# Thin/Narrow Rips



## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

I can't take credit; saw a You tube vid. Should have made this a long time ago...works like a hot damn!
No continually moving the fence. Set it and forget it. I had the sacrificial fence already (nothing fancy), it just slides into the Tee track in the fence, tighten the three nuts and done.
The rip guard just slides up and down with the inset Tee tracks in the back, and Tee bolts and thru knobs on the back side of the sacrificial dado fence.
You simply set your rip width, retract the blade, drop the rip guard down to the surface, raise it a hair for clearance. Then raise the blade until it cuts into the underside of the rip guard. That's it.
The width of ripped material is limited by the thickness of the rip guard, so maybe 2" max?


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Nice solution. I just use the Rockler thin rip jig. Move the fence to push the piece over against the jig. Works really well. Somewhere on the Forum, someone built their own version.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

But...you need to move the fence for each successive rip. Bonus;_ really thin stock_ can't lift while you're sawing with that rip guard down. ideal for HPL and veneer.
I think if you try that rip guard idea you'll be as pleased as I was.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

I made a similar one for ripping strips of Fromica, where the top of the blade is buried into the block like yours and the only thing I had to do was put a wood fence on the face of the metal and have it down tight to the bed so the p-lam wouldn't slide under the fence, like you did.
Herb


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## woodworker47 (Dec 19, 2008)

I have the Rockler unit shown by Tom. I have used it many times a can recommend it. I have a MULE fence and it is not a problem moving each cut. 

Frank


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## sreilly (May 22, 2018)

Good jig and safer then the bought jigs of which I own one. Not the Rockler but similar.


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## TenGees (Sep 12, 2012)

I made one similar to Tom's. Works good for me. Pic here.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I made one like Tom's too except I just threaded a 3/8" by 16 thread carriage bolt into my wooden block. The carriage bolt head is rounded and pretty slippery so it replaces the roller and by using a 16 thread bolt it means that every full turn is a 1/16" adjustment (1/2 turn is 1/32" and 1/4 turn is 1/64" adjustment). 

It's true that every time you make a cut you have to move the fence and that does induce some error but the cut strip falls off the outside of the blade. I find that having the cut strip inside the blade causes issues too as it sometimes gets chewed up a bit before you get it out.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Please correct me if I am wrong.
You guys are talking about 2 different operations from what Dan is showing.
Dan is showing how to cut THIN material to width on the table saw. I am sure you have all done it and you have experienced the blade grabbing the material and blowing it apart as it chatters along. or exits the blade. 
By making a jig that holds the material down and only exposing the front teeth of the saw, it doesn't chatter and grab the piece as it exits the blade.
I have the Rockler jig too and use it to cut thin pieces off of a thick block by moving the fence.
This is a different operation from what Dan is showing.
Have you ever tried to rip a piece of p-lam 1" wide for a counter edging, or 3/4" wide wood veneer? Good luck with out a jig.
Herb


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Harry and Mike introduced a different jig/technique but the thing that struck me immediately was that the push block concept would only work with relatively short pieces...the block has to be alongside the fence. No ripping 3' or longer strips. Having said that, having extra 'tools' and alternatives to giter done is a bonus.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

DaninVan said:


> Harry and Mike introduced a different jig/technique but the thing that struck me immediately was that the push block concept would only work with relatively short pieces...the block has to be alongside the fence. No ripping 3' or longer strips. Having said that, having extra 'tools' and alternatives to giter done is a bonus.


But you can rip longer,I have ripped 3'-5' long strips and short ones followed by another right behind for a pusher. didn't need a separate pusher.
HErb


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Thanks for pointing that out, Herb. In fact I've been doing both, thin _and_ narrow, just not at the same time. although one of the pics i posted illustrates doing just that. i can't remember exactly but i think the strips were maybe 3/16" square(?). As you pointed out the material can't lift off the table so cannot be fired back at you. Having said that a couple of pieces did work their way back but with absolutely no energy...just fell off the table.


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

I have a jig similar to that described by Tom and added a separate magnetic hold down to affix the shop vac to the TS near to the blade. That effectively sucks the thin strip away from the blade when the rip is finished. Stole the idea from an old forum post, regrettably I can't remember whose or when.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

JFPNCM said:


> I have a jig similar to that described by Tom and added a separate magnetic hold down to affix the shop vac to the TS near to the blade. That effectively sucks the thin strip away from the blade when the rip is finished. Stole the idea from an old forum post, regrettably I can't remember whose or when.


That is a good idea, some times just the draft from the blade spinning can either draw or push small pieces into harms way and be an automatic reaction to want to get fingers too close to the blade. Pulling the piece the last couple of inches will work too
Herb


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Herb Stoops said:


> Please correct me if I am wrong.
> You guys are talking about 2 different operations from what Dan is showing.
> Dan is showing how to cut THIN material to width on the table saw. I am sure you have all done it and you have experienced the blade grabbing the material and blowing it apart as it chatters along. or exits the blade.
> By making a jig that holds the material down and only exposing the front teeth of the saw, it doesn't chatter and grab the piece as it exits the blade.Herb


Thank you Herb, I misread the post. Good solution for thin material. Buying the blade in a fence also gives you the equivalent of a zero clearance insert. Completely different than the thin strip jig.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Herb Stoops said:


> Please correct me if I am wrong.
> You guys are talking about 2 different operations from what Dan is showing.
> Dan is showing how to cut THIN material to width on the table saw. I am sure you have all done it and you have experienced the blade grabbing the material and blowing it apart as it chatters along. or exits the blade.
> By making a jig that holds the material down and only exposing the front teeth of the saw, it doesn't chatter and grab the piece as it exits the blade.
> ...


