question for you wood workers

[Markst95]

I need to rip some 1/2 x 1/2 x 14" wood pieces out of various size pieces of wood, some as small as 3x3x14" on my tablesaw. I need to make alot of these and am worried about kickback from using the rip fence. Anyone have an idea for a jig or possibly something readymade that hooks to the mitre gauge that would work? Thanks, Mark.

[Steve Laume]

Mark, I would use feather boards and a push stick. Never use the miter gauge and the fence in combination as that is just asking for a kick back. If you have a well tuned table saw, 1/2" squares, 14" long should not present any problems.

http://lumberjocks.com/Gord/blog/2080

I have a quote in my shop: "safety is a matter of self respect". As a companion to that I have learned that if something doesn't seem safe, take the time to create a set up that does, Steve.

[Bob Ohler]

I agree with Steve. But remember, it is not the fence that causes the kickback. It is when the work binds between the blade and the fence that a problem is created.

For cut-off operations, there is a technique that allows use of the miter gauge and the fence at the same. (This is called the stop block method and goes way beyond the topic of Cape Dorys and ripping wood.) Again, this is for crosscuts, not ripping.

Use the fence with a push-stick (make your own to suit), don't stand immediately behind the work and you will do fine ripping these pieces.

[Markst95]

I need to do ALOT of these pieces and was hoping to not use the rip fence, as I've already been bit once using a couple of push sticks. Couldn't I make a jig that ran in the mitre guage slot with some type of clamp attached to the top? Also I've seen some pics on a rip sled which looks promising.

[Dixon Hemphill]

And NEVER stand directly behind your saw --- always to one side. Another must is to wear a safety shield.

[Oswego John]

Markst95

If it is at all possible, ask a friend if you can use his radial arm saw. You can easily set up a low stop block to use as a fence to ensure same width multiple production rips.

Also clamp a wooden stop that is 90° from the blade path to rest the board being ripped.

Good luck,
O J

[JAS]

Markst95-
As an amateur woodworker I can agree (from experience) that kickback should be avoided. Kickback arises from the upward lift of the blade against the just or about to be cut wood surface. That surface must receive counter pressure. This may come from a proper push stick or feather board. A clamp on the miter gauge may leave the cut off, working, piece subject to sailing.
I suggest using the fence and push with push stick and when stock gets thin, consider push blocks for both sides of blade.

[Dick Barthel]

Once again I am amazed at the resources on this board. And if Steve hadn't already posted I was just going to say that "I go along with whatever Steve is going to say." But he beat me to the punch.

[SPIBob]

To add to previous remarks, kick back on a table saw while ripping happens to me most when the angle of attack of the saw blade teeth changes from down into the wood to back against the wood, i.e., back toward me. This usually happens when I let the piece of wood rise up off the table saw top as I feed it into the blade.

This can happen if I push the piece into the blade too fast or if the piece is too long and the back end drops down because it is not supported to keep it level.

Raising the blade level can help. If the top of the saw blade teeth is just barely above the piece I'm sawing, that's asking for trouble. Cranking the blade up will give the teeth a more downward cutting angle and make kickback less of a threat.

Ripping 14" pieces should be a piece of cake. Keep them perfectly flat on the table top and let the blade do its work as you slowly feed them in.

[Steve Laume]

In my first response, I mentioned a well tuned saw. There are lots of things you could do to reduce the chance of kick back or just cutting off you fingers because they are too close to the blade and you get a bit careless.

One thing that I find helps a lot is to keep the saw table in good order. Scotch bright or steel wool then a good coat of butcher's wax will allow you to push things through in a smooth and predictable manner. The insert plate should be flush with the saw table. Fence alignment is very important. If the outfeed side of the fence is pinching the work, it will try to lift the work and spit it back at you. A high quality, clean, sharp blade with the appropriate tooth pattern will also have a major effect. I run blade stabilizers on my saw. They are heavy, machined, large diameter flanges that replace the shaft washers and help to reduce vibration.

When ripping cedar strips that are 1/4" X 3/4" I switch to a 7 & 1/2" thin kerf blade in my 10" table saw. I originally did this to deduce waste in saw kerfs. I have found that the little blade runs very quiet and moves through the material with very little resistance. Less blade surface exposed to the material would also reduce the possibility of kick back.

I must also admit that I have had my share of mishaps in a life time of wood working but have not severed anything completely. Knock on wood, Steve.

[Markst95]

I still don't like the idea of having the rip fence and the blade so close. I'm really looking for a way to get rid of the fence or at least have it farther away. I'm thinking of making something like this. The only problem I see is since the pieces of wood I'm using are small, I don't know it these clamps would hold it well enough.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnFxLxqnRWM

btw anyone know the name of the clamps he's using???

[S/V Necessity]

If you make a push stick out of a 16" long 2x4 you will be able to fully capture the piece under the push stick and will have no risk of kick back. Pm me your e-mail address and I'll send you a pic of what I am suggesting. It works very well. Early on in my woodworking carreer I got wacked in the man parts by a piece of thin plywood (due to improper cutting technique on a table saw). It was not pleasant... So I can understand your concern.

[K Chiswell]

I too like to use a push stick. I cut a piece of scrap 3/4 ply, make sure there is a flat 6" to 8" long to help hold the stock down and a hook to hold the back edge. I have ripped strips for several canoes as well as ripping 2" wide by 3/16" strips of hard maple. You can just run the blade right through the stick and it holds both side of the blade. Let me know if you would like a picture

good luck

[Maine_Buzzard]

They are toggle clamps.

http://woodworking.rockler.com/search?a ... Search.y=0

Make a sled just like in the video (actually make two- a fixed one and a floating one.) Clamp the fixed one to the table saw top, and use the toggle clamps on a sacrificial piece of wood. Have a stop block to hold the strip at the width needed and slide the moving sled to cut the pieces. For 14" it could be shorter than the video.

The fixed piece is to support the soon to be cut side of the board on the other side of the table saw.

One day, I'll get a Sawstop cabinet saw and hope I never need it.

[Bill Goldsmith]

They are toggle clamps.

http://woodworking.rockler.com/search?a ... Search.y=0

Make a sled just like in the video (actually make two- a fixed one and a floating one.) Clamp the fixed one to the table saw top, and use the toggle clamps on a sacrificial piece of wood. Have a stop block to hold the strip at the width needed and slide the moving sled to cut the pieces. For 14" it could be shorter than the video.

The fixed piece is to support the soon to be cut side of the board on the other side of the table saw.

One day, I'll get a Sawstop cabinet saw and hope I never need it.

Ditto as to the sled. A crosscut sled is the single most useful jig to add to any table saw. It's good for repeatable cuts, becuase you can clamp a stop block exactly where you want it. And it's safe to cut small pieces if you use stop blocks and sacrificial push sticks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE9f4bp_wm8