mickyd's Woodworking Projects

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 10:35 am

Here are some pictures that I hope show how I'd cut the strips on a table saw safely. It was about 30 degrees in the shop so I didn't take a lot of time measuring. The piece of oak I found was about 1 inch thick and less than 4 inches wide.
[ATTACH]7655[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]7656[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]7657[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]7658[/ATTACH]

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 1:57 pm

pennview wrote:Here are some pictures that I hope show how I'd cut the strips on a table saw safely. It was about 30 degrees in the shop so I didn't take a lot of time measuring. The piece of oak I found was about 1 inch thick and less than 4 inches wide.
[ATTACH]7655[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]7656[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]7657[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]7658[/ATTACH]

OK! If there is center piece after the two cuts on each side, the fence need to be readjusted only for each set of four pieces. Mickyd will have a 1/8" 'center piece' with his 13/16" workpiece.

Sheesh 80+ posts and he still hasn't made sawdust yet!:D

mickyd · Post by **mickyd** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 2:04 pm

pennview wrote:Here are some pictures that I hope show how I'd cut the strips on a table saw safely. It was about 30 degrees in the shop so I didn't take a lot of time measuring. The piece of oak I found was about 1 inch thick and less than 4 inches wide.
[ATTACH]7655[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]7656[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]7657[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]7658[/ATTACH]

Great shots Art. The obvious next step would be ripping the total thickness to remove the waste center portion from both edges then repeating the process for the next group of 4 until entire board width is used. Thanks.

shipwright · Post by **shipwright** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 4:09 pm

Am I missing something again? This subject is not rocket science. Set the fence at whatever thickness you need your strips to be and cut the silly things.With my blade at the extreme right side of the stock saw slot I was able to cut repeated identical 1/8 strips. Thinner would require the now famous ZCI but thinner would also be too flexible and would ruin itself during the cut.

Disclaimer: Where I learned my trade there were no upper saw guards. We learned that safety was about awareness of danger and that all the guards in the world won't protect the unaware. Likewise if you know the condition and tendancies of your machines and your material and if you are aware of the pitfalls many guards are more trouble than they are worth. Don't make me list all the things you can't do with an upper guard in place.

Here's how I'd do it.

[ATTACH]7664[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]7665[/ATTACH]

This is how I rip if there is let's say more than 1 1/2" between the blade and the fence. My hand is perfectly safe and I have better control of the piece than I would have with a push stick. I'm perfectly comfortable with this. I'd reccommend a somewhat larger number until you gain confidence.
Next post will show how I'd rip thinner than this.

mikelst · Post by **mikelst** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 4:25 pm

I found a flier from Rocklers in the mail and they have a Dado blade on sale

it is a $90 set for $60.

Here is the link

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17335&filter=dado%20sets

shipwright · Post by **shipwright** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 4:34 pm

To rip thinner than 1 1/2", use a "shoe". They take seconds to make on the bandsaw, keep a few around all the time. It's a little like a SS fence stradler except it is wide enough to control the piece which the fence stradler isn't IMHO. Unlike the popular push stick, it is supposed to contact the blade. It is partly sawn each time it is used and therefore is able to control the piece on both sides (left and right) of the blade. Also unlike the push stick it controls the front of the piece, as well as the back. Push sticks scare me.

[ATTACH]7666[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]7667[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]7668[/ATTACH]

The cut strips to the right of the fence in the last photo are just under 1/8 thick. I had full control of the piece at all times and took no chances with my fingers.

Paul M

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 4:47 pm

Paul,

What you've shown is ripping with good technique, but that doesn't get the strips that are needed from the stock that's available, nor show how that would be done. The object here is to cut 1/4" x 1/2" strips from a piece of stock that is 4" wide by 8" long by 13/16" thick using just the table saw. No bandsaw available.

shipwright · Post by **shipwright** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 5:12 pm

Sorry Art, I didn't read the plans. I just saw what appeared to be a lot of difficult ways to perform a simple task. If the pieces have to come out of a specific piece of wood that would make a difference. 1/4" x 1/2" strips don't work to well with 13/16 material without a fair bit of waste. Length and width are fairly irrelevant. You can't get three 1/4's or one 1/4 and one 1/2 out of 13/16, so I guess I'd just rip a bunch of 1/4" strips and then rip them down to 1/2 inch and toss the waste. It still only takes two simple saw setups and plain rips. Maybe I still don't get it.

The bandsaw reference was to making the shoe. you can make them many other ways.

Paul M

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 7:15 pm

shipwright wrote:Sorry Art, I didn't read the plans. I just saw what appeared to be a lot of difficult ways to perform a simple task. If the pieces have to come out of a specific piece of wood that would make a difference. 1/4" x 1/2" strips don't work to well with 13/16 material without a fair bit of waste. Length and width are fairly irrelevant. You can't get three 1/4's or one 1/4 and one 1/2 out of 13/16, so I guess I'd just rip a bunch of 1/4" strips and then rip them down to 1/2 inch and toss the waste. It still only takes two simple saw setups and plain rips. Maybe I still don't get it.

The bandsaw reference was to making the shoe. you can make them many other ways.

Paul M

The workpiece being 'discussed' is 8" long(kinda short) x 13/16" x 4".

Mickyd initially suggested ripping through the 4" dimension in two passes(flipping it over). THAT is where the concerns posted since come from.

He needs to saw several 1/4" x 1/2" x varying length which will have 1/8: rabbets added.

His raw materials are those short cutoffs.

The 'shoe' is a great alternative to push sticks. It would make this task safer/easier.

P.S. Fancy shape not required for the 'shoe'. All that is necessary is the step at one end.

shipwright · Post by **shipwright** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 8:14 pm

JPG
I make shoes a lot of shapes and sizes. Of course you are right - the only thing that matters is the notch. I always have a bandsaw around and this shape suits my eye and my hand so they frequently look like these.

My point was that getting the strips out of the given material doesn't require much resetting of fences and making of jigs. It is a simple ripping opration. Table saws are most dangerous when cutting small pieces and the most important safety concern is to have the maximum control of the material.

Paul M