Ripping small & narrow pieces on table saw

[Niki]

Good day

I had to rip a few small pieces for some router table aid/fixture and I would like to share with you the method.

I'm using an Auxiliary fence clamped to the rip fence...now, when I'm saying Aux fence.... give me some good width say, 100~150 mm....you don't like to "drive" in congested areas, do you...

Before clamping the aux fence, give it a pass through the blade just to make sure that its parallel and consistent in width.

As you will see, I'm holding both hands on the trowel and that, doesn't leave too many hands or fingers to be used as a "Backer board" for the workpiece...saves a lot of money... :wink:

Regards
niki

 

[gidon]

Excellent Niki - well done.
I wonder if it'd be safer if you could have a sacrificial base to your auxiliary fence - the same height as the cross cut sled? I'm not so sure on the piece being unsupported between the cut and the auxiliary fence?
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Rich]

As usual Niki, beautifully photographed and easily explained, what make of tablesaw do you have, it's almost zero clearance on the blade.
regards,
Rich.

 

[Niki]

Thank you so much

Gidon
I never had problem with the off-cut pieces and I took the pictures leaving the pieces as they fall without touching them so you can see how they are pushed off the blade.

But you can make another L shape support and clamp it to the fence but it will serve only one width...i.e., if I want to cut pieces of say, 10 or 15mm, I would have to make different support width for each width.

Rich
It's the Metabo (well, Elektra Beckum) PK 255 and it should have 3mm space from each side of the blade...according to the manual.

Regards
niki

 

[Woodmagnet]

Well done again Niki on a great tutorial. :wink:

 

[Mark.R]

Well presented and I have certainly learnt from this. However, are there any suggestions for cutting long narrow pieces? I have carried this out before for our bathroom. I had to cut long beads in oak and will be doing the same for our kitchen that I will be scratch building soon.

The reason I ask if there are any suggestions for long narrow lengths (ie 5mm thick) is that you are working extremely close to the blade. I do use a narrow push stick, but it still feels uncomfortable due to the danger.

The use of the sliding carriage is not possible for long narrow lengths.

Any suggestions?

Mark.hr

 

[kafkaian]

Excellent, thank you - although don't like the idea of putting a hand through an object that has only one route of escape.

 

[Niki]

Thank you so much

Kafkaian
If you'll try the method, you'll see that actually your body and hands are totally on the left of the blade.

I don't think that you have "only one route of escape"...the trowel is not clamped to the sled and you can move your hand, with the trowel, at any given second of the cut...not only but, normally in case of emergency, we instinctively move our hands toward us (or toward our body) and the fact that your both hands and your body are on the left side of the blade does not forces you to go over the blade...

Long time ago, I was using a homemade table saw and I located the fence (and the large part of the table) on the left side of the blade just because it looked to me very natural (leading with my left hand...even pass the blade...and pushing with my right hand)...there was no even one case that one of my hands was over the blade, guarded or not (well, it was not)...but then, the manufacturers had to put also the sliders or at least sliding table so they must put the fence on the right side of the blade...

Mark
Try those posts
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... highlight=

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... highlight=


A few more pics

 

[kafkaian]

If you'll try the method, you'll see that actually your body and hands are totally on the left of the blade. I don't think that you have "only one route of escape"...the trowel is not clamped to the sled and you can move your hand, with the trowel, at any given second of the cut...

Thanks for clarifying. My concerns would have been a) if the handle was in anyway impeded at any given time leaving the hand with only a single direction "pull out", and b) if a projectile/slither of wood somehow got stuck in the handle with the hand.