Help with cutting small strips?

[Tullie Templet]

I was making a cutting board the other day with my grizzly 1023sl with a freud 50 tooth combo blade. This is my first project on this saw. When i cut the thinner strips the leading and trailing edges were tapered. The smallest strips were about 3/16" wide. It happened on the wider strips (1/2") but not as bad. What could cause this? the strips were about 16" long and the taper was about 2 to 3" front and back. The middle sections were fine. These were rip cuts. Thanks !!!

[Greg Portland]

More info please! Were you

- handfeeding?
- handfeeding with jig / hold downs?
- ripping?
- crosscutting?
- Feed rate?

Quickly handfeeding will cause inaccuracies. I would suggest using some form of hold down, sliding table, or crosscut sled (depending on the cut you're making). If you want super-accuracy then cut the pieces a bit large, tape them down to a board and run them through a drum sander.

[Dennis Lopeman]

Sounds like a job for my Boob Jig. (ok - I re-invented it from a more expensive Rockler one)

This Tread: http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=133656

This thread also discussing what you are trying to accomplish, I think.

My jig is almost at the end. This thread also shows the Rockler one...

[Tullie Templet]

Greg, I experimented with different feed rates but the results weren"t very different. The taper wasn't real consistant so it was hard to pin point the problem. I was handfeeding using the rip fence and a bench dog push stick making rip cuts. I don't have a drum sander so that is out the question. Is this a common problem? I was wondering if it could be a dull blade? Do I need a better blade for this?

Dennis, I forgot about your jig. Thanks for posting and I plan on building one but I don't think that would solve my tapering problen would it?

[Dennis Lopeman]

Well - It should... provided one side of your wood is really truly flat. Do you send it over your jointer first? (if you have one) It has to follow the fence first... so cut the first cut to true it up... then adjust your BoobJig to the width you want... you'll have to keep moving the fence after each cut.

also, could it be that your fence is not parallel to your blade? There's a couple threads that talk about getting that going. I also recently watched a video on woodwhisperer which was nice. Seeing is easier than reading, IMO.

also... if you don't end up fixing this, just make your pieces of wood a 1/2 foot longer (if feasible) and rip and then just cut the tapers off... save those for a birdhouse or something! LOL

[Tullie Templet]

Dennis, I did joint the wood first. As far as the fence being parallel to the blade, that would make sence if I were getting the taper on one end but would it do it on both ends? I could just cut them longer but I would like to find out the culprit and not waste so much wood. Thanks for your responses !!

[Dennis Lopeman]

Here's a question... unlikely, but is your fence bowed somehow? maybe the center is bowing in... ever so slightly -

otherwise, I don't know unless I could see it...

[zayd alle]

Dennis, I did joint the wood first. As far as the fence being parallel to the blade, that would make sence if I were getting the taper on one end but would it do it on both ends? I could just cut them longer but I would like to find out the culprit and not waste so much wood. Thanks for your responses !!

Tullie -- I'd check the flatness of your fence face. It sounds like it could be bowed outward in the middle.

[Tullie Templet]

I have checked it about 3-4 weeks ago and it was flat but I will certainly check it again. That would make sense. Thanks !!

[Dennis Lopeman]

If it is flat... well then you need to make sure the wood stays snug to the fence while you are pushing it through. I use these Board Buddies...

http://www.ptreeusa.com/tablesaw_products.htm#buddies

these don't work on small thinner pieces of wood... but if you cut your strips off wider stock they could help. I've seen them go on sale. Woodcraft has them too and they are pretty much $40 everywhere... I love mine!

Those help keep the wood snug in the in-feed side of the blade

Also, a riving knife would help, too. This might help keep wood snug on the outside feed of the blade/fence...

[Kevin Groenke]

Tullie,

What are you using for a push block?

In a case like this (unless your using featherboards or other devices) you will get the best control/results with a block that allows you to push the stock down, forward and against the rip fence simultaneously. I would cut a kerf into a long push block so that I could push both the thin strip and the off cut past the blade with a single tool: similar to the Grrrripper, but free.

