Opinions on drilling holes in to fence?

Looks like a neat idea, I guess it would depend on the type of fence. I am not sure how well the tracks could be anchored, if they were fastened with sheet metal screws instead of bolts and nuts.

I just wish the T tracks weren’t so darned expensive

In the picture there are no holes drilled in the fence. The “T” track is mounted to a board that is held in place by the top “T” tracks. I guess on some fences you would have to drill holes, but if you do it in the top of the fence it wouldn’t be too bad. IMHO.

-- If we learn from our mistakes, I'm getting a fantastic education.

I’m not sure I’m seeing the same thing you are MrWoody, but it is possible I guess. I was going by the description where it says “two T-tracks screwed to the fence”.

I hear you Lew…. talking about how expensive those T-tracks are. I kind agree with you when you say you’re not sure how well they’d stay with just screws.

-JJ

-- Make things with wood.

I like the idea but I find myself using the fence as a holder for junk like 6” ruler, pencil, push sticks, the remote control for the vacuum system and other odds and ends. I am guessing it is not the best place to put things but it works for me.

But I do like the idea of the t-track

-- "so much to learn and so little time"..

I do the same thing snowdog, but if this was just for a feather board, it wouldn’t take up that much space on top of the fence.
-JJ

-- Make things with wood.

Look closely at the pic. 3/4” ply with 2 knobs on top, they are in the track. The 2 pieces of track are screwed to the top of the fence. Another track is screwed to the edge of the ply. That is where your feather board is attached. I personally would not have a problem with drilling holes in the top. Fortunately my fence has “T” tracks already molded in the face, back, and 2 in the top.

As a word of caution; I would stop storing things on top of the fence. Even IF you left your blade guard on ALL the time, which I honestly doubt. That; for me is a very scary thought.

-- If we learn from our mistakes, I'm getting a fantastic education.

This would look like a good possibility, you would have to drill mounting holes and use flat heads to mount it tho. another possible candidate Instead of sheet metal screws, drill and tap the top of the fence

-- Fred, Springfield, Ma

So….. is the track screwed to the fence or not? You kinda said both MrWoody.
-JJ

-- Make things with wood.

The track is screwed to the fence, and I wouldn’t have a problem with it. You could try attaching the ply to the top with a bunch of rare earth magnets too.

-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso

Thanks Damian. That’s what I thought. Especially since it was stated in the description. My fence is not very tall and that makes it hard to clamp a feather board to it. This would solve that problem. Think I’ll try it and see.
-JJ

-- Make things with wood.

Caution… Devil’s advocate alert!

I don’t have tracks on my fence, as that’s where my extra fingers go. I always know where my fingers are as they slide along the top of the fence. <g> On the table saw, I only use feather boards to hold stock against the fence, not the table.

In the example photo, I wouldn’t use a feather board at all. My thumb and forefinger would be running along the fence / edge of stock junction, with the rest of the hand on the top of the fence. The blade height would be set so the gullets are at stock thickness. In my experience, using the pictured setup with a push stick is less safe than the way I do it.

If I don’t have comfortable clearance room for my fingers, I lower the blade as low as possible (so the teeth JUST clear the stock) and use jointer style push blocks on top of the stock. I consider the pad on push blocks sacrificial, and don’t mind a shallow groove on them.

I like tee tracks and vertical feather boards on router table fences, and push sticks for band saw resawing, but neither on the table saw.

-- - Real men read directions

Good point Barry. There have been times I’ve used a feather board on the fence. But not many. I guess just because it’s too much trouble. When I started this thread, I said it looked like it could be useful but questioned drilling in the fence. Actually, I’ve been using a Grr-Ripper every chance I get. It’s taken me a while to get used to running my hand directly over the blade, but it has also made me check things out a lot better before I saw a piece. The Grr-Ripper is similar to what you’re doing except the blade doesn’t contact anything and you still have pressure on the piece you’re cutting and the cut off piece.
-JJ

-- Make things with wood.

BTW…

To the original point… I have no problems drilling holes in my fence, or for that matter, even the saw top, if necessary. Sometimes it’s necessary to install a jig, power feed, etc… and the TS is a TOOL, not a piece of furniture or collectible to be preserved, so I modify it for good reason.

-- - Real men read directions

Whats all the worry with holding them with screws you could pop rivett them or hot melt glue them or use other glue or small bolts ,self tapping screws etc etc .Looks like an old idea this is not new I have seen it before .Alistair

-- excuse my typing as I have a form of parkinsons disease