What kind of TS setup is this?

[Joe Frank]

I'm looking at doing similar thin rips with a bunch of scrap 8/4 walnut for various art projects. Could use some help in identifying this sliding sled setup (?). And could the same results be had fabricating a small wood sled in an even safer manner? I like how he's able to stand almost perpendicular to his work.

https://youtu.be/rJIYmr05X9Y

[Jamie Buxton]

The saw is from Minimax. The model name is painted on the front of the machine at 0:24. If what you don't recognize is a sliding table saw, use that as a search phrase. Sliders are sold by Minimax, Felder/Hammer, Laguna, and many others.

[Joe Frank]

Thank you. A little out of my price range it looks like.

Still wondering what would be the best way to replicate these cuts?

[Rod Sheridan]

Table saw with a high quality rip blade.............Regards, Rod.

P.S. If you're going to sand them, then a band saw would be fine as well, only sand the surface that shows............Rod.

[Joe Frank]

In this kind of production format ideally

[Doug Garson]

If the pieces are short enough you could use a sled on a table saw, what length?

[Joe Frank]

They'll be anywhere from 4" to 36"

[Grant Wilkinson]

I don't a slider, but I use a homemade jig to cut thin slices. Mine is similar to this one https://www.finewoodworking.com/2007/09/17/cutting-thin-strips-on-the-tablesaw, except that I put a skate board bearing on the end of mine so that the piece being cut slides easier. You can search for thin strip jigs and find lots of designs. The thing they all have in common is that the thin strip is not caught between the fence and the blade. The thin strip is the "off cut".

[Doug Garson]

For 4" pieces it would be easy to make up a jig on a table saw sled. Attach a block say 6" from the blade parallel to the blade on the right side. Make a spacer 6" wide less the thickness of strips you want (add a handle on top to make it easy to remove). Place the spacer in place with the sled clear of the blade, place the workpiece against the spacer and clamp to the sled. remove the spacer, make the cut, remove the strip and repeat. For longer strips I'd use Grant's approach.

[johnny means]

One of the keys is the sliding fence. By adjusting the fence to terminate in front of the blade, you eliminate binding between the blade and the fence.

[Art Mann]

I wouldn't cut those pieces on a table saw at all. The kerf is too wide for what he is doing and wastes too much wood. I would use a band saw instead, which is just as safe if used correctly.

[Joe Frank]

I don't a slider, but I use a homemade jig to cut thin slices. Mine is similar to this one https://www.finewoodworking.com/2007/09/17/cutting-thin-strips-on-the-tablesaw, except that I put a skate board bearing on the end of mine so that the piece being cut slides easier. You can search for thin strip jigs and find lots of designs. The thing they all have in common is that the thin strip is not caught between the fence and the blade. The thin strip is the "off cut".

Looks similar to the featherboard setups I've seen. The added ball bearing I'm sure makes it nice and smooth. I'd like something like that that looks as effortless as the sliding table.


For 4" pieces it would be easy to make up a jig on a table saw sled. Attach a block say 6" from the blade parallel to the blade on the right side. Make a spacer 6" wide less the thickness of strips you want (add a handle on top to make it easy to remove). Place the spacer in place with the sled clear of the blade, place the workpiece against the spacer and clamp to the sled. remove the spacer, make the cut, remove the strip and repeat. For longer strips I'd use Grant's approach.

That's exactly what I envisioned doing with a sled. Still have to be behind the sled I suppose though correct?


One of the keys is the sliding fence. By adjusting the fence to terminate in front of the blade, you eliminate binding between the blade and the fence.

Yes sir!


I wouldn't cut those pieces on a table saw at all. The kerf is too wide for what he is doing and wastes too much wood. I would use a band saw instead, which is just as safe if used correctly.

My band saw table is pretty small. I've been slowly looking at various 16" BS that have more real estate. Just not sure I would be able to cut that many strips in succession nearly as fast though.

[Doug Garson]

Yes you are behind the sled but the chances of kickback are minimal with the free space for the cut strip and even if kickback happened (which I doubt), it would only be the small strip since the main piece is clamped. If you are concerned you can add a guard to your sled (a simple sheet of acrylic over the blade hinged for access).
While I agree using a bandsaw would reduce the kerf size, I think you can get a better finish with a good table saw rip blade compared to most band saw blades so some of the gains would be lost in planing or sanding. And 6" strips would be too short for most thickness planers (and maybe belt or drum sanders depending on the spacing between the infeed and outfeed rolls).

