Kreg True-Flex Featherboard

[Charles Swift]

Just purchased a Kerg-Flex Featherboard for my Craftsman 10" table saw. It fits perfectly in the slot but it slides with the board being cut. How does one stop it from sliding freely. Apparently I missed something. Any suggestions?

[mike]

I have same featherboards with a craftsman jobsite saw and it works fine. I just tighten down knobs and it stays tight. I am not sure what the problem could be.

[KregRep]

The Wedge Lock blocks should snug down in the slot as you tighten the knobs to hold the featherboard in place firmly. If you aren't able to tighten the knobs sufficiently, first make sure that the wedge locks are expanding as you tighten the knobs. If they are, you could try roughing up the edges of the blocks a bit with sandpaper. This really shouldn't be necessary, though.

If there's a problem with the wedge-lock blocks or if you can't make the featherboard work with this saw for some reason, contact our Customer Service Department online at: http://www.kregtool.com/Customer-Service-Serve.html or by calling 1-800-447-8638.

KregRep

[Charles Swift]

KregRep said:

The Wedge Lock blocks should snug down in the slot as you tighten the knobs to hold the featherboard in place firmly. If you aren't able to tighten the knobs sufficiently, first make sure that the wedge locks are expanding as you tighten the knobs. If they are, you could try roughing up the edges of the blocks a bit with sandpaper. This really shouldn't be necessary, though.

If there's a problem with the wedge-lock blocks or if you can't make the featherboard work with this saw for some reason, contact our Customer Service Department online at: http://www.kregtool.com/Customer-Service-Serve.html or by calling 1-800-447-8638.

KregRep

[Charles Swift]

Thank you for the suggestion. I applied more pressure to the knobs and the featherboard locked in place. I was afraid of applying to much pressure. The featherboard did not include any instructions so I didn't know what to do. I would like to add that I am very satisfied with your line of tools. Keep up the good work.

[michael evans]

You could also place a piece of tape on one side of the blocks if a little loose.Have a good day.

[Gary roofner]

I have had the opposite problem getting them to release. Which was a known problem.

[Charles Swift]

Thanks to all of my Kreg friends. I have it now and I'm off and running.

[Ken Darga]

Charles,

The fasterner only needs to be snugged-up, (finger tight), to keep the tool from slippage.

Over-tighening isn't necessary-- it only makes it more difficult to loosen. 

Adding masking tape to one vertical face of the slide-bar, as suggested, is a good idea---it may be necessary then the miter slot as been waxed.

[Ken Darga]

PS---

If insufficient space does not allow the use of ''tape'', along the side of the bar,

clean the surface areas, (remove the wax, oils, sawdust, or the like), from the miter slot using a mineral spirits dampened cloth, allow to dry and re-insert the feather board bars/blocks into the miter slot.

Ken Darga said:

Charles,

The fasterner only needs to be snugged-up, (finger tight), to keep the tool from slippage.

Over-tighening isn't necessary-- it only makes it more difficult to loosen. 

Adding masking tape to one vertical face of the slide-bar, as suggested, is a good idea---it may be necessary then the miter slot as been waxed.

[Ken Darga]

Gary, 

Place a metal ''flat'' washer under the end of the knob---

so the knob rotates on the surface of the washer.

Fender washers are handy---clamping pressures are distributed to a larger surface area. 

In some applications, a nylon washer is beneficial over a metal washer.

(When tightening the knob, the friction between the knob and the plastic surface of the feather board increases, and requires additional rotating force to loosen).

Generally, I've found that ''finger-tight'' was adequate. 

I prefer knobs with wing or T-style feature, to a round knurled type, for such clamping applications.

Gary roofner said:

I have had the opposite problem getting them to release. Which was a known problem.

[Ed Francis]

I came across this post from 2013 in researching what sounded like the exact same problem. 

After reading the replies that explained that only "hand tightening" should be needed, I realized that the wedge locks wern't expanding at all.  I had assembled the featherboard with the wedge locks upside down!  It doesn't look wrong to the newbie, but the wedge locks don't expand and the whole assembly slides. 

Once I flipped the two wedge locks over, the featherboard works great.  Hand tightening the knobs does indeed secure the assembly in the miter slot.

Thought I'd share this for the next person.