Cutting very thin (1/16") strips

[dennis thompson]

I have been making some toys for my grandson that require I cut some very thin, 1/16" , strips. I have a Ridgid table saw and a small Craftsman band saw, but haven't been able to cut strips this thin. I do have a Ridgid planer but I haven't tried that yet, thinking 1/16" is too thin for the planer. Does any one have any suggestions on how I might do this?

Thanks

[David Masters]

Do a Goole search on "thin rip jig". I bought one from Peachtree and have cut strips as little as 1/32 of an inch. I found several that you can build as well.

[michael nicholson]

I built one from woodsmith issue 184. It should come up in pdf form in the search David suggested.

[Prashun Patel]

http://www.rockler.com/thin-rip-tablesaw-jig

I have a GRRRRRIPPER, which can be used for thin rips. But I find the above style jig safer. It requires resetting the fence, but it works well.

In fact, if you have a miter gauge with a moveable fence, you can just adjust it 1/16" within the blade and then use it in the same way to reset the ripping fence. Of course, just make sure to keep the bump gauge locked down in front of the blade, not next to it.

[Curt Harms]

Home Depot sells Freud Diablo 7 1/4" high tooth count blades (50-60 teeth on a 7 1/4" blade). I find that type blade pretty handy on a table saw for cutting thin stuff. Making the 1/16" strip the 'offcut' seems like a good idea, I'm not sure how you'd push a 1/16" strip between the fence and blade safely and repeatably.

[Bill Huber]

I have the one that Prashun pointed to at Rockler and love it, it works very well.

I have a thin kerf glue line rip blade that I use with it and it can make some really narrow strips.

The way you use it is to put it in the miter slot and move it up to the blade, and measure from the tooth to the bearing. tighten it down that the top part will not move and then pull the it back and then tighten it the rest of the way, that locks it in the miter slot. Move the fence over with the wood against it and touch the wood to the bearing, cut a strip and move it again.

I cut a strip of edge banding for a round stool seat from maple and it wrapped around it just fine, I was less then 1/32"

304924

[Ernie Miller]

I have the Rockler jig as well as this shopmade jig by Steve Maskery (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp4ZR5WsL9w), which is the one I use most of the time. I've cut paper thin strips with both jigs. However, IMHO if you need absolute consistency of the strips thicknesses, any jig that requires moving the fence between cuts will not do the job. The amount of force that you use when moving the fence into the jig will always vary, and this causes some inconsistency in the thickness of the strips. In most cases, this small difference in thickness won't matter, but when it does, I have to make several extra so that I can pick the strips that are identical in thickness (or really close to it). A lot depends on how smoothly your fence moves. Mine moves about as smoothly as a car on a pot filled road which doesn't make the task any easier.

[Prashun Patel]

I agree with this. However, in practice, I haven't found absolute consistency to be an issue for thin strips applications.

[Justin Ludwig]

A glue line rip blade. Measure the width of the stock from which you're ripping the material off and set your fence at the stock width -(blade kerf + 1/16). I don't know what the Rockler jig is doing, other than lightening your wallet $20.

Sand out the blade lines and WALLAH!

[Ole Anderson]

The key, as several have mentioned, it to let the strip fall off as the offcut, and not to try and set the blade 1/16" from the fence. I also have the Rockler jig.

[lowell holmes]

This technique requires safety glasses and substantial push stick. Allow no distractions while doing it.
Be ABSOLUTELY attentive to what you are doing.

1. Put a straight edge against the left side of the blade

2. Place the wood against the fence and move it to touch the straight edge in front of the blade.

3. Move the fence and wood left the amount of the width you want.

4. Rip the board using a substantial push block keeping your hands clear and stand over so if a kick back occurs, your safe.
I've never suffered a kickback doing this, but be safe. The strip will fall to the left side of the blade.

I put strip of blue tape over the saw slot and raise the blade through it. This keeps the strip from falling through the annulus around the blade.

