Making a 1" cut on a SS?

[Wade Lippman]

I didn't use any kind of guard for many years and never had a problem; but when I got a SS I figured it was worth it for the dust collection.

I had to made a number of 1" pieces today. There wasn't enough room between the fence and the guard to fit any kind of push block, let along my hand; so I took the guard off and put the knife on.
Well, a small chunk of wood hit me in the forehead! Didn't leave a mark or anything, but it made me think.

I could use a piece of wood to shove it through, like I usually do on a bandsaw, but I don't think it would give enough control to ensure a perfectly straight cut.
Any suggestions?

[Cody Jensen]

Were you using a push stick/block? You can't just push it from behind on a table saw since the blade wants to pick up the leading edge of the board. You need a push stick that allows you to push down and forward (and even towards the fence if you don't have room for your other hand or a featherboard).

[Hoang N Nguyen]

When making small cuts like that, I have a small bench dog push stick about 1/8"-1/4" thick that I use with good success. If it doesn't fit between the fence and the blade guard, I just use the push stick to push the wood enough pass the blade to make the cut and then reach over to pull it out.

[Van Huskey]

For narrow stock like that I use a Microjig GRR-Ripper. As pushblock go it is rather expensive but works in lots of odd situations without much thought or time wasted.

[Pat Barry]

When making small cuts like that, I have a small bench dog push stick about 1/8"-1/4" thick that I use with good success. If it doesn't fit between the fence and the blade guard, I just use the push stick to push the wood enough pass the blade to make the cut and then reach over to pull it out.
This is about the scariest and most dangerous thing to do on a tablesaw. Don't get me wrong - I have done it. I always wish that I would find a better way though. One thing I've done though is to cut through the bottom of the push stick with the blade - rather do that than have an accident.

[Keith Hankins]

I use the microjig gripprr. I have two of them and use them religiously ( i to have the SS). Two come in handy when cutting a long piece as you can walk it through hand over hand and it keeps your hands away from the blade and keeps pressure on both sides of the blade.

https://youtu.be/OSTE6PWQvcQ

[Chris Padilla]

1" isn't all that narrow so maybe I don't quite get exactly what you are cutting. Are you ripping some stock 1" wide and then crosscutting it 1" to get 1x1 x (whatever board thickness) pieces?

I recently needed to rip several 1/8" wide pieces of maple for edge-banding 3/4" maple plywood. I simply grabbed a piece of scrap plywood about 4" x 10" and ripped a small strip out of it to give me a "hook" to grab the back of the maple board as I got near the end of the rip to push things through nice and clean. I let the blade cut into the push black (blade set a normal amount above the maple stock) so essentially giving me a "zero-clearance" push block.

Grippers also work great...I have a pair of those but my quickie scrap pushblock worked better in this case.

[Marty Schlosser]

I'm not sure where Cody's going with his suggestion, but I do exactly that all the time and have never encountered any kickback or such problems. However, perhaps it's because I use a slightly different technique. What I do is advance my left hand to the front of the guard where it holds down and controls the board being cut while I push the trailing end of the board through the blade using a sacrificial stick. No need to hold anything down as far as I'm concerned.

My guard is mounted to a riving knife, so if for any reason the board beign cut somehow jumps backward, my left hand (which would be just in front of the blade at that point) would be kept from engaging the blade by both the riving knife and the blade guard.


Were you using a push stick/block? You can't just push it from behind on a table saw since the blade wants to pick up the leading edge of the board. You need a push stick that allows you to push down and forward (and even towards the fence if you don't have room for your other hand or a featherboard).

[glenn bradley]

I push stuff under 1/4" between fence and blade on my SS Ithis is my previous saw) A sacraficial push block could do things safely as well

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The Grr-Ripper takes a lot of things I wouldn't do without it and makes them fairly routine.

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A shop made version can do just as well. The Micro-Jig product just does more things than my typical shop made pusher.

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This one is 5/8" thick specifically to allow me to make 3/4" cuts.

[Cody Jensen]

I guess I am used to running without a guard, so I use my hands/push blocks to hold down the material. My response was to his idea of using a block of wood to push it straight through, which I did not understand meant under the blade guard.

[Jim Becker]

I often rip even narrower stock and use a push block for the purpose. But I also have a fence that can be "short" in height which immensely enhances access to the workpiece for these narrow rips because the fence isn't in the way. (I do not use an over-the-blade hood nor is my saw a SS, just to be clear. But I use my riving knife 100% of the time)

[Peter Aeschliman]

Wade, be glad this didn't happen to your forehead! How long was the workpiece you were cutting?

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?170208-Kickback-Hurts!-(WARNING!-GORY-PICTURES!!)&highlight=gory

[Ben Rivel]

Another MicroJig GRR-Ripper user here too. I have a couple of the GR-200s and use them for thin cuts like that.

[Wade Lippman]

Ripping 18" long pieces 1" thick. I had no trouble making the cuts without the guard on with a push block, but I like to use the guard and there just wasn't room.

The sacrificial block and guiding with the left hand would work, but I am not sure it is any safer than going without the guard. But I guess that is why I have a SS...

[Larry Frank]

Very good suggestions with the Gripper or notched push stick. Both of these will hold the piece down.

I also stand off to the side so a kick back does not hit me.

[Al Launier]

I've found this to be handy http://www.rockler.com/thin-rip-tablesaw-jig, or you couldmake one yourself out of scrap wood with a ball bearing race.

[Frank Pratt]

For thin-ish rips, I've seen an L fence used that still allows the guard to be in place. I will be making one for myself.

It's funny, I used table saws for years with no riving knife or guard. Now, after using my SawStop for a year or so with it's excellent guard, I can hardly bear to use it without the guard & certainly not without the riving knife.

[mreza Salav]

This is "the" push stick I use. Works very well for cuts down to 1/4" wide and for different thicknesses.
I do have a gripper too but still prefer this one as I don't need to remove the guard.
(This is an old photo on my previous saw but have made for my current saw which is a SS).

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[Rod Sheridan]

346003346004346005Hi Wade, the issue is your fence.

For solid wood stock the fence should end at the start of the saw blade, and for narrow strips it should be in the low position.

A fence that goes past the blade should only be used for power feed or man made sheet goods.

I've also included a photo of a deflector wedge for cutting short pieces, note that the fence in the solid wood position doesn't trap the piece.

You can make a piece of wood angle iron with 4 inch wide sides (makes use of the rip fence tape simple as you subtract 4) the length of your standard fence.

Now you can use it a s a low fence or short fence by clamping it to the fence.

Now you have helped prevent kickback and allowed space for your push sticks and blocks..........Rod.