Cutting thin strips without loosing a finger?

[Andrew Wayland]

I'm looking to cut some thin pieces of stock to about 1/2x1/2" square, and then 1/4"X1/4" square.

All I have for tools is a cheap portable table saw and a new router and table (that I haven't set up yet).

I saw there are fancy schmancy yellow guide blocks, but they're a bit pricey.


Im curious: how do you guys cut thin strips?

[Van Huskey]

I use the schmancy fancy yellow guide blocks, not to be confused with the fancy schmancy ones.

You can build your own set of push blocks using the GRR-ripper as inspiration, it doesn't have to be as adjustable just built to do the job at hand.

[Andy Giddings]

Depending on how stable your fence is on the "cheap saw" just make a jig out of scrap wood - similar to this one http://www.finewoodworking.com/2008/07/21/a-simple-safe-tablesaw-fixture-for-ripping-thin-pieces or there are plenty of ideas in this thread http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?237922-How-to-cut-really-small-strips-for-toys&highlight=thin+strips

[Andrew Wayland]

I'll give those links a look!

Does the Gripper really help? Is it work the dinero?

[Adam Herman]

the grrrrrrrrriper really does work well. some do not like it because you can not use the over blade guard. i am happy i bought one and do not regret the $$ spent. I have spent more on much less useful things for the shop. :cool:

[Van Huskey]

Does the Gripper really help? Is it work the dinero?


Yes, no and maybe. I love mine but there are some that don't care for them, especially at the price. Now, if I only had a "cheap portable table saw" I would be putting my "GRR-ripper money" into savings for a better and heavier saw. While I still use my portable saw on occasion outside the shop it "scares" me more than any other tool/machine I own, I firmly believe bigger heavier table saws are much safer to use.

[Andrew Wayland]

Yes, no and maybe. I love mine but there are some that don't care for them, especially at the price. Now, if I only had a "cheap portable table saw" I would be putting my "GRR-ripper money" into savings for a better and heavier saw. While I still use my portable saw on occasion outside the shop it "scares" me more than any other tool/machine I own, I firmly believe bigger heavier table saws are much safer to use.

Honestly, I'd love a bigger one, but I don't have the space! I've had great luck with my KREG circular saw attachment and I use that more than the table saw. I essentially use the table saw for smaller cuts. I think I'd probably invest my money next time into a track saw.

[andrew whicker]

Push stock in half way, tilt up from blade, flip, push stock in until two pieces. Lift finished piece.

[Nick Decker]

I use the Gripper just about everytime I use my saw, although I should add that I mostly do pretty small scale stuff. Just have to remember to check and double check the "tunnel clearance."

[Nick Decker]

Push stock in half way, tilt up from blade, flip, push stock in until two pieces. Lift finished piece.

I have to say that doing this would scare the bejesus out of me.

[Andrew Wayland]

Push stock in half way, tilt up from blade, flip, push stock in until two pieces. Lift finished piece.
I was thinking of something similar: pushing the stock in until I'm 8inches or so from the blade, but then using my miter saw to cut the piece to size.

I think the largest length I need is about 3 feet, but I have stock 4' and up

[Tom Giacomo]

What about a thin strip jig from Rockler and a zero clearance throat plate.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I built a thin strip jig like Rockler's using a bearing I purchased at a local hardware store and some plywood.

At the Woodsmith site there are plans.

[Steve Eure]

i almost pulled the trigger on a Rockler thin strip jig but decided to try a featherboard instead. It worked like a charm. Since then I've made a jig like the one linked earlier in this post. Both work great.

[Steve Eure]

Forgot to mention, the Rockler jig and the featherboard require you to move the fence each time. That is the reason I switched to the other one and like it better. I was getting consistant results with the featherboard, but hated moving the fence after each cut. The other is simpler. Set your fence one time and make all the cuts you need.

[Bill Dindner]

I'd recommend the Grriper as well. Makes allot of cuts much safer.

Is is it worth it? To me it is, although I have a SawStop Jobsite Table Saw, spent more than double on the Saw just for the safety features.

