Guide · Router table fences
Split vs single-face router fences: what the faces do
A split fence has separate infeed and outfeed faces; a single-face fence is one straight face. What INCRA and Woodpeckers say their faces and dials do.
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Short answer
A split fence has separate infeed and outfeed faces that you can set apart around the bit or offset from each other. A single-face fence is one straight face. Makers describe how their faces adjust; none in our sources measures how accurately the result holds.
The two layouts
A router table fence guides the work past the bit. It comes in two basic layouts:
- Single face: one continuous face. The bit opening is a gap or cutout in that face. You move the whole fence to change the cut.
- Split face: a separate infeed fence and outfeed fence. You can open or close the fence gap around the bit, and on some fences move one face forward of the other.
The offset matters when a cut removes the whole edge of the board. After the bit, the board is narrower, so a fence that is offset on the outfeed side keeps it supported. That is the classic use for a split fence. For partial-edge profiles, many readers keep both faces in line.
What the makers state
| Fence | Faces | Adjustment the maker states | Faces and base |
|---|---|---|---|
| INCRA Wonder Fence | Independently adjustable infeed and outfeed | 2/1000 in steps over a 1/8 in range (INCRA's figure); gap up to 4-1/2 in | All aluminum |
| Woodpeckers SF-PRO Universal | Infeed and outfeed, each with a dial | 1 mm-pitch screw feed, 0.001 in (0.025 mm) dial graduations | Phenolic base, MDF sacrificial faces |
| Kreg PRS1015 | Not in the verified facts | Not in the verified facts | 36 in overall |
INCRA Wonder Fence
INCRA describes the Wonder Fence as an all-aluminum router table fence with independently adjustable infeed and outfeed fences and an adjustable fence gap of up to 4-1/2 in.[1] INCRA states adjustment in 2/1000 in steps over a 1/8 in range.[1] That is INCRA's mechanism figure, not a measured accuracy.
Woodpeckers SF-PRO Universal
Woodpeckers says the SF-PRO Universal has 1 mm-pitch screw-feed adjustment with 0.001 in (0.025 mm) micrometer dial graduations on both the infeed and outfeed fences.[2] The base is solid phenolic and the sacrificial fences are MDF.[2] A dial graduation tells you how finely the dial is marked, not how precisely the fence holds a position under load.
Kreg PRS1015
Kreg lists the PRS1015 as 36 in overall and gives its mounting range.[3] The facts we verified do not describe how its faces adjust, so we make no claim either way. Check Kreg's page before you buy it for split-face work.
INCRA LS Positioner
INCRA's LS Positioner moves the whole fence rather than one face. INCRA sells it as the LS17, LS25 and LS32 (17, 25 and 32 in of travel) and says it positions the fence at any multiple of 1/32 in, or 1 mm on metric models.[4] INCRA also states a 0.002 in accuracy figure.[4] That is INCRA's own claim; we found no independent measurement of it.
Do you need micro-adjust?
A dial helps when you want to move a face by a small, repeatable amount: nudging a cut, or matching a second pass. It does not make the fence straighter or the table flatter. If you mostly set the fence once with a rule or setup bars and lock it, plain faces may be all you need.
When comparing dials, compare like with like. "0.001 in graduations" and "2/1000 in steps" are different kinds of figures from different makers.
Sacrificial faces and the fence gap
A sacrificial face is a replaceable face, often MDF, that the bit can cut into. You can close it tight around a bit for a near zero-clearance opening, and replace it when it is worn. Woodpeckers lists MDF sacrificial fences on the SF-PRO.[2]
The fence gap is the opening between infeed and outfeed faces. A larger bit needs a wider gap; INCRA states up to 4-1/2 in on the Wonder Fence.[1]
Stops fit named fences
JessEm says its Router Fence Stop fits the JessEm TA Fence, Mast-R-Fence III and Mast-R-Fence II, but not the original Mast-R-Fence.[5] Check any stop or add-on against the fence model its maker names.
Fences with stated faces and mounting
Picks that fit2 products
Woodpeckers SFPRO-U-25: infeed and outfeed dials and MDF faces, for tables with slots 16-3/4 to 33-1/4 in apart or JessEm and SawStop edge rails.
More on choosing
Kreg PRS1015 (36 in): for a 32 in wide table with the bit 16 in from the right and a 3/4 to 1-1/2 in top; confirm its face adjustment on Kreg's page. On Amazon, check that Ships from / Sold by is Amazon.com or the brand.
Choose the Woodpeckers SF-PRO Universal for an edge-rail or slotted table in its range
Woodpeckers SF-PRO Universal Router Table Fence (SFPRO‑U‑25)
Choose the Kreg PRS1015 for a Kreg PRS1025 top or a 32 in wide table
Next
Questions
What is a split fence for?
A split fence lets you move the infeed and outfeed faces separately: set them apart around the bit, or set the outfeed face slightly forward of the infeed. INCRA describes independently adjustable infeed and outfeed fences on the Wonder Fence, and Woodpeckers lists dial adjustment on both the infeed and outfeed fences of the SF-PRO.[1][2]
Do I need a fence with micro-adjust?
Only if you want to move a fence face in very small, repeatable steps. The figures makers quote (Woodpeckers' 0.001 in graduations, INCRA's 2/1000 in steps) are scale and mechanism figures from the makers, not measured accuracy.[2][1]
What is a sacrificial fence face?
A replaceable face, often MDF, that you can let the bit cut into and swap when it wears. Woodpeckers lists MDF sacrificial fences on the SF-PRO Universal.[2]
Is the Kreg PRS1015 a split fence?
The Kreg facts we verified cover its length, mounting and table fit, not its face configuration. Check Kreg's page for how its faces adjust.[3]