I use this technique all of the time and have come close to injury. Remember , your safety is your responsibility.

[Dan Rude]

Check out Wood magazine top innovative tools. There is a new rip fence that can do what you want. Pricer than the other options but I think you can do more with it. Dan

[Yonak Hawkins]

dennis, I wonder if you could tell what's happening that you can't cut thin strips. I make sure I use a sharp rip or combination blade and a zero clearance insert. I've not had problems, even down to 1/32". Any thinner than that produces inferior results.

[Chris Padilla]

Not everyone has one, but I prefer to use my drum sander and sand thicker strips down to thinner ones. It is a slow, boring, mind-numbing and loud (DC going) process but I can really dial in the thickness dead nuts on if I want/need to. Otherwise, with my Incra fence, I can dial in pert near any thickness. I had the Rockler jig but gave it to my father when I realized, big duh moment, that I have such a fence and didn't need that jig.

[Edward Oleen]

A glue line rip blade. Measure the width of the stock from which you're ripping the material off and set your fence at the stock width -(blade kerf + 1/16). I don't know what the Rockler jig is doing, other than lightening your wallet $20.

Sand out the blade lines and WALLAH!

Voila! (french) not WALLAH....

Just being my picky picky self this morning...

[Justin Ludwig]

Voila! (french) not WALLAH....

Just being my picky picky self this morning...

HA! Put Hatfield, AR in Google maps and tell me how much French you can find. :D

I did learn how to say "I don't know" in French. It's "Jenny say Pa"

[Teri Lu]

I can't understand the typical American woodworker's aversion or ignorance to anything European, especially the short fence. The original "Unifence" was of this type when adjusted.

Using this type of fence enables cutting thin strips with no danger of the strip being wedged between the fence and the rear portion of the blade. The fence does not have to be continually reset when making more strips.

Using a short fence addition to my Emerson/Craftsman table saw's fence, I have never had a kickback.

[Chris Padilla]

Teri,

What is your location? Just curious. You can fill it in on your profile: click Settings in the far upper right and click Edit Profile. If you like.

There was a really long and interesting thread on the 'short fence' not too long ago but I couldn't find it. A fair number of us Americans aren't used to using/seeing such a fence.

However, a short fence by itself does not mitigate kickback. A riving knife is key to that.

[Prashun Patel]

Teri-
I'm the typical American woodworker. Guilty as charged on the ignorance front, but not aversion ;)

I just googled 'table saw short fence' as I have never known about it. It does look like a genius thought on the face of it. I can see how it would reduce the probability of kickback. But it wouldn't be effective when released tension causes the kerf to close, though, right?

[richard poitras]

Check out Wood magazine top innovative tools. There is a new rip fence that can do what you want. Pricer than the other options but I think you can do more with it. Dan

Dan I looked but could not find what you were refering to?? Can you fill me in?

[Bill Huber]

Dan I looked but could not find what you were refering to?? Can you fill me in?

Here is a link to the site, the video is at the bottom.

http://www.deulentools.com/

[Jim Matthews]

I use the Rockler jig as shown, with a Driftmaster fence on my bandsaw.

The resultant strips are then planed (by hand) altogether.
Something this thin must be glued to a backing board,
if you're using a power planer.

Not me in the video, but this is the method I use.
I find that it's more accurate if the width of the blade
(behind the gullets) is more than the height of the piece resawn.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7DzCIVYmZg

[Keith Hankins]

This vid is one of the best I've seen. I use grippers, but they only help down to 1/8". This vid is easy and you don't need a jig.

http://youtu.be/0YpuAZOIj88

[jack forsberg]

what at great jig from rockler. Wow its brilliant

[Bill Huber]

This vid is one of the best I've seen. I use grippers, but they only help down to 1/8". This vid is easy and you don't need a jig.

http://youtu.be/0YpuAZOIj88

That is just how the Rockler one works the only thing the Rockler one has a bearing on it which makes it really nice and smooth.
In the video you do need a jig, in his case it is a feather board like he has, I have feather boards but none like he has so I would have to buy one of those or use a board clamped onto the saw, a jig.