[Glen Gunderson]

I've never had any issues just setting the fence to whatever thickness cut I want and going at it (at least down to about 1/4"). Though I wouldn't even consider this type of cut without a splitter, guard, and a sacrificial push stick to prevent kickback. I also make sure to stand to the side and generally use a zero clearance insert.

[Rod Sheridan]

There are 2 easy ways to safely saw thin strips, both require that you keep the guard and splitter/riving knife on the saw, which eliminates solutions such as the Gripper which remove the guard.

1) Use a short rip fence that ends just past the start of the saw blade, and use push blocks or sticks to feed the material. The short fence is used for ripping for solid material and improves safety by allowing cut material to fall away from the blade as it's not trapped by the fence.

2) As others have suggested, use a sled and leave the guard and riving knife/splitter in place.

Regards, Rod.

[Lee Schierer]

Depending on how stable your fence is on the "cheap saw" just make a jig out of scrap wood - similar to this one http://www.finewoodworking.com/2008/07/21/a-simple-safe-tablesaw-fixture-for-ripping-thin-pieces This Fine woodworking jig looks great, but I am uncomfortable with the proximity of the left hand to the blade. If I were doing this I would make a second push block to hold/guide the piece being cut as you get that close to the blade.

If you use this jig for cutting your 1/4" strips into squares that you make provisions to hold the thin stock down against the table to eliminate chatter and be sure to use a zero clearance insert.

[lowell holmes]

I cut thin strips by letting them fall to the left side of the blade.

I set it up by setting the rip fence to the right of the blade, adjusting the fence
to leave the thin strip to the left of the blade.

I do this with a magnetic base marking the thickness to the left of the blade.
The base is at the front of the saw table.

I move the fence to the left with the wood touching the fence. The fence
being to the right of the blade. I move the fence after every cut,
addressing the wood to the magnetic base. This leaves the interval needed
to rip the strip.

As with all ripping operations, guard your fingers against touching the saw blade.

I position my body so if kickback occurred, I would not be hurt.

[Andy Giddings]

This Fine woodworking jig looks great, but I am uncomfortable with the proximity of the left hand o the blade. If I were doing this I would make a second push block to hold/guide the piece being cut as you get that close to the blade.

If you use this jig for cutting your 1/4" strips into squares that you make provisions to hold the thin stock down against the table to eliminate chatter and be sure to use a zero clearance insert.
Lee, good points and agree

[Warren Wilson]

Like lowell said -- cut the pieces on the outside of the blade. Move the fence each time.

Google "Thin strip jig woodworking" and you'll get lots of ideas, like this one from Fine Woodworking: http://www.finewoodworking.com/2007/09/17/cutting-thin-strips-on-the-tablesaw

I have made a similar jig and used it for years now -- very nice to be able to safely cut skinny bits.

Are you determined to start with 1/2 x 1/2 stock? If I was doing this, I would start with a wider piece of 1/4" stock and cut my pieces on the outside (a feather board mounted above the main, wider piece of stock to keep it flat to the table beside the blade would help to minimize the chatter that could catch your tiny piece and fling it). In fact, for something that tiny, I'd use two feather boards -- one beside and one above -- and use regular push sticks rather than the grrriper.

(I have one of those Grrripers, and it does help to get a nice cut, but it's a lot off setup for every cut, so I seldom use it).

I am sure a zero clearance throat plate would also help. Tear-out on such tiny bits can have quite an impact on the final size.

[glenn bradley]

I do this:

356811

[Chris Padilla]

I need to rip 1/8" thick strips for edge-banding all the time. I normally use my band saw so a scrap piece of wood works fine to push it the final couple of inches past the blade.

For a table saw, scrap works equally well. I do have the Yellow Grippers...even with the thin leg...but I've found this simple scrap pusher much easier to use:356817356818

Is is a 3/4" piece of plywood that is 4" x 12". I cut a notch in it to lock in the piece being cut and then ran it through the blade. It cuts both the pushblock and your piece and you essentially have a zero clearance pushblock that fully supports the piece being cut throughout the cut. As simple as it is, it works surprisingly well.