Cutting Small Wood Pieces - GRR Ripper or ???

[Ken Frohnert]

How do you guys cut small wood parts - for lamps and the like?

I have a old Unisaw with the overarm guard - However, the way the guard is made you have to flip it back out the the way if you can pieces smaller than about 2" wide.
I don't like doing that but sometimes i have to cut something a bit narrower.

If I start trying to make lamps those pieces are often a lot narrower than 2".

I was thinking I could flip the blade guard back and try one of those MICRO-JIG GRR Rippers - they are suppose to be able to cut down to as small as 1/4" x 1/4".

Any suggestions or thoughts on the GRR Ripper - GR200?

[Grant Wilkinson]

I have one of the original Grrippers and it works well for safely cutting narrow strips. I assume the new one adds some functionality. Just be sure to set it to thickness of the material you are cutting so that it applies good pressure to the piece between the blade and your fence.

[Dave Kirby]

How do you guys cut small wood parts - for lamps and the like?

I have a old Unisaw with the overarm guard - However, the way the guard is made you have to flip it back out the the way if you can pieces smaller than about 2" wide.
I don't like doing that but sometimes i have to cut something a bit narrower.

If I start trying to make lamps those pieces are often a lot narrower than 2".

I was thinking I could flip the blade guard back and try one of those MICRO-JIG GRR Rippers - they are suppose to be able to cut down to as small as 1/4" x 1/4".

Any suggestions or thoughts on the GRR Ripper - GR200?

I believe the GRR-Ripper even sells a replacement leg that is for cutting down to 1/8" thick. They have tons of accessories available for all kinds of tasks. Seems like the best system to come out yet! I plan to purchase a GR200 very soon!

[Ken Frohnert]

DK - yes I see that 1/8 leg now. Wow that is really thin cutting.

Thanks for the advice Grant.

[glenn bradley]

I have a couple of Grr-Rippers and use them extensively. Like any aid you use a lot they become an integral part of your thinking when you approach a cut. I have the 1/8" leg on one and use it to cut strips at that thickness. For small blocky parts the Grr-rippers work with varying success depending on what the cut it. They excel at holding things down to the table and against the fence while passing the blade. Another common method for small blocky parts for me is to hold the stock in 'something else' and then guide that 'something else' through the cut.

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This is a sort of ridiculous example but, you get the idea. I also turn to the bandsaw for awkward cuts or almost any cut when the stock is not milled flat and true. The band is much more tolerant than the precise and restricted tablesaw feed path.

[Keith Hankins]

I have two of the gripprs love em. I've replaced the rubber parts from just wearing it out! Had em forever

[Phil Barrett]

It'a funny, I just bought 2 Grrripers today and used them for a project I'm doing. The control you get is pretty good. Having my hand well above the blade felt very safe. I did ripping, trimming and dadoing. I'm definitely glad I bought them.

[mreza Salav]

I have a Grripper too but I find the best method for cutting small pieces is to use my cross-cut sled which has T-tracks with clamps.
The Gripper is not as safe IMO.

[Earl Rumans]

For me it depends on what I am cutting. If I am ripping something I use my GRR-Ripper and I feel very safe. I can control both the main piece and the offcut with my Gripper. I also have the 1/8th inch leg and have used it occasionally. For cross cuts I use my sled and some clamps. Both methods keep my hands well away from the blade and also give me complete control.

[Rick Moyer]

I love the Gripper, but it is better suited for ripping unless the pieces you are cutting are large enough that it cannot rock. As others have said, for very small parts a sled and hold-downs would be better.
I would recommend you get one or two Grippers anyway as you'll find them very useful for certain operations.

[David Hawxhurst]

i use a bandsaw for cutting most my small pieces.

[Ken Frohnert]

Getting one Gripper to start - I will also think about a sled for too! Thanks

[Jim Becker]

Sometimes for very small parts, you need to create a "carrier jig" that you insert a small piece of stock into the jig and the whole assembly passes through the cut. Jigs and an assortment of narrow push blocks are very useful when you need to "go small"...

[Myk Rian]

Getting one Gripper to start - I will also think about a sled for too! Thanks
I have 2 of them. One of the most used items in the shop.

[Keith Hankins]

I have a Grripper too but I find the best method for cutting small pieces is to use my cross-cut sled which has T-tracks with clamps.
The Gripper is not as safe IMO.

