Show us your push blocks...

[Art Mulder]

Hi Folks,

Over on another ww'ing forum I read another mention of a table saw accident.

This made me think again about the safe way to use a tablesaw. Gord Graff has in the past posted some excellent tutorials on making feather boards. (just google "gord graff feather board" and you'll find them) I also have bought the Grip-Tite feather board (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=51234&cat=1,43000) which I quite like.


I was just looking at the GRR-Ripper (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=49712&cat=1,41080,51225&ap=1) over on the LVT website, and pondering if I should pick one up. But I wondered if one was enough. Anyone here got one of those? How do you find it? Do you have one or two?
52531

But before I go spend the money, I thought I'd see what other solutions people have come up with in terms of push blocks. Solutions for dealing with thin rips is probably the most dangerous. When making wide rip cuts, you have lots of room to hold the stock far away from the blade.

So, do you have a good solution to share? A push block system that you like? Any other pointers? Post those photos and help us all work safer!

...art

[Ralph Barhorst]

I have the GRR-Ripper™ and I think it is great.

Early in November I was in a hurry and I did not use it and I cut my thumb requiring 4 stitches. I have not made a cut without the GRR-Ripper™ since.

You have to be careful when using it to ensure that the blade does not hit it. This conveniently also makes you aware of the danger of the cut at the same time. It just makes you think twice before the cuts are made.

[Keith Beck]

Art,

I've got a Vega fence (http://http://www.vegawoodworking.com/saw%20accessories.html) on my saw which has a device they call the Finger Saver. When I bought the fence, I had a rebate that I used to purchase the FS. I initially didn't expect it to be very handy, but since I basically got it for free, I figured I'd give it a shot. Well, it turns out that I use it much more than I expected and wouldn't make a thin rip cut without it. It also has a handy 1" offset that you use when making cross cuts that's pretty useful.

All in all, I'm pretty happy with the system.


Keith

[Rod Torgeson]

These are my push blocks/sticks. I got this pattern out of a magazine. Don't remember which one. I think it was originally designed or made to be used on a jointer. I use for both.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I make mine from the scrap beside the saw.
Invariably I use the push block to actually feed stock through a cut so they get used up.

[John Gregory]

I have two Grrr-ripers and would not be without them

[Aaron Beaver]

I have two Grrr-ripers and would not be without them

ditto on that one. I have one with everything and one without.

[Larry Heflin]

I have 2 grippers and I like them most of the time.

Some "personal" thoughts on the grippers.
- For me, they work better as a pair. I started with one and always found myself reaching for a second one to finish cuts so I eventually bought a second.
-Sometimes I find they are almost a distraction and I catch myself concentrating more on the grippers than on the blade. For some reason, I often have to think about the gripper as I'm making the cut. On many occasions I've just pitched the gripper and finished the cut without it.
-There is also some set up time to adjust them properly for each cut. Once adjusted, for repetitive cuts or very narrow cuts they're good.
-They're expensive, but I do like them and I am glad I have them as an option.
-I have not seen the Gripper DVD that is available for purchase. Maybe I need some education on a better way to use them.

Larry

[Laurie Brown]

I made one for my saw out of a scrap piece of poplar. It's simple, but does the job for me.

[Jim Becker]

Mine are on the order of what Rod shows, but a little less "nice" looking...simple push blocks out of scraps.

[Larry James]

I have 2 grippers and I like them most of the time.

Some "personal" thoughts on the grippers.
- For me, they work better as a pair. I started with one and always found myself reaching for a second one to finish cuts so I eventually bought a second.
-Sometimes I find they are almost a distraction and I catch myself concentrating more on the grippers than on the blade. For some reason, I often have to think about the gripper as I'm making the cut. On many occasions I've just pitched the gripper and finished the cut without it.
-There is also some set up time to adjust them properly for each cut. Once adjusted, for repetitive cuts or very narrow cuts they're good.
-They're expensive, but I do like them and I am glad I have them as an option.
-I have not seen the Gripper DVD that is available for purchase. Maybe I need some education on a better way to use them.

Larry

-I have one and like it and use it.
-1 is good, but I think 2 is better and even safer.
-The DVD is worth the money and it shows some ways to use the Gripper you may not think. Also helps with assembly.

Larry J.

[Steve Sawyer]

I really like the look of the Grr-rippers. Personally, there are two things that make me hate ripping. First is my crappy fence, the second is the inherent danger lurking with ripping.

I wanted two of the Grr-rippers - I anticipated a couple of folks' observations that you really want and need two to do the job right - but I just couldn't handle the $140+ for a pair of them. I value my hands (sawed off the tip of my left thumb many years ago), so what to do?

I'm in the midst of making myself a pair of Grr-rippers. Won't be quite as fancy and versatile as the store-bought variety, but MUCH less expensive, and they'll definitely make ripping a lot safer and more manageable.

I'll post pics when they're done - maybe after the weekend if I get any shop time to finish 'em up.

[Jesse Cloud]

Hey Art,
I have a pair of grippers. What is really unique about them, compared to other pushsticks, is two things: 1)one leg is abjustable, so it can be lowered to ride on your saw tabletop and 2)the center post is adjustable, so it can be moved (or removed) to provide pressure at the most useful place.

I use the gripper on anything less than 5 inches wide. It feels much safer to me than a regular push stick. I always use two on any workpiece longer than 8 inches or so. With two, you can 'leapfrog' them so that one is always holding down the board

[Nissim Avrahami]

I made something like the gripper long time ago, you can see it here
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=40496

But when my hand was over the spinning blade it was.....anyway I was wearing my brown pants that day so no problem but, no thanks

niki

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f321/avrahami/PS02.jpg

[jonathan snyder]

I just purchased a grr-ripper based on the good things others folks have said. It takes a second to adjust before the cut, but I feel that it is much safer than a push stick. I havent wished for a second one yet, but I have not used it for any really long rips. If it saves a finger, or prevents a kickback, I think its worth the money!

Jonathan

[Rick Schubert]

If you have an overhead guard on your TS, this Bench Dog pusher works well for narrow cuts.

Rick

[glenn bradley]

Shop made push sticks / blocks are great. The Grr-Ripper, I used to think, was someone taking a simple concept way beyond what was necessary and making money off of it. Following several posts by Creeker's who's opinions I have come to respect, I picked a couple up. The fact that they were on sale, no tax, no shipping probably helped ;-)

Like the MJ splitter for those like me that need such things; the Grr-Ripper is a surprisingly well thought out, well made, quality piece of work. It is easily adaptable to other quickie shop attachments some of which are demonstrated in the manual. I haven't got around to watching the video yet.

Following some of the recommendations here, sometimes even before its too late, and finding them to be solid will probably drive me straight to an 8" jointer without stopping to waste my $$$ along the way. Thanks to all and enjoy!

[Chris Rosenberger]

I have several Grr-Rippers, several of the Bench Dog feather boards & some home made push sticks. I really like the Grr-Rippers & feather boards.

[Sam Chambers]

I have 2 Grr-rippers, and I don't make a rip cut without them. Plus, they're useful at the jointer. The DVD is full of useful tips that I hadn't thought about. Wish I knew what that material is - it does a great job of sticking to the wood.

I've used other stock pushers, including a simple piece of scrap, those cheap plastic and foam rubber push pads, and store bought push sticks (Stots, Bulldog). To me, they all have flaws that the Grr-Ripper addresses - control of the stock on both sides of the blade, and positive control in 3 directions (down, forward, and lateral). Plus, the Grr-Rippers keep my hands safely away from the blade.