my jointer and my inability to troubleshoot it, but #1 would still be a reason I’d use the offset even if I felt good about my jointer. It’s not a feature I got the Incra setup for, but it has been an easy-to-use feature on the Wonderfence I’m glad is there.

I should add that before I had the Incra setup, I was using shims behind the outfeed side of my shopmade split fence.

-- Optimists are usually disappointed. Pessimists are either right or pleasantly surprised. I tend to be a disappointed pessimist.

I think there is a place for both. Any surface more than 2” shouldn’t use the router in my mind.

Like live4ever, I work with some smaller/narrower/shorter/thinner parts that would be too dangerous on a jointer. My router jointer is shop made and just a melamine fence cover with thin veneer on the outfeed side. I line the router bit with the veneer side.

Steve.

I am getting geared up to start edge jointing on my router table. I think I will use it in 3 situations:

1. Small/thin stock just like live4ever.
2. Plywood and mdf – not good for steel knives.
3. Using this bit for raised panel glue-ups

-- Greg D. -- the price of freedom is tolerance

GregD-

That’s an interesting bit – but would you need an offset to use it?

Speaking for myself – - I really dislike working with small, thin pieces of wood and avoid it whenever I can. Hence, I have not had a need to use my router to do joining work.

-- Rich, Cedar Rapids, IA - I'm a woodworker. I don't create beauty, I reveal it.

If I were to do it, I would shim out the the second half of the router (Rockler) fence. Certainly wouldn’t pay more to get a fence with a built in capability.

-- Joe

I forgot my router even had that feature. I think the larger diameter cutter on the jointer makes a better cut. I do most of my finish jointing on the tablesaw (once stock is S4S).

-- Willie, Washington "If You Choose Not To Decide, You Still Have Made a Choice" - Rush

i think its pretty cool to be able to use your router for so many functions..when i first started wood working i of coarse didnt know the capability of my router and learning to be able to do so many funtions was really fun and so even though i have many tools for certain dedicated functions, its good to know that the router can be used if one of your tools goes out or breaks down…yep…there is a lot to learn in using the router, the more you learn about it the better…you never know when you might need it…

-- GRIZZMAN ...[''''']

I’ve used a router to joint on, it’s a simple mater of using a shim as Joe stated. If your going to use your router all the time to joint with it might be worth the investment of a fence that has a off set capability but a shop made one can be made also.

-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/

I’ve been doing it with a router because I don’t have room for a jointer Rich. I use ether a straight cut bit, ether 3/4” or a 2” depending on thickness of stock. Both 1/2” shaft. To set fence for my cut, I loosen the left (outfeed) side of the fence. Take a pair of small washers placed vertically against the right side (infeed) fence and place a steel straight edge across them and align the left fence to the straight edge. Next align straight edge to router bit.

-- Darrell, making more sawdust than I know what to do with

I have a home built table and fence. I use the back side of the fence as a joiner, I just ripped the in feed side 1/32 narrower than the out feed.

I use my jointer for larger boards. I use my Incra fence on the router table for jointing small pieces that would be unsafe on the jointer.

-- Chief Petty Officer USN(RET) 1991-2011

I would think the ofset fence is handy for preventing snipa at the end of a cut, particularly on small or narrow boards which are difficult to handle.

I personally wouldn’t use it to edge joint boards, not unless I was in the middle of a job and the jointer packed up.

-- No one plans to fail, they just, just fail to plan