On cross cuts but what about rips?

[jack forsberg]

it would appear to me the crown/blade guard is not the fault in your cut but the fence is the problem. Many of the american style fences fault the crown guard in narrow strip ripping. What is called for in narrow strip ripping is a low position fence. Its a shame that the Americans answer to narrow strip ripping is with the Grr ripper and by its very nature removes the blade guard instead of make a good high low sliding rip fence plate fence. They have adopted the riving knife so there may be hope yet. I do see that in OHS does recommend the sliding fixture to hold the piece so the fence does not upset the crown as some has said is a safe way to cut small work but this does not deal with long pieces. If the GRR ripper is suddenly removed ask yourself where is your hand?

[Rod Sheridan]

The safest method is to make a sled that holds the wood in clamps as it's being ripped...........Rod.

[mreza Salav]

You can rip with a cross-cut sled as well, if you can clamp the piece it doesn't matter if it is a rip or cross cut.
Here is mine, you can put two (or more) clamps on the same track.

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[Lori Kleinberg]

Love my 2 GRR Rippers.

[mreza Salav]

I am surprised how people Love the Grr riper. I think they are useful but not that great.
I have had pieces slip under them...

[Harvey M. Taylor]

Grrripper. Call me cheap, my hide is tough. I use a 10 in. 2x4 and glue a quarter by quarter push strip across the back end. Fashion a handle on top. When it gets chewed up, reverse the push strip . when that is used up get a new 2x4 and start over. Now I have 50 or a hundred bucks for tools wood, etc. Money I didn't have before. Max.

[Keith Outten]

Many years ago we coordinated a bulk buy of Micro-Jigs here with Henry Wang and I ordered two of them. I use mine on my table saw, band saw, joiner and router table. Its much more then a push stick and it definitely improves the safety factor when your hands have some years on them and they ache most days.

So I'm a big fan of Micro-Jigs.
.

[George Gyulatyan]

Not too long ago I was working with short (4.5") pieces of Wenge that I needed to trim and cut stopped rabbets on them. Built a jig with two pieces of Baltic birch to cradle the pieces with a toggle clamp to keep it in place. Used the same jig to trim the pieces at the table saw and to cut the rabbets on the router table. Worked great.

[Yonak Hawkins]

Here's another thread on the same subject :

Thin Strip Cutting Jig (http://lumberjocks.com/topics/64931)

[Yonak Hawkins]

I wonder how Grippers are used for long strips. Once the device has passed the cut, do you have to hold the stock somehow against the fence and readjust its position ? If the stock is quite long do you have to do that several times in a cut ? It seems pretty cumbersome.

[Earl Rumans]

I wonder how Grippers are used for long strips. Once the device has passed the cut, do you have to hold the stock somehow against the fence and readjust its position ? If the stock is quite long do you have to do that several times in a cut ? It seems pretty cumbersome.
You use 2 Grr Rippers in a hand over hand type motion. Takes a little getting use to but it works very well and keeps whatever you are cutting always under control.

[Thomas Canfield]

I also use and like my Grippers - have 4. It was as cheap to buy a second pair as to buy replacement pieces. A word of caution using the Gripper on small parts is to remember to stand out of the line of fire (as one should always do anyway) since it is easy to loose pressure on one side or the other. Using a backer piece to get more contact and better support for the Gripper also helps.

[Yonak Hawkins]

You use 2 Grr Rippers in a hand over hand type motion. Takes a little getting use to but it works very well and keeps whatever you are cutting always under control.

..So, to understand, sometimes you're pushing the stock through with your right hand and sometimes with your left hand ? Does this produce a smooth cut ?

[Phil Barrett]

..So, to understand, sometimes you're pushing the stock through with your right hand and sometimes with your left hand ? Does this produce a smooth cut ?

It's not bad but I still find the hand over hand thing a bit clumsy.

Also, I don't feel at all comfortable when cutting a piece that this the same width as the gripper. You can still straddle the blade but it feels easy to slip and run the gripper through the blade.

[Tom Walz]

Keith

Just talked to Bruce Wang (Henry's son) this morning about promoting their products.

Whitney will contact you about running a promotion with you.

Tom walz

[Ken Frohnert]

I bought a Gripper tonight - looks like it will do the trick for ripping.