[DaninVan]

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?

 

[DesertRatTom]

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.

 

[DaninVan]

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.

 

[Herb Stoops]

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

 

[woodworker47]

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

 

[sreilly]

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

 

[TenGees]

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

 

[Cherryville Chuck]

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.

 

[Herb Stoops]

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

 

[DaninVan]

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.

 

[Herb Stoops]

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

 

[DaninVan]

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.

 

[JFPNCM]

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.

 

[Herb Stoops]

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

 

[DesertRatTom]

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.

 

[Cherryville Chuck]

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

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.

 

[JFPNCM]

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

 

[Stick486]

something to consider....

.

 

[Herb Stoops]

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

 

[chessnut2]

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.

Herb

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