I get questions related to router table fences all the time. There are two major types of router table fences, and both have their advantages and disadvantages.

• Fixed Fences
• Split Fences

Fixed Fences

Fixed fences in their essence started out as a hunk of wood clamped to the table. If the wood was straight, you enjoyed good results, if it was not, you suffered. So you can easily find a nice straight piece of wood for a fence, clamp it to a board and use it for a fence. A good way to build a beginner router table is to bolt a router to a piece of MDF and then clamp your fence to it. You will instantly be able to tell if you like this setup and will figure out quickly if buying a table is in your future. The scrap piece of fence wood is only good for certain projects. Routing raised panel joinery and other precise projects are not the best uses of this basic approach.

Split Fences

Split fences are a fancier version of a fixed fence. They include dust collection and give you the ability to adjust the two extensions to fit the size of the bit you are using. Split fences also give you the opportunity to use your router table as a jointer. Personally I am not fond of this approach, but it does have some appeal to other woodworkers.

The split fence is comprised of a metal or wood core, two extensions and dust collection. The fence extensions are basically two individual pieces of laminated stock that slide back and forth along the fence core. These extensions have t-track or grooves that allow them to move back and forth along the fence core. The extensions are locked into place via knobs on the back of the aluminum core. It is important to know that good quality fence extensions are usually 1” thick or more since they have to house the t-track in a dado or groove. If you tried to use ¾” stock, you would have a very weak extension that would not hold up very well in the workshop. Standard t-track is ½” thick , if you were to groove or dado out ¾” stock, that would only leave you ¼” stock left over.

T-track on the fence face

Have T-track on the fence face is a handy accessory. You can use it for many things. A very good use is to hold accessories such as our safety bit cover. This cover allows you to have some protection from the router bit. You can also use the t-track to hold a stop block or feather board. T-track can be seen here, for additional pictures.

T-track on the router table.

T-track on the router table is installed in order for the fence to ride along the track and be fastened down in a certain spot. This is a very handy item to have on your table and will allow you to make your routing more precise. You can utilize the t-track on both fixed and split fences.

Precision Fences

There is another player in the field that is for more advanced woodworking and those are the precision woodworking fences such as the Incra Jig  This fence systems attach to your table and allow you to make precise movements and calibrations for different types of projects.  They are especially handy for detailed joinery such as box joints or dovetails.  You can see more about Incra Fence Jigs here.

If you were to sum it up, the split fence main advantage is to be able to move the extensions in and out to give you a “zero tolerance” type of fit around the router bit.S

Both fences have their advantages. Preference goes towards what type projects your going to be building. If you are doing simple projects or are new to routing, you can easily make do with a fixed fence. If you have some advanced routing techniques in your background, you might want to consider a split fence. Buying a split fence for simple applications might be considered if you think you will need to move up in the near future.

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