Gripper Clones

[Steve Sawyer]

There were two threads recently that mentioned the Grr-ripper push blocks available from Micro Jig. They've always looked like something that I'd like to use, especially after hearing all of the glowing comments from satisfied users. However, the $140 price tag for a pair of 'em put me off a bit. I decided to cobble up a couple of home-made push blocks using the Grr-rippers as a pattern.

These are made from 3/4" and 1/2" poplar. The handles are salvaged from a couple of adhesive-spreading trowels from one of the BORG's (less than $2.50 each). I cut the tabs that connect the sliding middle pad to the t-track from the sheet metal removed from the trowel handles. The handles are secured using long #10-32 screws and brass thumb screws, allowing the handles to be moved inboard (toward the fence) to provide more control when ripping very narrow stock. The "feet" are faced wth the rubber salvaged from an old mouse pad, and actually grips much better than the harder rubber that the Micro Jig push blocks use, though it's bound to be less durable (but easily replaced).

The t-track is from Rockler.

The inboard "foot" is secured with flat- and hex-head machine screws, so that the foot can be removed, or so I can add a stand-off spacer as shown in the last picture below.

I estimate that I spent maybe $40 for the two of these, though the wood was just stuff I had laying around, I got the T-track kit for half price at a recent woodworker's show, the UHMW came from one of those $11 grab-bag assortments from the local Woodcraft, and I have a lot of it left.

This first shot is of the two basic grippers, followed by a closeup.

http://www.stephensawyer.com/images/Grippers.jpg


http://www.stephensawyer.com/images/GripperDetail.jpg

This shot shows one of the grippers with an outboard adjustable UHMW support to accommodate ripping narrow boards.

http://www.stephensawyer.com/images/Gripper2.jpg


This shows the support in use. The support rides against the table, keeping the gripper level.

http://www.stephensawyer.com/images/Gripper3.jpg


The final shot shows an additional 5/8" thick UHMW spacer screwed to the inboard edge that moves the outboard edge out of the way of the blade.

The picture shows a setup to do a 4" rip that would have run the blade right down the outboard pad. Note that the outboard support has been retracted fully, or could be removed.

http://www.stephensawyer.com/images/Gripper4.jpg


These things are working extremely well!!

[Phillip Thorne]

as always, sitting here dreaming of building usefull stuff for my own shop...now if only I can find the end of the rainbow to buy all the tools ;-)

those look great!

[Ken Milhinch]

That's very good work, and they look like they will do the job - well done:cool: .

[Chris Rosenberger]

Nice work Steve.

[Jim O'Dell]

Great job!! I love to see ingenuity at work! Jim.

[John Miliunas]

Two "thumbs up", Steve! Well done! And to think, I work with and on 'puters for a living and hadn't thought of using the mouse pads for pusher "feet"! :o I hate the material used in plain old stock pushers, as it really is too hard. (I do, however, like the material used in the original Grrrripers. It's got some great holding power!) :) :cool:

[Don Bullock]

Wow, another project to go on my, now endless, "to-do list". Very nice Dan. Your design is excellent and well executed. Thank you for the detailed pictures and description. Your post is now part of my growing notebook of ideas for my workshop.;) :D

[Charlie Barnes]

Looks like you have a Craftsman saw similar to mine and I notice that you have what appears to be a removable splitter in the throat plate. Where did you get it or what can you tell me about it? Also, I'm assuming you had to cut a slot in the plate even if you purchased the splitter. What did you use to cut the slot?

Thanks.

[Mike Zozakiewicz]

Great Job Steve, like others I will be putting this on my todo list! Great job with the photos as well.

thanks for sharing.

Mike

[Steve Sawyer]

Thanks everyone.

One thing that I should mention is that the commercial Grr-rippers have an additional feature that mine doesn't. The outboard support has a wide flange on the bottom, and can be fitted with a flat plate that can rest against the outboard edge of the workpiece, thereby giving a bit more horizontal force to hold the work against the fence.

With mine you have to take a little more care to ensure that you're keeping the work against the fence, either with the left hand (well in front of the blade, of course!) or by placing the gripper against the work with a slight gap between the gripper and the fence.

[Steve Sawyer]

Looks like you have a Craftsman saw similar to mine and I notice that you have what appears to be a removable splitter in the throat plate. Where did you get it or what can you tell me about it? Also, I'm assuming you had to cut a slot in the plate even if you purchased the splitter. What did you use to cut the slot?

