GRR-Ripper questions

[Valentine Azbelle]

I am new to woodworking - just got my first table saw (Bosch 4100-09). The purpose (at least for now) is to rip 1.5" strips of 1.5" thick MDF. Most likely I will be doing this with 3' x 4' sheets (in other words making 1.5" MDF squares 4' long). I watched youtube demos of the GRR-Ripper and it looks like a great way to do that. The only issue is in those videos the stock that was used for the demostration was fairly short and narrow. If I want to rip narrow stock out of 4'x4' sheets is the GRR-Ripper a good way to do it? If yes, how exactly do I do that if my whole table is less than 3' wide and the distance from the edge of the table to the blade is like a foot or so? Do I build an additional infeed/outfeed tables? If yes, how do I push the woodpiece past the blade without leaning over the additional infeed table dangerously close to the blade? Anybody's got a video of using GRR-Ripper with 4'x4' sheets or something like that (preferably cutting narrow stock)?

Is there a difference between GRR-Ripper and Gripper push block?

[Paul Ryan]

I own a gripper and use it more often than any other push/saftey aid. In your case it isn't going to help that much. because you are ripping so little off such a large piece. If you have a portable saw it is going to be difficult cutting pieces out of large chunks of plywood. An outfeed table is highly recomended it will add capacity to your saw. I wouldn't do much for the infeed side do to what you are worried about haveing to lean over. A few inches on the infeed side maybe 6" at the most would be ok. But then you loose the accuracy of your miter guage slots if you cut new ones. If you can, can you cut off about 13" (you will get 8 strips off with a full kerf blade) off the large piece and then cut your strips out of that piece. It will be easier and safter handeling a smaller chuck then trying to cut off 1 1/2" off of 4 feet. And I would use and ordinary push "shoe" for the piece between the blade and the fence. I find the gripper cumbersome to use large pieces because it sits on the cut piece and cut off piece at the same time. The gripper really needs to be the only tool pushing the work piece, and in the case of cutting small pieces off a much larger piece such as plywood, IMHO it isn't the best tool for the job.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I only use the Grippers when ripping small thin pieces too. As Paul mentioned, ripping small pieces from a large piece is easy to do. You can even leave all your safety guards (if any) on. The Gripper is really nice when ripping small short stuff that you have to take the guard off. That's when your fingers get close to the blade.
It really makes quick easy work ripping segmenting pieces. Safely.

[Valentine Azbelle]

I own a gripper and use it more often than any other push/saftey aid. In your case it isn't going to help that much. because you are ripping so little off such a large piece.

Would it help (for use of the Gripper) if I cut the 3'x4' sheets into narrower pieces? I guess I could cut them in half and rip from 1.5'x4' or maybe even cut that in half too.

An outfeed table is highly recomended it will add capacity to your saw.

I will definitely build an outfeed table.

I would use and ordinary push "shoe" for the piece between the blade and the fence.

The problem is that the manual says to use a push block and an auxiliary fence for anything smaller than 2" because a push stick would interfere with the guard system on the blade. I really don't want to build an auxiliary fence and am looking for a pre-made solution. Another option would be Grip-Tites but my fence is aluminum. I managed to get the last of Grip-Tite steel fenceplates (discontinued) but looks like they need to be mounted on some sort of an auxiliary fence as well.

I find the gripper cumbersome to use large pieces because it sits on the cut piece and cut off piece at the same time. The gripper really needs to be the only tool pushing the work piece, and in the case of cutting small pieces off a much larger piece such as plywood, IMHO it isn't the best tool for the job.

Do you use the Gripper with the saw guard off? Do you use any additional featherboards?

[Valentine Azbelle]

I only use the Grippers when ripping small thin pieces too. As Paul mentioned, ripping small pieces from a large piece is easy to do. You can even leave all your safety guards (if any) on. The Gripper is really nice when ripping small short stuff that you have to take the guard off. That's when your fingers get close to the blade.
It really makes quick easy work ripping segmenting pieces. Safely.

I need to rip pieces 1.5" wide. I think that qualifies as small, no? I just don't see how I can start pushing a 4' long board with a gripper if my table has only like a foot from the edge to the blade. Can you start pushing with your hands, then once the piece is almost through, stop in the middle of the cut, grab the Gripper and continue?

[Van Huskey]

Valentine since I know exactly what you are doing I will try to cover most of the bases.

1. First you are coming home with 4x4 sheets of MDF since you have to haul them in a car correct?

2. I suggest you cut those pieces down first to a more manageable size. I suggest you cut pieces which are as long in one dimension as the longest "skyscraper in your skyline" (plus a little extra) then somewhere around 12-18 inches wide in the other dimension. Determine the second dimension by adding up a number of 1.5" cuts adding .125 for each cut (I think you have a standard kerf blade) then actually cut it a little oversized. I say oversized since I would then glue two of these smaller (slightly oversized) pieces together at this point, ones the glue is dry then you can trim these sheets on all four sides by just a tiny amount so the MDF is even.

