Ripping 1/16 Strips on TS

[Scot Ferraro]

Hi Everyone,

I need to rip several strips 1/16" X 3/4" random lengths ranging from 24 inchs to 8 feet long. Does anyone have any suggestions for the safest way to handle this? I can get one or two strips to the left of the blade and then of course the fence gets too close to the guard. I suppose I could make a small splitter and then run the push block over the top of the blade to complete the cut on the narrower strips -- I would appreciate anyones thoughts and suggestions on this...

Thanks,

Scot

[Wilbur Pan]

Not to be facetious, but have you considered doing this on a bandsaw instead? That's what I would use if I was trying to do this.

[Michael Schwartz]

I would use my EZ Smart Power Bench.

Well tuned bandsaw would work well

It is ok to run a wood pushstick up over the blade on a tablesaw, just make sure the blade isn't any more than 1/8" over the top of the workpeice. I did this with an inch of blade sticking out once and it was a scary experience :rolleyes:

[Craig Thompson]

If you dont have one it won't help... but a Jointeck or Incra fence would be pretty helpfull right now. Due to the thread size on these fences. They index nicely so you can cut from the left side of lumber once you have the lumber squared.

Make the first pass to square the lumber, move your fence toward the blade (distance = blade width + 1/16"), keep on indexing your fence and you can cut up a board pretty quickly.

If you trust your eye and your fence.. you can do it with any saw really.. but a Jointech unit makes it real easy.

[Frank Hagan]

A method I've used is to have a spacer next to the fence so you cut a strip, move the stock back next to the spacer, then cut another strip. That prevents moving the fence once it is set for your thin strip. You can also make a push stick for the last push through the blade; you push both the spacer and the stock through at the end to keep fingers safely away from the blade ... a padded push stick "pad" like you use for jointers works well here.

[Corey Hallagan]

This post interests me as I need to do the same thing.. Frank anyway you can post a photo or drawing of what your talking about here? I can't envision it.

Corey

[Joe Unni]

Not sure exactly how I would do it (still pondering), but if you do use your table saw be mindful of the space to the left and right of your blade. A zero clearance insert is a must, better yet make a new one for this application! It wouldn't take much for 1/16" to get stuck. In a pinch I've lowered the blade, stretched blue painters tape from the front of my saw to the back and over the slot and then raised the blade through it. Works pretty good for a few cuts.

Good luck,
-joe

[Don Bullock]

I agree with Craig. Incra has a video on their website that shows how to do this with their system. I've also seen it demonstrated at woodworking shows. If you don't have an Incra or Jointech it could be done with other fence systems. Frank has a very good idea as well. If I didn't have the Incra, that would be my choice.

[Nissim Avrahami]

I made 1/4" strips using the method as on the pics (one time fence setting).

splitter, (better, Riving knife) and feather board (better, at two points) are a must.

Also, because of the length, I used hold-down roller to keep the jig pressed to the fence after passing the blade

1.7 M = 67"
150mm = 6"

About the blade height...it's personal...I keep it high for cooler blade and faster feed rate...and yes, I use the guard and push shoe at the end of the cut (at the age of 63, every nail of my fingers is much more important than any piece of wood...)

Have a safe work
niki

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[Nissim Avrahami]

Limited to 5 pics...

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[josh bjork]

I have a tip! Don't rip 1" wide boards. Glue them to another one. With width comes stability.

[Mark Rios]

Niki, that's a great set up AND a great mini-tutorial!

WTG!!!





BTW Niki, I was going to ask you why the stop button on your saw had "STOP" written in English. Then I went to an online translator and saw why................all of the two dozen or so Polish words of the verb form of "STOP" were waaaaaaayyyyy too long to fit on the knob. :D :D :D

[Scot Ferraro]

Thanks for everyone's response -- Josh -- I like your idea of gluing the thinner strips to a wider board -- this would give me the stability I need and allow me to keep the 1/16 off-cuts to the left of the blade -- great idea. Sometimes it's the simplest of ideas that work the best -- I really appreciate all of your help!!:)

[glenn bradley]

This seems like the ticket. Especially if you are running lengths of up to 8 feet.


http://www.shopnotesmagazine.com/images/issues/current/cover-large-dropshadow.jpg

[Bill Huber]

This seems like the ticket. Especially if you are running lengths of up to 8 feet.



Glenn you beat me to it, I just saw that on the Shop Notes site last night. Looks like it should do the trick very well and easy to make.

