February Christmas?

Friday morning I built my router table fence.

Accessories like the stop block, guard and feather board, run across the t-track on the top.  The bottom two panels slide to accept larger size bits that would be partially behind the fence face. Or they close flush.

From the back you see the wingnuts for the lower panels and knobs for the upper panel. The top panel raises as well (or comes off), if I ever needed more clearance for bits, or was in a situation where not having the top panel worked easier.

The box in the back isn’t finished yet, that’ll have a 5″ dust collection hose running from it that will be hooked up when the fence is open.  The under table dust hose already collects most of it.  With the back hose hooked up it should be fairly dust free routing.

Router fence cost? The plywood was cut offs from the trash or other projects of mine, the hardware (wingnuts, etc) was $3. The track and knobs was $15, the clamps that attach it to the table saw fence were $15.  The laminated plywood for the fence was a free offcut from a cabinet shop.  The $33 router table fence!

On Saturday we did the Craigslist thing in the morning. I had set up a time to meet with someone who was getting rid of a bunch of woodworking tools.  I got this, new-in-box, Stanley #5 jack plane for a sweet $35.  New, they go for about double.

The main reason I was going was to pick up this though – a Jet jointer.

The bed is 6″ wide and 46″ long.  It’s got a one HP motor and a rabetting ledge. It has a three knife cutterhead, the dust chute works well, and it came with two replacement set of blades, the manual, and a cover. I got it cleaned up, waxed the bed, squared up the fence and aligned the tables.  I think it vibrates a bit more than it should, but it works really well.   I think even putting it on a rubber mat will help with vibration.

I got it from the original owner, who bought it in 2001.  New, on Amazon, they are $800, and a single set of replacement knives are $25.  I got it for $150.  Like I said – February Christmas.

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