-kg

[Tullie Templet]

Dennis, I thought about the work piece not staying tight against the fence also. I will have to check that also. I thought I was keeping it tight but you never know. Thanks !!!

[Tullie Templet]

Kevin, this is the push stick I use. http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=bench+dog+push+stick&cid=16610252054437558615&ei=ut3NS8-GHafolAe77Nn6Ag&sa=title&ved=0CAcQ8wIwADgA#p

Deffinantely not good for pushing the stock against the fence. I'll deffinantely try all these suggestions. Thanks !!!

[Bill Huber]

Kevin, this is the push stick I use. http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=bench+dog+push+stick&cid=16610252054437558615&ei=ut3NS8-GHafolAe77Nn6Ag&sa=title&ved=0CAcQ8wIwADgA#p

Deffinantely not good for pushing the stock against the fence. I'll deffinantely try all these suggestions. Thanks !!!

That push stick is one of the worst I have ever used IMHO. The ones I really like are these. They are good down to about 1 inch between the blade and the fence.
http://www.woodcraft.com/Catalog/ProductPage.aspx?prodid=5280&ss=1b96baee-6e1c-4853-a24f-198588544583

[Jim Rimmer]

I got one of these when they were on sale and it works great. Even off sale, it would be hard to make one for that price.
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18056&filter=thin%20strip
http://images.rockler.com/rockler/images/36833-02-80.jpg (http://www.rockler.com/gallery.cfm?Offerings_ID=18056&r=2&TabSelect=Details)

[Tullie Templet]

Bill, This is really the first one I ever used so I haven't really used others to compare but I will keep this in mind. I bought it on sell for $5.

Jim, thanks for the response. It was suggested earlier so I may look into one. It acts as a featherboard also right?

[Dennis Lopeman]

yup - pretty much... I "built" my boobjig/thinstrip jig for free from scrap... and a knob and hardware I have packratted...

My wife commented that my jig had cancer! :D

[Dennis Lopeman]

oh - I just thought of another idea... why don't you use a long board, cut on long strip, and then cut that into the correct lengths?? You will waste less wood that way.

[Bill Huber]

Bill, This is really the first one I ever used so I haven't really used others to compare but I will keep this in mind. I bought it on sell for $5.

Jim, thanks for the response. It was suggested earlier so I may look into one. It acts as a featherboard also right?

Here is a thread talking about cutting thin strips, about half way down the first page is the Rockler one and I talk about how it is used.

There is some good reading in the thread.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=111305&highlight=thin

[Tullie Templet]

Dennis, that would certainly work with longer wood. Unfortunantely this project the wood was just big enough. I made it work but just trying to get better.

Bill, thanks for the link.

Getting some good ideas. Thanks !!!

[Dell Littlefield]

Is your fence flexing? I had that trouble with an old Craftsman if I put too much pressure on the fingerboards

[Tullie Templet]

Dell if I had to say right off hand I would so no. I didn't even use a featherboard as wasn't over applying pressure to the fence. It is a T square fence so I think I would have to apply alot of pressure to flex it. But I will certainly check it out because you never know. Thanks for the idea. Looks like I'll be busy tomorrow trying all these ideas. Thanks Guys!!!

[Dave MacArthur]

http://www.onlinetoolreviews.com/reviews/grr-ripper.htm

Center of the review talks about using the grrripper to cut thin strips.

[Jim Rimmer]

Bill, This is really the first one I ever used so I haven't really used others to compare but I will keep this in mind. I bought it on sell for $5.

Jim, thanks for the response. It was suggested earlier so I may look into one. It acts as a featherboard also right?
I guess it could be used as a feather board but not really. FBs are cheap so I wouldn't try it.

[Tullie Templet]

jim, I wouldn"t use it as a featherboard. I simply meant while cutting the thin strips it helps hold th wood against the fence. Sorry if I wasn't clear.