[dennis thompson]

Rockler is out of their jig until the middle of March. I think I'll make one that I saw demonstrated by Microjig on youtube , it looks pretty simple and I have the parts already.
Thanks for all the suggestions.

[lowell holmes]

http://www.rockler.com/magswitch-magnetic-jigs-magswitch-magjigs

You can use a magswitch as a stop for the left side of the blade.

Set the switch where you want it, move the wood to touch it, and let her rip.

I put blue tape over the blade slot and bring the blade up through it. After bring the blade up through the tape, you can cut really thin strips and they will not fall through the slot.

[Alan Lightstone]

I use the Infinity Thin Rip Guide. Looks pretty similar to the Rockler, but metal. Also has a bearing so quite smooth.

It has worked well for me for a couple of years.

http://www.infinitytools.com/Thin-Rip-Guide-For-Table-Saw-Bandsaw-Router-Table/productinfo/TRG-001/

[ian maybury]

Another option is an Incra TS LS positioner equipped rip fence. It allows the fence to be stepped at whatever regular interval towards the blade - with the strips peeling off to the LHS of the blade…. There's no requirement to rip narrow stock - start with a wide piece...

[Teri Lu]

Chris,

I'm in central Texas north of Austin. US citizen born in Houston.

True, a riving knife is the most effective defense against kickback. I was referring to kickback from having the "waste" piece jammed against the fence and the blade.

The "Unifence" is a long available version of a fence that can be easily adjusted to be a short fence. Apparently not too popular with most American woodworkers.

BTW, riving knives have long been required in europe and only recently required in the US. I'm not saying Europeans are smarter but more safety concious than most Americans.

I've been using the short fence since day two (a slight exaggeration) after reading about it somewhere. It just made sense to me.

-- Teri



Teri,

What is your location? Just curious. You can fill it in on your profile: click Settings in the far upper right and click Edit Profile. If you like.

There was a really long and interesting thread on the 'short fence' not too long ago but I couldn't find it. A fair number of us Americans aren't used to using/seeing such a fence.

However, a short fence by itself does not mitigate kickback. A riving knife is key to that.

[Teri Lu]

Prashun,

As I just replied to Chris, I'm puzzled why the short table saw rip fence is so little known to most
Americans. Like I said, I read of it shortly after getting my table saw in 1979 and it just made sense to me.

I might have seen it described in a book back then as the internet was still an academic toy. I suspect our European members are ROFLing at American now.

You're right in that it does essentially nothing if the wood closes on to the blade. As Chris pointed out, only a riving knife can save you then. It does save you if the fence is somehow toe-in toward the blade as my Emerson/Craftsman fence can be if not carefully squared up before it is tightened down.

BTW, I still use the much maligned original fence, I just tap the head against the rail with a mallet I keep handy before tightening.

-- Teri


Teri-
I'm the typical American woodworker. Guilty as charged on the ignorance front, but not aversion ;)

I just googled 'table saw short fence' as I have never known about it. It does look like a genius thought on the face of it. I can see how it would reduce the probability of kickback. But it wouldn't be effective when released tension causes the kerf to close, though, right?

[Bill Huber]

Rockler is out of their jig until the middle of March. I think I'll make one that I saw demonstrated by Microjig on youtube , it looks pretty simple and I have the parts already.
Thanks for all the suggestions.

Eagle America sells one that is just like the Rockler one only a different color. It is item 400-1040.

[Carroll Courtney]

Yep,I'm lazy.I would use a utility knife and a straight edge
http://www.certainlywood.com/woodmenulist.cfm?c=193

[Teri Lu]

I just happened to be (sort of) watching an episode of Woodsmith Shop, the "Dartboard Cabinet" and one of their shop tips segment near the end the show demonstrated a shop built jig to cut thin strips.

