# Grr-Ripper!



## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Got it in from Rockler (via:UPS yesterday) and put it together and watched the video this morning. Decided I liked all 10 of my fingers, and the lengths they came in. ;o)


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

You won't ever regret your purchase Lee, in fact I'm sure that like me, you will soon be ordering a second one.


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## cagenuts (May 8, 2010)

Bought two of those plus the plastic cover/shield thingie.

I feel so much safer at the table saw now. Worth every penny.


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Love mine!


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## tvman44 (Jun 25, 2013)

Love them as I now have 3 of them. I bought one for $79.00 then found a 2 pack with the bridge handles for $149.00 so I ordered it. Wish I had seen the 2 pack first, but now I have 3 GRR-RIPPERs. Need to put together the last 2 later today. 
Trust me a couple of short fingers is no fun, I did not have my accident in the work shop but I still have 2 short fingers on my right (predominant) hand.


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Yea, after watching the video, I see I should have ordered two! I have done a lot of ripping and I see how two would definitely be beneficial!


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Definitely like mine.


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## Big Steve (Feb 12, 2012)

Love mine also. I cut a slice in one last week, not being careful about adjustment, but it cut clean and will still work fine.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Now you can all see why I was so excited after "discovering" these brilliant safety devices.


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

It took me a while to accept and adjust to mine, but I am fully converted now. For 55+ years before getting the Grrippers I followed the rule of never, under any circumstances, putting my hand over or beyond the spinning saw blade. When using the Grripper you have to hang onto a handle that passes just over the saw blade and I wasn't at all comfortable with doing this. Then I built a toy horse barn for my grand daughter and found myself ripping 1/4 X 3/8" window frames, door and window moldings, etc. I could not have made these without the Grrippers safely. This project got me past the mental block that I had. I now have 2 Grrippers for the table saw and 1 that stays set up for my router table. They're used in the conventional way when doing the small work. On larger work I just use them as push blocks. 

If you use your Grrippers a lot you will eventually discover one safety feature that isn't documented. If you don't set up the Grripper correctly and you accidentally cut into the plastic part of the Grripper it will emit a very pungent odor that is not like anything else. You will immediately know that something is wrong and stop your cut. Fortunately, they sell replacement parts for the Grrippers that are much cheaper than a visit to the ER.

Charley


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

It's wonderful to see all these great reports which mirror my own.


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## Garyk (Dec 29, 2011)

any safety device is a good purchase. I have one and used it for a while but reverted back to using my home made devices. They are cheap to make and designed for one purpose vs having to reconfigure the Gripper. Guess I'm just lazy. It is a good tool and well thought out & designed.


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

I too love all of my fingers, couldn't drive a car with out the longest one. I also believe in safety first but am not convinced the $80 dollars for one $150 for two is money well spent. It's something I would have to use first before buying it, not buy it and see if I like it.


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## Dmeadows (Jun 28, 2011)

Marco said:


> I too love all of my fingers, couldn't drive a car with out the longest one. I also believe in safety first but am not convinced the $80 dollars for one $150 for two is money well spent. It's something I would have to use first before buying it, not buy it and see if I like it.


Jim, I totally agree with you. I have seen them demo'd at shows. I am not that impressed. Can't see where it does anything I can't accomplish equally safely, for a lot less money.

Now, a set of board buddies? Just ordered my second pair the other day! and even they are only uselful for some things, not all. 

I do use Rockler feather boards as well. I have others, both store bought and home made, but I usually reach for the Rocklers! 

An assortment of push stick handle most other tasks for me.

But, hey! That's why there are different products available! If you like and use the Grr-ripper, that's great! Any safety equipment is a good investment if they are used regularly.


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## cagenuts (May 8, 2010)

Jim, let's put it this way, I would say that this should be considered essential if one owns a table saw. I suggest purchasing this before dust management systems.

It's not just about keeping your fingers, more about total control when cutting. Show me how you can accurately and safely cut 1/8" strips without those fiddly jigs?

This is not just an expensive jig. It separates the sheep from the goats.

To all those cynical old fools who think this is merely a fancy push block, get your head out the sand for once.


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

I took it for a test drive yesterday morning, and like Charley stated, it will take a bit of time to get use to purposely running your hand over a spinning saw blade. But I did safely and easily cut some 1/4" slices of wood. And even though I don't have money growing on trees, and 80 bucks is a lot of money, and 160 for two is that much more, but even a small nick of the blade, and a trip to the ER for a few stitches (if I was that lucky) would cost me at least $150 deductible with my insurance. So I'll be ordering my second one soon!!


