Shopsmith Forums

I don't know why, and the answer may be I'm developing a new anxiety of my tool...but whenever i do this kind of rip cut on my saw, it feels ackward/unsafe.

Specifically , the part that bothers me is that my paddles/push sticks either don't fit in the gap between the fence+blade, or it doesn't feel like
I am able to apply downward/inward toward fence force during the movement. This may all just be in my head

The -over the fence slide push stick- that is shown (red) from shopsmith feels the most right, but it bothers me that the contact to the wood is that thin strip of plastic that runs right next to the fence, leaving a good 2+" of wood unsupported as you go from the fence to the blade.

Do you guys think this is a good approach for thin rips , I am actually only wanting a 3/8" rip from the edge of the board.

Do you asgree that there is something unsafe about this setup?

I'd love to hear some alternatives .. the saw has been sitting in this config for a day now because I'm uncomfortable with this approach and I have a lot of rips to do

The only other idea I have is to make a purpose designed pushstick to handle this type of configuration.

thanks

I feel the same as you. With the "heel" of the fence straddler all the way at one side of the workpiece, it's applying a "yaw" torque to the workpiece as you push. Once the workpiece is beyond the featherboard, I don't trust the slippery plastic bottom edge of the straddler to reliably counteract that torque.

Below is my favorite type of push stick/shoe. Woodcraft currently sells this one for $20. Mine is an older Craftsman-branded yellow one, and I'm under the impression that Craftsman no longer sells them. But it looks almost like it could have come out of the same mold.
It has lots of scales and such on it, but I rarely if ever use them, as I have more accurate instruments. But the basic configuration -- medium thin, with a pistol grip well up above the blade -- offers tons of workpiece control. The black vinyl boot near the bottom front is intended as a high-friction point to grip the workpiece and allow you to apply side force and/or torque. FWIW, I've noticed that The Wood Whisperer uses one just like mine in his videos.

The vinyl boot works pretty well, and I used it stock for years. But a year or two ago, I bought a roll of pressure-sensitive-adhesive backed sandpaper, and decided to stick a strip of that stuff to the bottom of the shoe. That turned it from a good push shoe into a GREAT one. The grip and control of the workpiece are outstanding.

Here's a pic of mine with the PSA sandpaper:

If you use PSA sandpaper for the high-friction grip, and don't care about the scales and angle references, a shoe with a similar shape made from a scrap of 1/2" plywood could be just as good.

Thanks Dennis - so maybe I'm not going crazy .. you explained it very nicely what i feel (yaw) that worries me.

I do have a push stick like this , from some set i bought, but this thing feels even less certain on this type of cut. It just doesnt make solid contact/grip to the board .
I guess I need to make something.

b

Never done a lot of thin rips on my Shopsmith, but needed it from time to time. I have used the fence straddler, before I installed my Jessem Clear Cut Guides on my 520 fence. I like the fence straddler, but I understand and agree with your concerns. When I go to do them again, I will need a new solution as well, so let me know if you find something you thinks works better for this than the straddler. Also, I have never been a big fan of feather boards near the sawblade, but maybe that is just me. I have seen products like Woodpeckers Thin Rip Guide and wondered how well they work. I know it is expensive, but wondering if it might be worth improvising your own version of something like this.

https://www.woodpeck.com/thin-rip-guide.html

Try this solution. Works like charm.
Shopsmith expert Scott Markwood affectionally named "Jack the Stripper".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9Rt3IkcW08

Doc

chiroindixon wrote: Mon Aug 04, 2025 4:28 pm Try this solution. Works like charm.
Shopsmith expert Scott Markwood affectionally named "Jack the Stripper".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9Rt3IkcW08

Doc

Scott's fingers are coming awfully close to the blade with his approach though. I would feel more comfortable if a push stick was used on his method to push his jig + piece he is cutting through the blade. I've seen this before and I forgot about him recommending this - it could definitely be a good option. Just watch out for those fingers!

Have you looked at the Microjig GRR-Ripper? A little pricey, but an excellent safety investment.

Yea- tried Scotts approach awhile back, still wasn't fully satisfied with it. I should go look at that again for this cut-i still have the jig somewhere.

Gripper-I have one, but I find that many times, it cannot be adjusted to work for a particular cut for various reasons.
For the cut shown, I find it gets bound up in the riving knife pawls and wouldnt alllow for a smooth cut.

b

Ripping something narrow and short on a table saw is a challenge. I'd suggest ripping that piece on a bandsaw. There are jigs you could create for the table saw. Piece of plywood perhaps 12" wide and 18" to 24" long that runs on the fence. Mount a couple of clamps to hold the work piece over the edge.

I'm not sure this operation can feel comfortable given the small workpiece. It looks like it is too short to engage the riving knife before the cut goes through, and certainly too short to engage the riving knife before employing the push device. I'd be a lot more comfortable with a workpiece at least two to four times this long. Then I feel you could adjust the rip fence to your 3/8" rip and use the Shopsmith fence straddler to finish the cut. All things considered I like the bandsaw idea, combined with the conical disc to clean up the edge between repetitive cuts if that's what you are doing. Because the workpiece is too small to safely joint too.

- David