The splitter is a commercial splitter from Micro Jig (http://www.microjig.com/MJ%20Splitter.htm), Charlie - the same folks that make the Grr-ripper. You can see all the details on their website. It doesn't fit into a slot, but a series of four holes. The MJ splitter comes with a plastic fixture, a drill and mounting screws to help drill the holes - one of the reasons it's so expensive (about $25 for the thin-kerf model but the standard-kerf model is about half that).

[Michael Fross]

Steve,

Great project and creativity. I have a grrrrripper now and really like it, but could use a second and this looks like a fun project.

However, I'm thinking that the mouse pad feet might really wear out quickly and I agree that it is fairly easily replaced. What if you were to dip each of the legs about a quarter inch or so into that rubber-riser compound. I can't think of the name, but it's used for tool handles and such.

I'm thinking that if you scuffed up the bottom a bit it would hold well and be even easier to renew.

Whatcha think?

Michael

[Al Willits]

Nice, looks like they'd work just fine.

Seems like when ever I get close to done making stuff to make stuff, along comes another project to make more stuff to make stuff....:D
Thanks for posting
Al

[Steve Sawyer]

What if you were to dip each of the legs about a quarter inch or so into that rubber-riser compound. I can't think of the name, but it's used for tool handles and such.

I'm thinking that if you scuffed up the bottom a bit it would hold well and be even easier to renew.

Whatcha think?

It might work, but I think it might be a little harder than I'd like. Certainly worth a try.

Something else is cutting a piece of 1/16" rubber sheet, cut from a bicycle tube, OR that sheet rubber for making gaskets and washers that you can get in the plumbing dept. of the hardware store.

To be honest, I don't expect to be replacing the rubber very often. It doesn't get real hard use, if you know what I mean...

[Dave Fifield]

Steve Sawyer - A man with gumption! :)

[John Miliunas]

Well Steve, if nothing else, you've certainly got me thinking about alternative materials for use on push blocks! The "standard" ones, IMHO, are junk!!! :mad: Thanks for the suggestions! :) :cool:

[Victor cardona]

would there you maybe be able to post some plans to follow ? i would love to have a pair of rippers but cant afford them but i can most def afford to make them :)

[Andrew Howe]

I would suggest using the antis ip mat for rugs and cabinets

[michael case]

Safety first. great idea

[Floyd Mah]

Great idea. Same one that I had more than 15 years ago. Back then, I didn't have much to spend on gadgets, so when I saw how useful the Gripper was, I made one, pretty much with the same stuff as you did. I was too embarrassed to admit that I had copied such a good idea and was too cheap to spend the $55. It still works, it's still a good idea, and I still have my $55. And, I'll admit, I'm still cheap.

http://i792.photobucket.com/albums/yy206/fmmone/Grr.png

[Jim Heffner]

Steve, I like your design and ideas for a copy (clone) of the Grippers. If you don't mind, I may use your design to make my own set of them as well. Thanks. Jim Heffner

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Nice job! I really like my "real" Grippers. They already saved my fingers from a pretty nasty router kick back..... Anything to do that will save you from an injury is well worth it.

[Mitch Barker]

Speaking of mouse pads. My company was tossing out boxes of mouse pads that had outdated logos. I grabbed a bunch and glued pairs back to back using spray adhesive. So now I had a double thick mouse pad with the high friction surface on both sides. I use one or more of these to support work while routing, sanding etc. You can cut them up and use them like the "bench cookies" sold by rockler.

[Chris Padilla]

Folks, do note that the original thread is about 4 years old!

[Bill McMullen]

This is my first attempt at comment and hope I get it right. The article on grippers by Steve Sawyer is very good but I am wondering why there are no photo's for me to view?

[Matt Day]

Welcome Bill!

Some photos were hosted by Photobucket which stopped allowing photos to be hosted on forums and the like. The OP’s phots may have been linked elsewhere then moved or deleted over the years - Which is why it’s recommended to upload directly to SMC.

Note that this is a 10 year old thread.

[Steve Sawyer]

Bill - I was probably posting pics on flickr at the time, and I have no idea if I even have an active account over there anymore. In any case, I'm posting the pics I could find of those Gripper clones. I have moved so far from using these, I'm surprised that I still have the pics!! Hopefully these will make the description easier to follow. Let me know if you have any questions.

Edit to add that I should explain myself. I was using these with a contractor's saw that had a horrible blade guard, so I never used it. For that situation, these kinds of push-blocks are the bees knees. However, I have since moved up to a cabinet saw with a riving knife, and at least the third incarnation of the blade guard. I no longer use a saw without using the blade-guard, except on those rare occasions when it's impossible (like when cutting tenons or using a crosscut sled). I passed these push-blocks on to another member of our local woodworking club that does not use a blade guard.