Why Are Bow Eva Featherboards Better Than The Rest
Let’s start with the definition of a featherboard. We searched the internet for definitions of Featherboards and here is the common explanation:
A featherboard is… a device that helps stabilize wood more consistently and safer than your hands while feeding into a vibrating power saw… Featherboards help by holding material flat on the table and against a fence as fed into the cutter… the featherboard is a power tool add-on that helps you avoid inaccurate cuts.
The evolution of power tools has put forward the need for safety when using such machines. Featherboards are also designed to offer you protection against kickbacks.
At Bow Products, we support this explanation and commend our peers/competitors for promoting Performance and Safety products and practices.
As a woodworker, Keith Bow is no stranger to kickback and grew frustrated with the limitations of current design. We observed that current designs are consistent among brands and that the only differences consumers have to choose from is color, brand, and price. At Bow, we saw an important product category that was begging for meaningful evolution and innovation. Through testing and research, we confirmed shortcomings of the traditional designs in terms of feed control and effectiveness in mitigating kickback. And plastic feathers pose another significant and unnecessary risk that can be downright dangerous. Plastic and Blades do not mix well together! Using plastic around cutters can be unsafe. In making the use of Power Saws safer, we admire Sawstop for their game changing safety innovation. We share their concern and have seen the research on how people are hurt using woodworking power tools every day. We wanted to do our part. Bow Featherboards make woodworking safer than ever before. And even if you use a Sawstop, Bow Featherboards add further protection from Kickback and other dangers not related to flesh contacting blades.
The Bow Difference…
The principal difference with Bow Featherboards is the use of EVA for the feathers combined with our living hinge feather design. Below, we articulate the key advantages of EVA over plastic in all the aspects of processing wood through a Power Tool. When you study the Bow advantages and watch our video demonstrations supporting the facts, we are confident you will never want to use featherboards with plastic feathers again.
BOW FEATHERBOARDS Protect Your Wood, Your Tools and YOU.
When you understand the benefits of Bow EVA featherboards, you will never want to use plastic or wood featherboards again.
EVA: What is it?
Ethelene Vinyl Acetate Why is it Special? |
EVA is an industrial grade super strong material that is pliable yet has memory. It is widely used in applications from Material Handling, packaging to support in the soles of your shoes. It is incredibly durable, firm and has memory. A closed cell technology that will not shed or bleed color. Less rigid than hard plastic, EVA absorbs vibration will give before it mars wood. We added to its effectiveness by selecting a special grade of EVA. We cut it precise using a waterjet cutter and added our patented Living Hinge design to mitigate kickback. In testing, we ran thousands of board feet through the feathers without loss of material. Bow has sold EVA feathers since 2016 without a single complaint on the feathers. |
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EVA vs. Plastic:
+ Feed + Protecting Wood + Cleaner Cut |
EVA Has important benefits: Will not mar even softest woods using high feather tension and the feed is firm yet smooth. Absorbs vibration and chatter for a cleaner cut. Eva will not bleed color or flake onto the wood. Conforms slightly to the wood for feed control. |
Plastic is a rigid material: It can mar soft woods affecting finishes and porosity of glue adhesion. Does not absorb vibration. Less surface contact than EVA and does not conform to the material lending to more wiggle during feed. |
EVA vs. Plastic:
+ EVA Protects your tools
+ EVA Protects you |
EVA If EVA feathers accidentally contact a blade or router bit, it simply cuts through without a violent reaction. It will not harm the cutter. Simply replace the EVA feathers and the featherboard is as good as new. EVA will NOT set off a Sawstop. |
Plastic When Plastic feathers contact a cutter, bad things happen: The featherboard shatters and the feathers fly in the air = dangerous. If a cutter has a carbide tip, it can be ruined. The featherboard is lost. |
Kickback Safety |
EVA absorbs kickback energy. As kickback occurs, the EVA feather moves back and pinches the wood against the fence absorbing kickback forces until our living hinge stops it while the feather is at its furthest extension. EVA feathers virtually arrest kickback or significantly mitigate it. |
Plastic does not prevent or even limit kickback. Wood guides as easy back as forward under tension. Hard Plastic feathers do not grip wood as it moves backwards. See our video comparison on backward vs forward resistance of plastic feathers vs EVA feathers. |
Bow EVA Design Features |
EVA feathers by design are replaceable, reversible, and come in two forms: Standard and UltraFLEX. Feathers are interchangeable as well. |
Not applicable. |
WATCH OUR VIDEOS BELOW TO SEE THE SAFETY ADVANTAGES OF EVA IN ACTION.
Also Check Out our PushPRO Push Sticks that Feature EVA tips and offer many of the same benefits. If you think plastic feathers are dangerous, watch what happens when a plastic Push Stick accidentally contacts a cutter.
Check out all the Benefits of Bow Featherboards
EVA versus Plastic if you accidentally contact the Blade. EVA Protects you and your tools.
EVA versus Plastic: EVA Protects your Wood.
EVA Material, The Living Hinge Design and how the EVA Feathers Protects you against Kickback.