Ripping thin strips on tablesaw

[Matt P]

I plan to rip some thin (e.g. 1/4") strips on my Dewalt DW745 contractors saw. Which would be best for this and why? :

1) The GRR-Ripper device, (which I have, but haven't used yet.)

2) Rockler's Thin Rip Tablesaw Jig (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18056)

Thanks,
Matt

[chris fox]

I have cut thin strips for making thick edge banding approx 1/8". Not sure if you need to use either one of these. Be sure to use a zero clearance insert. I have used kerf kit to do what the Rockler jig you posted a link to- which is set in front of the blade.

hope this helps...

[Scott Coffelt]

I usually just set the fence slightly wider than the strips I need, then use a home made push stick that supports about 12-15" of length. It also keeps my hands well above the blade. I then use the planner or drum sander to even out the thickness to what I want. I thought about making the Rockler jig, but I guess I like the idea of not moving the fence each time. My method may waste a little wood, but I know I am getting even thickness through out. Sometimes, I'll use the bandsaw instead of the TS which then reduces the amount lost in the cutting process.

[Brian Backner]

For the ultimate in thin strip ripping jigs, check out this baby on the Aussie Woodworks Forum:


Brian

[Robert Parrish]

I use the one from Rockler and it works just fine.

[Robert Parrish]

Sorry I forget. Rockler also have 20% off on any one item.

[Leo Graywacz]

1/4" ? Just run them through and use a push stick. No jigs required. 1/4" is not thin strips in my book, below an 1/8" is starting to get thin, and when you hit the 1/16" mark you are now running thin strips.

[lowell holmes]

I use a feather board mounted in the slot on the t.s. to do the same thing.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Push stick. Really that's all you need. I'd use two. One to shove it through and one to hold the wood against the fence.
Make 'em from whatever off cuts you have lying on the floor. You'll chew 'em up and make more.

[Maurice Ungaro]

You have a GRR-Ripper, and have not used it yet? You owe it to yourself to try it. Heck, it beats buying another thing that costs hard earned money.

[Mike McCann]

I use the rockler jig. Think it works great. You set it once and just keep on moving your fence.

[Don Eddard]

For 1/4" strips, just use the Grripper. Much more control than with push sticks. For thinner, the Grripper and/or cut with the thin strip coming off the waste side of the blade. Move the fence incrementally for each cut. Niki's vacuum jig looks like a neat idea too.

[Prashun Patel]

I have a GRRIPPER. I love it. One word of advice, though, they work best when you have 2, so you can leapfrog as you push stock longer than 18"ish through.

Downside: you have to remove your blade guard to use it. You can get a microsplitter from Microjig, but there's another $20...

[Aaron Beaver]

The Grr-Rippers will be fine, especially since you have some already. Once your fence is set to the correct width you don't have to move it so all you pieces will come out the same for sure.

[chris yount]

I found this on youtube,it may be helpful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FullQWi2ZwM

chris

[Michael Panis]

I plan to rip some thin (e.g. 1/4") strips on my Dewalt DW745 contractors saw. Which would be best for this and why? :

2) Rockler's Thin Rip Tablesaw Jig (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18056)



Did you see the video that goes with the Rockler jig? It shows a guy getting whacked by a kicked back piece of wood. I can't believe someone would voluntarily do that. I wonder if the video was doctored..

[Joe Scharle]

I've been using this for 25-30 years. Works for me.

[Joe Mioux]

You have a GRR-Ripper, and have not used it yet? You owe it to yourself to try it. Heck, it beats buying another thing that costs hard earned money.

ditto that.

also look at the video that came with the grippers. that was very helpful

joe

[David Schnegg]

http://www.rd.com/images/tfhimport/2006/200601_TableSaw_010.jpg

http://www.rd.com/images/tfhimport/2006/200601_TableSaw_011.jpg


Found the above pics on the web...

This seems like a simple jig to use for your purpose. Seems like the only safe way to use it is with the splitter installed though.

[Alan Schaffter]

I use a simple carry board that I usually just make up when I need it. It is more basic version of what David Schnegg posted.

Joint and rip a board of suitable width that will give you plenty of room for your hand to go between the fence and the blade. Screw a stop to the end of the board (not the face like in David's pic so there is no danger of cutting the screws.) Start with your stop a little long so you can use it to set the width of your strips- trim it until the amount that sticks out is the same as the desired width of your strips. You are good to go. A handle like David pictures is a nice option. Use it with a splitter.

With this simple method you don't need to reposition your fence after each cut, and feather boards, special stop blocks, etc, are unnecessary.

