A featherboard is a woodworking tool used to grip and hold a workpiece securely against a saw blade or router bit. It is essentially a movable fence that can be positioned anywhere along the length of a workpiece.
While a featherboard is not absolutely essential for every woodworking project, it can be a very useful tool to have in your shop. It can help to prevent kickback and ensure that your workpiece is held securely and accurately in place.
If you are working with long or irregularly shaped workpieces, a featherboard can be particularly helpful in keeping the workpiece steady and under control. It can also be useful when working with small or delicate pieces that might be difficult to hold securely without a featherboard.
In general, a featherboard is a useful tool to have on hand for a variety of woodworking tasks. If you do a lot of work with large or irregularly shaped workpieces, or if you frequently work with small or delicate pieces, a featherboard can be a valuable addition to your shop.