It consisted of a special push block with a deep (wide) rabbet on the "waste side". The rabbet is cut to the thickness of the workpiece.

The workpiece is pushed against the rabbet and held down by the overhang of the rabbet. A shoe on the end of the push block pushes the workpiece through the blade. The (non-European) long rip fence is adjusted so that the desired strip thickness is cut.

The advantage of this jig is that the workpiece is guided and held down while it is being through the blade. And for those with an aversion to anything European, you can use your long rip fence :)

The disadvantage is that the jig has to be thicker than the workpiece (as described in the show) and it was about as long as the workpiece. Variations on this jig could be made to accommodate differing workpiece thicknesses.

Or ... you could simply use a short rip fence. :)

[Rod Sheridan]

I have been making some toys for my grandson that require I cut some very thin, 1/16" , strips. I have a Ridgid table saw and a small Craftsman band saw, but haven't been able to cut strips this thin. I do have a Ridgid planer but I haven't tried that yet, thinking 1/16" is too thin for the planer. Does any one have any suggestions on how I might do this?

Thanks

I would make a European short fence that ends just past the front teeth on the saw blade.

Simply clamp an "L" shaped construct of MDF that's 3 inches on both legs. (or anything that's flat) to the existing saw fence so that the MDF ends just past the front teeth of the saw blade.

Now adjust the fence so it makes a 1/16" thick cut.

The offcuts will fall free of the blade, giving perfect strips each time..............Regards, Rod.

[Rod Sheridan]

what at great jig from rockler. Wow its brilliant

Or you could use the proper short rip fence, set to your desired strip width and cut all your strips without having to move anything.........Rod.

[Prashun Patel]

The only issue is that you need a thin push stick too.

[Rod Sheridan]

The only issue is that you need a thin push stick too.

Nope, the cutoff piece falls clear of the blade, no pushing in the blade area, no risk of kickback...........Regards, Rod.

[Pat Barry]

I just happened to be (sort of) watching an episode of Woodsmith Shop, the "Dartboard Cabinet" and one of their shop tips segment near the end the show demonstrated a shop built jig to cut thin strips.

It consisted of a special push block with a deep (wide) rabbet on the "waste side". The rabbet is cut to the thickness of the workpiece.

The workpiece is pushed against the rabbet and held down by the overhang of the rabbet. A shoe on the end of the push block pushes the workpiece through the blade. The (non-European) long rip fence is adjusted so that the desired strip thickness is cut.

The advantage of this jig is that the workpiece is guided and held down while it is being through the blade. And for those with an aversion to anything European, you can use your long rip fence :)

The disadvantage is that the jig has to be thicker than the workpiece (as described in the show) and it was about as long as the workpiece. Variations on this jig could be made to accommodate differing workpiece thicknesses.

Or ... you could simply use a short rip fence. :)
This sounds like a reallly good idea, especially for relatively short (< 2ft for example) cuts

[Rod Sheridan]

Teri-
I'm the typical American woodworker. Guilty as charged on the ignorance front, but not aversion ;)

I just googled 'table saw short fence' as I have never known about it. It does look like a genius thought on the face of it. I can see how it would reduce the probability of kickback. But it wouldn't be effective when released tension causes the kerf to close, though, right?

Hi Prashum, it would eliminate the issue where the wood curves towards the fence direction, obviously not if it's pinching the blade.

The riving knife is never removed from the Euro saw, the multi function fence is used short for solid wood, long for sheet goods, and high or low in either length for thin strips or bevel cuts.

I often use my fence in the halfway position for sheet goods as it provides more infeed guidance than a standard Bies type fence

I love have the 3 function fence on my saw........Regards, Rod.

[Larry Browning]

HA! Put Hatfield, AR in Google maps and tell me how much French you can find. :D

I did learn how to say "I don't know" in French. It's "Jenny say Pa"
Yeah, and I know that "mercy-bow-cup" means thank you in French!