I do. I use a negative hook chop saw blade or a melamine blade (very similar geometry) on the TS with a zero clearance insert. I usually bend the p lam so that it is forced against the table top when I start the cut. At the end I grab a hook type pusher and push it through. I rarely have any problem doing it that way and I cut lots of p lam up to use for drawer slides. Usually only 1/2" to 5/8" wide.


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

Thanks Herb. A major plus was it also cuts down on the above table sawdust.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

something to consider....

.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> I do. I use a negative hook chop saw blade or a melamine blade (very similar geometry) on the TS with a zero clearance insert. I usually bend the p lam so that it is forced against the table top when I start the cut. At the end I grab a hook type pusher and push it through. I rarely have any problem doing it that way and I cut lots of p lam up to use for drawer slides. Usually only 1/2" to 5/8" wide.


That is because you know the physics involved in ripping thin strips into narrow strips. I had to learn the hard way. Had a few zip by my ear to begin with.
LOL
HErb


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## chessnut2 (Sep 15, 2011)

Herb Stoops said:


> Please correct me if I am wrong.
> You guys are talking about 2 different operations from what Dan is showing.
> Dan is showing how to cut THIN material to width on the table saw.
> This is a different operation from what Dan is showing.
> ...


Thanks, Herb. I was having a difficult time understanding what the jig does. Now I get it.


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

DaninVan said:


> I can't take credit; saw a You tube vid. Should have made this a long time ago...works like a hot damn!
> No continually moving the fence. Set it and forget it. I had the sacrificial fence already (nothing fancy), it just slides into the Tee track in the fence, tighten the three nuts and done.
> The rip guard just slides up and down with the inset Tee tracks in the back, and Tee bolts and thru knobs on the back side of the sacrificial dado fence.
> You simply set your rip width, retract the blade, drop the rip guard down to the surface, raise it a hair for clearance. Then raise the blade until it cuts into the underside of the rip guard. That's it.
> The width of ripped material is limited by the thickness of the rip guard, so maybe 2" max?



Thanks, Dan for posting this...this is a great idea and definitely worth trying. Currently, I am using a short fence just at the front edge of the blade. The short fence is generally always on the saw as I don't have a riving knife on it (ole arn).

So I'm wondering how you get the strip out after you cut it with this setup...? Do you just push another through it...? I thought I would ask before I get myself in trouble when I try it...:smile:


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

One of the biggest problems with cutting thin stock is that it has a tendency to flutter and chatter during the cut. When this starts happening is when it can split or blow chunks off. It's made worse by using high positive hook blades. When the high angle tooth hits thin material it's too much of a "whack" on it. The solution is to use higher tooth count blades which will have less hook and apply enough down pressure to stop the flutter. I find the negative hook blades work best but you really need down pressure with them as they tend to want to lift the piece up off the table.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Nickp said:


> Thanks, Dan for posting this...this is a great idea and definitely worth trying. Currently, I am using a short fence just at the front edge of the blade. The short fence is generally always on the saw as I don't have a riving knife on it (ole arn).
> 
> So I'm wondering how you get the strip out after you cut it with this setup...? Do you just push another through it...? I thought I would ask before I get myself in trouble when I try it...:smile:


Pushing the next piece thru will do it, or pulling the last piece thu will do it to. The blade is enclosed in the block so it is safe to reach over and pull the strip out.
Herb


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Nick; sort of following on from Charles' points. Yes, I usually have another piece ready to follow on, but I also have a sacrificial stick that has the kerf in the same location as the width of the strips I'm cutting, for pushing it on through.
I can honestly say that there hasn't been any downsides (so far). certainly no flutter or lifting ... that's the point of the rip guard.
I'm certainly not suggesting that anybody should give up a system that works for them, but rather that here's an additional technique to add to your arsenal.
I've mentioned in other threads the availability of 7 1/4" and 8 1/4" _very_ thin kerf rip blades which work well on a 10" TS...you might want to whip up a new zero clearance insert specifically for the thinner blades. Less chance of the ripped strips dropping into the open slot.
Waaay less wastage, and easier material handling for the thin stock, using the smaller thinner blades.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

The zero clearance insert is essential when doing really thin stock. Without it the wood can bow downward under the pressure of the cut it can snap off at the edge of the wide insert. You want the blade to shear the wood off and you need the ZC insert to do that.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Heh...kinda stating the obvious, but your push stick _can't be thicker_ than your working material.


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

...and now that I think of it, this might not work for me unless I give up the short fence for this operation. The reason for the short fence is for the piece to fall away from the blade after the cut. If I incorporate this AND the short fence I won't be able to push the next piece through because it will have fallen off in the space. However, since I haven't had the need for short strips it might just work if I pull the strip out after the last one. I'm really liking this idea so I'm gonna try it...who knows, it's about time for an improvement and this looks like it.

Thanks for the extra info you guys...


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Nickp said:


> ...and now that I think of it, this might not work for me unless I give up the short fence for this operation. The reason for the short fence is for the piece to fall away from the blade after the cut. If I incorporate this AND the short fence I won't be able to push the next piece through because it will have fallen off in the space. However, since I haven't had the need for short strips it might just work if I pull the strip out after the last one. I'm really liking this idea so I'm gonna try it...who knows, it's about time for an improvement and this looks like it.
> 
> Thanks for the extra info you guys...


Nick it will work, because you have to bolt/clamp a wooden sacrificial board to the fence to keep any thin pieces from sliding under the steel fence.Make it as long as the back edge of the saw. even tho you might not need it will work for thicker pieces anyway.
Herb


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Thanks for pointing that out, Herb. My sacrificial dado fence is tight to the table so that didn't even come to mind. There's enough slop in the Tee bolt slot in the fence and Tee bolts themselves that my dado fence drops down tight automatically.


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