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## Dmeadows (Jun 28, 2011)

cagenuts said:


> It's not just about keeping your fingers, more about total control when cutting. Show me how you can accurately and safely cut 1/8" strips without those fiddly jigs?
> .


It's not about being cynical. It's an option, but not the only one!

Here is an example... 1/32" incremental strips with the smallest being 1/32". Was made before there was any such thing as a grr-ripper! The Incra jig used isn't "fiddly" IMHO. The strips were all cut from the outside of 6"+ wide boards, which makes it quite safe. Yes, the Incra is expensive, but it does way more than just cut thin strips!

If this makes me a cynical old fool... I can live with that!

OH! Can you do the 1/32" strips with the Grr-ripper?


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## cagenuts (May 8, 2010)

I was referring to one of these.










I too have an INCRA table saw fence and use to accurately rip thin strips. I was just saying that the Gripper allows you to do this task safely and accurately if you don't have an INCRA system.


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## Dmeadows (Jun 28, 2011)

cagenuts said:


> I was referring to one of these.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The Incra makes it easy! However the same technique will work with any reasonably accurate table saw fence. These things were possible even before Incra. With an 1/8" kerf blade...

1. Make a cleanup cut at any quarter of an inch fence setting
2. Move the fence 1/4"
3. Make the next cut
4. Go to step 2

Will make 1/8" strips till the board gets too narrow to repeat safely! All from the outside edge. A push stick will suffice, a feather board hold down if you want. Cutting them between the fence and the blade should be a last resort!

1/32" strips require a bit tougher math as the increment is now 5/32". However it is doable. Metric may have an advantage if your kerf is an exact number of mm, not so much otherwise!

Technique is one of the most important safety factors. A push block that allows you to use bad technique? Meh!

Oh, I also have one of those "fiddly jigs"! Shop made. I agree, it's a bit fiddly, but it does work, and I do use it from time to time if I just need a couple of identical strips! My Incra is usually on my router table.


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Hilton, hats off to you and everyone who has the Grr Ripper. I applaude your extra step for safety and a jig that gives you accurate cuts. I stopped myself for several days from posting about not being convinced that I needed a Grrr Ripper to run my table saw because of the possibility that some may feel offended or that I was bashing a Safety Jig. After pondering it I thought I would make the post not to offend anyone but to point out for someone who may be new to a table saw that you do not have to have one or two Grrrr Rippers to operate it safely. Also that for me persoanlly two things I don't want to learn and remember how to operate it and most importantly I don't put my hand with in 4 inches of the blade whether its to the left, the right or above it. 

Some tools are not the right tool or the best tool for the job and for me cutting a 1/4 inch piece is to be done with the 1/4 inch to the left of the blade if I were to cut it on the table saw. As Duane pointed out the Incra System is very accurate as well as safe when using it. You do not have to have an Incra System to operate a table saw. A rule of thumb for me is if I think it is not safe then don't do it. I am an Old Goat when it comes to a table saw because I could not force myself to cut the 1/4" to the right of the blade as with out using a Grrr Ripper it is not a safe cut. If I wanted a 1/4 inch or thinner piece of wood then the Band saw would be my tool of choice.

No I'm not trying to stir the pot. I really don't want a newbie thinking that they must have something when the don't. When I was relatively new I spent a lot of time and effort and a little bit of money building a Cam Board and a set of Router Ski's. I thought I had to have them but I didn't. Both are great additions to the shop but are not a "Must Have"


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

This tool has been around a long time and many,many post about it on the forum..it may be new to Harry but it's old thing in the USA..just like the router chuck he just found about...

http://www.routerforums.com/tools-woodworking/5008-i-must-loved.html

====


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

I don't think any one person that has posted that they have a Gripper, meant that it is a MUST have tool. Man has sawed wood way before a Gripper came to be, and kept all 10 fingers! Some people like building all their special jigs, some don't. I'm sure an Incra Jig is one cool tool too. Although, in my case, it would be worth more then my saw!! ;o) It may not be for us all, but I'm sold! I'll be getting another one for sure!!


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

I have never promoted the GRR-Ripper as a tool to ensure accuracy and to compare it to an Incra is like comparing apples with pears, the two are totally different, the GRR-Ripper is primarily a safety device and as Bj has said, it's been around for a long time but shame on Micro jig for failing to properly promote it, I only recently came across it via a forum friend, not from advertising. It's always been said that you can tell a professional woodworker by at least one missing finger, that I'm sure will eventually be a thing of the past as GRR-Rippers find their way into more and more shops.


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