Customer Reviews

Incra WONDERFENCE37 Wonder Fence Router Table Fence

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After using the Bench Dog fence for a while, I felt an urge for something with a bit more precision. Not that the Bench Dog was a bad fence, but I'm a sucker for accuracy, and the Incra Jig Ultra combined with the Wonder Fence offer solid, repeatable adjustments. After looking everything over at the store I decided to spend the admittedly steep price of admission.

I'm not sure where the other reviewer's complaint comes from. Out of the box, without the LS extender, the Wonder Fence uses edge clamps, much like the Bench Dog. And it is ever bit as rigid as that fence as well. In the solo configuration the fence offer the kind of micrometer adjustments that one is used to in metal machining hardware. The two sides of the split fence can be adjusted independently, (depth and gap) which turns the average router table into a jointing and shaping station as well. The hi-rise fence cap works perfectly for panel raising and vertical milling as well.

The real power of this fence becomes apparent when it is used with the Incra Jig Ultra with the LS-positioner. Now you can move the fence in 1/32" increments with 1000th of inch adjustments. This is a spooky level of accuracy in woodwork.

The biggest drawback is the learning curve. Once you want the Incra set up to do more than be a simple fence, you have to learn how to use it, and everywhere you turn there are things to turn. Incra may have a talent for high-end accuracy, but as manual writers they are only so-so. Expect to put in some learning and experiment time. Then expect to go crazy making exotic joints.

[Part VI of 'How to Build a Really Expensive Router Table']

I agree with Marc Ruby. I also have the Benchdog Pro Fence. It's a great fence but I wouldn't even attempt making double or double double joints with it. The Wonder Fence (combined with a positioner) on the other hand inspires confidence. And, while the installation manuals are not so great, if you get the (latest) Master Reference and templates they walk you through it step by step. If that's too tough get the DVD and they show you how to do it.

You wouldn't use a machete where a scalpel is needed and you certainly wouldn't use a scalpel to try to cut through a jungle. Use the right tool for the job and the results will speak for themselves.

On a final note their customer service is second to none. I had a couple minor issues that they responded to immediately and went above and beyond to help me solve. They did such a great job it compelled me to write this review.

If you are thinking about getting into more intricate woodwork then Incra is the only way to go. I've looked at all the solutions. Theirs is the only one that provides repeatable precision on two axes (three if you throw in their router lift). For me all of this has inspired confidence on so many levels that I feel like I can make just about anything I want.

I use my Incra WonderFence with the LS17 positioner. It has been a fantastic product. I have never had a problem with feed pressure. I used three feather boards and routed 1000 lineal feet of 16 foot MDF 1x6 to make my own baseboards. I have used it to make simple bullnose pieces for my door trim as well and recently started using the tongue and groove bits. Setup is quick and easy. It is always repeatable.

My positioner does allow the fence to move slightly in the plane of the table. This is a problem with the positioner not the WonderFence attachment. It does not allow the fence to move in or out, so the cuts are not affected. I would worry about this if I were using it as a rip fence for my tablesaw.

The dust collection port works fine even if you only use a moderately powerful shop vacuum. However, I recommend getting a real dust collection system. Shavings will collect in the right tube of the fence.

I just got my Wonder Fence today for my Bench Dog cast iron router table - the clamps for securing the Wonder Fence to the edges of the router table are too small! If they were just 1/16-1/8" larger, they would slip on and be useable. Otherwise, the fence seems pretty solid.

I have owned the Ultra Jig Fence for many years but never upgraded to the Wonder Fence until recently. The two fence halves really make the use of large bits a safer and more accurate effort. A sacrificial fence is easily added to the infeed side. It also can be used as a jointer if you are so inclined and don't have a proper one. The extention for tall panels is a real plus and the ease of use and installation was welcome.

And to add icing to the cake, Incra's service is second to none. Mark is the man!!!!

I would recommend their products to anyone that is serious about their woodworking.

I returned this fence... Using the words "Heavy Duty" in the description by Incra must be a joke.
It's not funny though. I had a friend of mine who is a cabinet maker by trade take a look at this fully set up and tuned and then pointed out some of the movement to him, and he agreed this thing is junk.
I would give it zero stars and a Mr. Yuck sticker if that were an option. I am a box maker, using fairly small stock. even so, I found this fence to be very inadequate in it's ability to stay in place ("flat, square, and on 1 plane) when feeding stock against the cutter. There are WAY too many flimsy parts that all tie together in a less than sturdy method for this fence to ever provide the basic stability that routing requires if you are looking for a good finished material. even mildly hard woods and a mediumsized router bit requires both table and fence pressure on hand feeding to maintain safety and a satisfactory cut. This thing has the rigidity of a green banana!

This is a serious issue, considering Incra touts the extreme accuracy and incremental measuring capability (not to mention "heavy duty") of this fence to the finest degree.(All of which becomes totally useless if the thing won't stay flat or square under feed pressure.) You can put a 64th incremental measuring tape on anything...doesn't mean it'll be accurate. Just means you have to look harder to read it. and curse more when you realize you been HAD!
If you need very accurate milling surfaces that small fine work requires as in fine jewelry boxes and similar items, don't waste your time and especially money on this fence.(it is about the most expensive one on the market) If you don't need extreme accuracy, use a carefully jointed 2 x 6! Seriously! (which , by the way, I have had better results with, than the Incra.) This thing has a lot of "bells and whistles" but they are mostly more trouble than they are worth. Honestly I now use a hunk of very straight wood with better results. Having an adjustable depth "jointer style" fence is an awesome idea for a router table... It's just that this fence does a really lousy job of performing that idea.

Ps: I purchased this and returned it the same week in 2002. Perhaps it has been improved since then. Looks the same to me though. Amazon actually stopped selling this item for a while, and I am reasonably sure it had quite a few more bad reviews at one point too. Not sure where they all went.