3. Now it is time to cut the 1.5 inch rips. Just slice them off one by one your hands shouldn't get near the blade until the last couple of cuts. For the last cut or two just use one or two standard pushsticks that can be found in any configuration for much less than a Gripper. When woodworkers talk about thin rips it is usually much thinner then 1.5" and that is one place the gripper excels. Also just lay your push sticks on or beside the fence on the left and on the saw table on the right of the last couple of cuts then when you get the piece all the way on the table pick up the sticks and finish the cut. Using two stick is better one in your right hand pushing forward on the right side of the blade and one in your left hand pushing the wood against the fence (always keep this pressure BEHIND the blade, just like mentioned about feather boards).

Once you get the skyscrapers cut you can then cut them to length, not sure if you decided to use the miter gauge or get a cheap miter saw, I vote for the latter just be careful with the last short cut on either. If you use the miter gauge and the table saw you will probably need to extend the fence on the miter gauge with some wood.


You are going to have more waste than someone that has been doing it for ages both from mistakes and the fact your cut-sheet (plan for all the cuts) will likely not be the best it could be and even if it were your learning curve with accuracy will probably blow it up pretty quick if the lumberyards panel saw doesn't do it for you. That reminds me reference all you cuts from the factory edge NOT the cutline from the lumberyard, you may want to mark them there BEFORE you leave!


In the end MOST of your cuts will not require pushsticks only the last couple of rips but a couple of cheap orange plastic ones will be fine, these are not difficult rips that require a bunch of specialized eqipment to do safely, those cuts exist, these are not them. Plus for not much more than a Gripper you can get the cheap miter saw which will make your life much easier!


Also, dunno if I made it clear last time but feel free to call me again and I will be happy to go over all this with you.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

The Grrrippers are clever but you need two of them to leap frog long, think stock. Also, the overarm guard/dust collection must be removed.

Another option is to use a fence stop as shown below. This will allow you to keep all the other safety devices in place. I suppose you can make your own stop too. This one is from Rockler.



-Jeff

[Jeffrey Makiel]

By coincidence, narrow rips are being discussed at SMC here...
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...=1#post1353232

-Jeff

[Prashun Patel]

I second what Von said: break it down into narrow strips.

A couple other lessons learned:

- The bottom of your GRRRipper will get dusty and won't push well after a few cuts. Keep a rag soaked in DNA near by and keep wiping the rubber runners clean.

- Use a splitter. GRRipper can't be used with a blade guard, but you can make a mini splitter (if you need pix, I can send) if you don't have one that decouples frm the guard.

- If you don't have two GRIPPERS, then I like to push the rear end through with a push block as you're completing the cut. As you complete the cut, your hand will be right over the blade. An aux push stick will save you from having to exert too much downward pressure with the 'danger' hand.

[Rod Sheridan]

Valentine, taking the saw guard off is just a bad idea, period.

Regardless of whether the Gripper keeps your hands away from the blade while ripping, the fact remains that afterwards the blade is exposed.

Once the blade is exposed, it only takes an accidental contact with it while leaning over the saw, reaching for things, brushing a scrap away etc. to turn the day into a catastrophe.

If you can't run the machine with the guard provided, you need to do the operation on a different machine, or make a suitable guard and splitter/riving knife to allow the operation.

As others have indicated a 1.5" wide strip is probably large enough to be ripped with the stock guard and splitter in place, using a narrow push shoe made from 3/8" plywood.

Regards, Rod.

[glenn bradley]

I am also a big fan of Grr-Rippers and have two. In practice when ripping long stock, I guide by hand and use one Grr-Ripper for the last foot or so. I find the hand over hand method safer with lighter stuff but not heavy stock. YMMV. The spacing of the pads will easily work with your material on both sides of the blade. I would break the 48" x 48" pieces down to more manageable sizes before starting to rip the strips though.

[Joe Mioux]

keep your current safety guards in place,

I have grippers and use them, but if you are just cutting sheet goods, the factory supplied safety guard should be sufficient and probably will be less tiring and faster than using the Grippers.

the auxiliary fence is easy with these clamps. http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...xilary%20fence

(this assumes your blade guard, anti-kickback splitter/device, pals can handle 1.5 inches.)

[Dennis Lopeman]

Great guys!! Today must be the Thin Strip cutting day!

I was also challenged with this a couple nights ago. I still have lots of strips to cut, so this stuff will be good info.

SO... my other challenge is taking my thin strips to the router table and running them through that REAL fast moving bit!!! I need a slider type thing or something... What are your ideas on that.

(Feel free to direct me to other threads)

Thanks, in advance.

[Myk Rian]

Setup a couple finger boards to hold the strips, and feed them through.

I have 2 Grrrippers and use them on everything. Nice to have around when you want to keep your fingers.

[Prashun Patel]

If you haven't done too much cutting, then I suggest that instead of ripping all pieces, then routing all of them, route the thicker stock, then rip it to width, then route the next edge on the thick stock, then rip it off, etc. Route/rip/route/rip.

That's a pretty common way of milling yr own routed lumber. Keeps you from having to get yr fingers close to the router bit until the end, at which point, I'd use your gripper.