[Joe Frank]

Thanks for the reply.

That's just it I've not worked on a good band saw to draw any experience from.

Seems as if it wouldn't be too difficult to take the left side of the ts bed off and modify some sort of sliding attachment with some sort of long drawer guides or something of the sorts? Just a thought...

[lowell holmes]

Take a 4" to 6" x 48" piece of 1/2" plywood and cut a 1/2" X 47" piece from one side leaving a hook.
This makes a ripping fixture.
You could make it 60" if you want to.

Set the fixture against the fence with the piece you are ripping against the hook allowing you to rip narrow boards.

[Joe Frank]

Interesting.. so this creates an overhead channel/groove to go through? How do you use a push block/stick through that?

[johnny means]

I wouldn't cut those pieces on a table saw at all. The kerf is too wide for what he is doing and wastes too much wood. I would use a band saw instead, which is just as safe if used correctly.

IME, once you factor in blade wander and clean up, bandsaw don't really yield any better. I'll take clean cuts and maybe one less strip any day.

[Thomas McCurnin]

Thin strips on a table saw can be one of the most dangerous cuts on the TS, next to trying to re-saw on the table saw. For shorter pieces, there are some jigs out there that essentially borrow the design of a taper jig, but without the taper, e.g., a hook as Lowell suggests. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKOefGSSl4A I'm not sure what I would do for really long pieces, except perhaps look into an Incra type sliding index for the fence, use an auxiliary fence as suggested by William Ng. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AddH8IgL7wY&t=2s or cut them as best as I could and take them to a cabinet shop and rent their wide belt sander.

[David Buchhauser]

Thanks for the reply.

That's just it I've not worked on a good band saw to draw any experience from.

Seems as if it wouldn't be too difficult to take the left side of the ts bed off and modify some sort of sliding attachment with some sort of long drawer guides or something of the sorts? Just a thought...

Hi Joe,
I have a sliding attachment mounted to my table saw (removed left wing). I have a shop made rip sled/jig attached to the sliding attachment. With this setup, I can rip thin strips safely. This same jig can also be used to cut tapers. My rip capacity is currently just over 36" (48" if I reposition the sliding attachment). Perhaps you can use this same idea (as you have suggested) and come up an equivalent attachment for your table saw.
David

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[Joe Frank]

Hi Joe,
I have a sliding attachment mounted to my table saw (removed left wing). I have a shop made rip sled/jig attached to the sliding attachment. With this setup, I can rip thin strips safely. This same jig can also be used to cut tapers. My rip capacity is currently just over 36" (48" if I reposition the sliding attachment). Perhaps you can use this same idea (as you have suggested) and come up an equivalent attachment for your table saw.
David

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That sounds awesome. I knew it had to be done somehow before.

For some reason your pics aren't showing up for me :(

[David Buchhauser]

Hi Joe,
It changed about a month ago that you need to become a Contributor in order to see photos and links at SMC. You can become a contributor for a minimum cost of $6 per year.
Try cut and paste:http://deserthybridscom.ipage.com/Grizzly%20Sliding%20Attachment/20190409_225939.jpg
Other photo:http://deserthybridscom.ipage.com/Grizzly%20Sliding%20Attachment/20190409_230010.jpg
David

[Joe Frank]

Thank you for allowing me to see the pictures. I will sign up and contribute.


David that is a slick setup! Did you fabricate the sliding attachment rail? How would one source something like that?

I seen Grizzly has a sliding attachment. With the money invested it might be cheaper to get a whole new saw I might think though.

[David Buchhauser]

Hi Joe,
The sliding attachment is from Grizzly. Price is around $750. The rip jig is shop built. It would probably be possible to build a sliding attachment from scratch using fully supported linear rails with sliding bearing blocks. This would require some design and fabrication of some of the parts - in either metal or wood. Let me know if you want more information on a scratch build and I will send you a sketch of a potential assembly.
David

[Joe Frank]

Thanks for taking the time David. That may be a little out of my price range. I think I'd rather grab a better band saw.

I may bend your ear on crafting something up. And that table you made looks great!