Then again, I sometimes just use my Unifence set in the low profile position and a push block that rides on the fence.

[Dewey Torres]

http://www.woodmagazine.com/wood/pdf/delta/da-00139rip.pdf

[Alan Schwabacher]

There are a lot of approaches, but one thing that can affect your choice is the length of the strips. For instance, the reason I cut a lot of 1/4" strips was to build a canoe. If your strips are 20' long, that makes some of the approaches less appealing. In fact, with 20' long stock I find it easier to have the stock stationary and to move the saw -- a circular saw with a special jig. Let me know if that's your application, and I'll post it.

[Vic Damone]

I just did this the other day. After seeing all the solutions my Incra fence just paid for itself again.

[Alan Schaffter]

There are a lot of approaches, but one thing that can affect your choice is the length of the strips. For instance, the reason I cut a lot of 1/4" strips was to build a canoe. If your strips are 20' long, that makes some of the approaches less appealing. In fact, with 20' long stock I find it easier to have the stock stationary and to move the saw -- a circular saw with a special jig. Let me know if that's your application, and I'll post it.

Years ago when I built my cedar stripper, I only had a Shopsmith with its tiny table. I knew I would be doing a lot of planing and sanding to fair the relatively soft Western Red Cedar so wasn't too concerned about maintaining perfect thickness. I used the fixed fence method and a push stick for the last few inches. I also to apart a twelve foot extension ladder and jury rigged the halves to the saw for extra long infeed and outfeed tables. :D

[Wayne Cannon]

I like the Grr-Ripper, but after trying it and a couple of other commercial products, I decided that the following trivial jig (like David Schnegg's with the addition of a hold-down cover) was easier and safer.

http://wcannon.users.sonic.net/images/ThinStripJig.jpg

Rip a jig board the same thickness as your strip stock, longer than the strips you need, and roughly 6" wide. Create a "push-foot" at one end to push the strip (either with a second narrower rip stopped about 1" short of the end, or by attaching a cross piece to the end). The result will look like a traditional taper jig, except with no taper -- as shown above.

Adjust the fence the width of the jig board plus the strip width. Set the stock against the jig board and its "foot" and run the pair through your saw. Blade guard or splitter do not need to be removed, as with a Grr-Ripper. Multiple thin strips can be cut without moving the fence or making any other adjustments. There is zero setup for new tasks other than setting the rip fence (again, unlike the Grr-Ripper or other thin-strip products).

For safety, I hold the stock against the jig board (and the jig board against the fence) with a push-stick or feather board just short of the blade, and use a hold down feather board over the jig board or attach a handle to the jig board. I also attach a thin piece of plywood or masonite on top as an added measure to hold the strip down against the table top

For long strips, a thin base under the entire jig board and stock helps to keep the end of the stock from dropping below the "push-foot". A couple of thicknesses of these in reasonably long lengths has served all of my needs for ripping thin strips.

[Rob Cunningham]

I just found this video on the Woodworking Channel which seems like a good method also
http://www.woodworkingchannel.com/dolphin/vidego_video_library.php

[Loren Hedahl]

Seems to me the greatest danger is the back side of the blade lifts the stock, then tilts it a little to the side, the stock jams and throws it upward and back at the operator.

Sooo -- I make sure my fence is angled a skosh to the right. Then I clamp a small piece of scrap to the fence starting about mid blade and extending past where the teeth exit the table in the upward direction a little bit.

A zero clearance insert should be used, not only for narrow strips, but all the time, in my opinion. It just makes for better cuts.

[Mark Koury]

There was a gizmo sold a few years ago called Vac-u-fence by a fellow named Rudy Ramirez from Arizona. This thing is a hollow square straight aluminium casting the size of a fence that has a bracket on the back to attach it to a regular fence or in my case to my existing fence bracket. It has a series of holes along the face that provide suction against a piece of wood as it travels down the fence. This suction comes from a vacuum hose hooked to a fitting at one hollow end. All of this sounds complicated but it isn’t. The end result is that the piece of wood won’t move away from the fence! Cutting thin strips, for example, is easy. Too bad Mr. Ramirez didn’t merchandise his idea very well. It really is an elegantly simple concept that makes any rip cut safer and quite accurate.

[Nissim Avrahami]

I've never heard about Mr Ramires and his Vac-u-fence but, I made something very similar...

niki

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[Wayne Cannon]

Yes. The thin strip lifting at the back of the blade is exactly the reason I added a "hold-down cover" to my thin-strip jig.