A Push Stick **PICS**

[Ken Salisbury]

In a weak moment today I decided that for more years than I care to remember I have always had to look around for a push stick when I needed one. I had always used some piece of scrap with a notch cut in it. Of course they looked like scrap and were hard to find or identify as a push stick when one was needed.

I decided to make one that was easily identified and found. I made this one to ride in my Vega fence. I used 2 plates which could be lowered to act as the pusher. A thin one (3/16") closest to the fence and another one (1/2"). Which allowed me to have a 3/16" pusher and when both plates are lowered I have a 11/16" pusher.

Made it from some old scrap walnut laying around. Notice I even embedded one of my signature logo medallions in the handle. :) (a little hard to see in the picture)

Click Thumbnails for larger pictures
<a href="http://www.kenswoodcentral.com/ab.jpg">
<img border="2" src="http://www.kenswoodcentral.com/ab_small.jpg" xthumbnail-orig-image="http://www.kenswoodcentral.com/ab.jpg" width="100" height="49"></a> This one of my old push sticks - What a shame!
<a href="http://www.kenswoodcentral.com/a6.jpg">
<img border="2" src="http://www.kenswoodcentral.com/a6_small.jpg" xthumbnail-orig-image="http://www.kenswoodcentral.com/a6.jpg" width="100" height="49"></a> This is what I ended up with
<a href="http://www.kenswoodcentral.com/a8.jpg">
<img border="2" src="http://www.kenswoodcentral.com/a8_small.jpg" xthumbnail-orig-image="http://www.kenswoodcentral.com/a8.jpg" width="100" height="49"></a> Close-up with both plates down
<a href="http://www.kenswoodcentral.com/a7.jpg">
<img border="2" src="http://www.kenswoodcentral.com/a7_small.jpg" xthumbnail-orig-image="http://www.kenswoodcentral.com/a7.jpg" width="100" height="49"></a> Close-up with the inner thin plate down

[Joe Tonich]

Looks good Ken.

Anyone figure out how to make one of these for a UNIFENCE?? I like this idea. My pushsticks are any scrap thats handy at the time. :(

Joe

[Mac McAtee]

Ken,
Thank you for the ideas. I am building one right now for (JOE) my Unifence. I have it about 75% complete and when it is finished I'll post some pictures here.
Mac

[Joe Tonich]

Originally posted by Mac McAtee
Ken,
Thank you for the ideas. I am building one right now for (JOE) my Unifence. I have it about 75% complete and when it is finished I'll post some pictures here.
Mac

Mac,
Can't wait to see what you came up with!!
Joe

[Dan Stuewe]

Looks like you also gave it a nice finish to!

Is there another piece that slids on the opposite side of the fence? (kinda like the tenoning jigs that ride on the fence.)

[Keith Outten]

Ken,

Looking at your new push stick gave me an idea. If the push block was made like a pawl and could rotate then lock in the vertical down position you could sit the push block on the fence and push thru it as the pawl would rotate toward the back of the saw. When the end of the board got to the pawl it would fall down and you could push the board through with the handle.

This way you wouldn't have to remove the push stick when ripping and place it on the fence for the last few inches. I hope this makes sense, it would sure be a great improvement for me not having to reach for a push stick...it would be there riding on the fence all the time.

[Ken Salisbury]

Originally posted by Keith Outten
Ken,

Looking at your new push stick gave me an idea. If the push block was made like a pawl and could rotate then lock in the vertical down position you could sit the push block on the fence and push thru it as the pawl would rotate toward the back of the saw. When the end of the board got to the pawl it would fall down and you could push the board through with the handle.

This way you wouldn't have to remove the push stick when ripping and place it on the fence for the last few inches. I hope this makes sense, it would sure be a great improvement for me not having to reach for a push stick...it would be there riding on the fence all the time.

You lost me -- make a sketch and I will try to make one.

[Ken Salisbury]

Originally posted by Dan Stuewe
Looks like you also gave it a nice finish to!

Is there another piece that slids on the opposite side of the fence? (kinda like the tenoning jigs that ride on the fence.)

Just some Minwax Tung Oil Finish.

No - nothing on the other side of the fence. The Vega fence has grooves in it that the block rides in.

[Mac McAtee]

Keith,
Exactly what I am working toward for my Unisaw fence push stick. A pawl action. I have gotten everything up to working out the best way to make and attach the pawl. Seeing Ken's photos gave me some ideas about how to work that out and before this weekend is over I'll have something to give a trial run on. Pictures at eleven.

[Mac McAtee]

Part of the issue I am dealing with is how to make the part of the pawl that will come in contact with the blade a sacrificial part. Everything else is permanent and the actual pusher can be changed quickly as it is cut and weakened by contact with the saw blade. That is all that has been holding me up from finishing it and Ken's photos gave me some good ideas. Thanks again Ken.

[Jason Roehl]

Ken,

I believe what Keith is talking about is engineering the push stick so that it can sit on the fence full time. As you rip a long board, the board would slide under the notched area, which would hinge up as the board goes through. Once the trailing end of the board passes the notch, the notch would drop into place and engage the end of the board so that you can then use the push stick. Clear as mud?

[Bruce Page]

Very nice Ken, I don’t think you’ll have any problem finding that push stick! I really like the idea of having 2 different thick nesses at the ready. (Is nesses a word?)

[Dennis Peacock]

I really REALLY loved that fence....wish I had one now......
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<img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000022621.01.LZZZZZZZ.gif">
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You can see here that the Vega doea have an optional accessory that does pretty much what everyone is after. The pastic push stick here is spring loaded and flips up out of the way and fall behind the board when the end of the board is reached. The metal bar and round metal end acts as a "spacer" so you won't have to have a "stop block" when using the miter gage to make cross cuts to help prevent binding and reduces the chance of a piece being thrown at your by pinching the wood between the fence and the saw blade.

I like my Xacta fence on my Jet saw....but the Vega Pro is SO-o-o much nicer, easier to adjust, has micro adjustment and the accessories even included a "hold down" so that you really didn't have to have finger boards while cutting and the pressure wheel on the same accessory was angled at about 3 degrees to help hold the stock against the fence while cutting.

I guess I'm gonna hafta get me that fence system once again and replace the one on my Jet cabinet saw....... :-)

Just wanted to share the experiences of a ww'er that used to have one several years ago.