[Nissim Avrahami]

Thank you Mark

You are correct about the Polish but this is a German made saw (Metabo) and in German they use the word STOP like in English.

But now, that we have the EU, many English words are used in machine and appliances unless they are made for the local market only.

niki

[joe greiner]

... many English words are used ...

I haven't travelled widely enough to be certain, but it seems most STOP signs are now in English (pretty much the world's lingua franca) to accommodate international travel. Heaven help us if a visitor to Mexico thinks "ALTO" means "go faster."

Nice work and explanation as usual, Niki.

Joe

[Noel Hegan]

A method I've used is to have a spacer next to the fence so you cut a strip, move the stock back next to the spacer, then cut another strip. That prevents moving the fence once it is set for your thin strip. You can also make a push stick for the last push through the blade; you push both the spacer and the stock through at the end to keep fingers safely away from the blade ... a padded push stick "pad" like you use for jointers works well here.
Or another version is this, although not so good for longer boards:
http://premium1.uploadit.org/noel157//Img_0018Rcd.jpg

http://premium1.uploadit.org/noel157//Img_0020Rcd.jpg

http://premium1.uploadit.org/noel157//Img_0028Rcd.jpg

I know, need to made some new feather boards with long grain fingers.....

[Doug Shepard]

Not sure exactly how I would do it (still pondering), but if you do use your table saw be mindful of the space to the left and right of your blade. A zero clearance insert is a must, better yet make a new one for this application! It wouldn't take much for 1/16" to get stuck. In a pinch I've lowered the blade, stretched blue painters tape from the front of my saw to the back and over the slot and then raised the blade through it. Works pretty good for a few cuts.

Good luck,
-joe

Listen to this guy. I still have a good size lump on my right ring finger where some 1/4" strips of walnut got down the side of the factory insert and came spewing back in a shower of splinters. A ZCI is a must here.

[Maurice Ungaro]

Grrrrriper!

[Phil Clark]

With the rip fence on right side of blade, I use a home-made jig mounted on a mitre slot bar left of the blade. It is nothing more than a 4" wide piece of mdf tapered to a bull nose. The mdf has slots where it is mounted to the mitre slot bar so it can be adjusted for width of cut on left side of the blade. I drilled a hole in the back end of the mitre slot bar for a screw that is lowered to catch on the leading edge of the table to make it imoveable when cutting. To adjust for width, the stop screw is raised so the bull nose can be placed opposite the blade tooth for accuracy of setting. It is then drawn back to be ahead of the blade and the stop screw lowered to catch the edge of the table. You can rip for ever very safely until you no longer feel safe with the remainder of the board between the rip fence and blade. Of course you have to adjust your fence for each cut but not the bull nose guide. We cut lots of edging under 1/16th with this set up. If you want a photo I'll post one later when I get to the shop.

[Phil Clark]

Here is a photo of the jig I tried to describe in words earlier.

[Ron Blaise]

Bandsaw! then run thru a drum sander.

[Alan Schwabacher]

I don't know how well it would work for 1/16" strips, but here is a link describing how I cut 1/4" strips 20' long with a hand held circular saw.

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~durgerian/id5.html (http://www.home.earthlink.net/%7Edurgerian/id5.html)

They were smooth enough that 1/16" strips would probably work, but I never tried that.

Strips like this call for the thinnest kerf blade you can find: there are blades with a kerf of 1/16" or less. Why waste at least 2/3 of the stock with a full kerf blade?

If you use a bandsaw, I recommend the woodslicer (Highland) or bladerunner (Iturra) as these blades cut smooth and fast with a very narrow kerf. Edge gluing to support the cut is an excellent idea.

[Steve Roxberg]

Glenn has the correct idea.

You do have to reset the fence with each cut, but you don't have to measure and every cut is the same. The small piece falls off to the left of the blade and remember to use a splitter without anti-kickback pawls for safety.

[Ben Grunow]

Why not make a push stick that covers the end of the board being ripped and just cut em? I make small strips on my DW portable all the time without a ZCI and they never kick because they are too thin and the pusher holds them. Seems like a lot of work when you oculd just make a few extras if some are damaged slightly.

Never enough safety but have you tried to rip even one?

In my shop, a push stick (homemade from 1/2" ply like Norm) is disposable as fingers and safety are much more important than plwood. So try one, a simple block with a notch the same depth as the thickness of the wood to be ripped is all that is needed.

Just thinking out loud.