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| Tips For Ripping Narrow 1/4" Brace Mat. http://www-.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=10376 |
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| Author: | LarryH [ Sun Jan 14, 2007 4:01 am ] |
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Trying to set up my table saw to rip my braces at 1/4" and wondered what safety steps you take for such a narrow rip? Anyone use the Saw-Aid? Or a similar type push stick? thanks Larry |
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| Author: | Serge Poirier [ Sun Jan 14, 2007 4:24 am ] |
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Larry, for something as narrow as 1/4" wide, i'd use a featherboard on the TS, i don't have a pic but if you google search it, you'll certainly find one... |
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| Author: | Serge Poirier [ Sun Jan 14, 2007 5:09 am ] |
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Thanks for the tips here Todd! |
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| Author: | LarryH [ Sun Jan 14, 2007 5:56 am ] |
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Thanks for the tips! I used a sacrificial push stick made in 2 minutes from 3/4" plywood. Used a shape found everywhere on the internet. Just cut right through the bottom of it. Worked great. 
You can see the simple notch cut by the saw. 
Felt really safe and I hope it helps someone else. Did not use a feather board but will have one built soon. |
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| Author: | Rod True [ Sun Jan 14, 2007 5:59 am ] |
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Larry, I would also add to the advise here that you make or use a splitter so the 1/4" material will not wonder back towards the blade, although I would think that you will be sanding or planing to final dimensions anyway. So I use a push stick and a splitter, also make sure that the blade just cuts the brace stock, you don't need it very high of course (safety precaution) |
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| Author: | JohnAbercrombie [ Sun Jan 14, 2007 9:01 am ] |
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I've ripped a few thousand feet of 1/4 strips for canoes and kayaks. Above advice about push sticks is good, though I prefer something longer and skinnier- I like to watch the blade and cut at all times. The essential thing IMO that hasn't been mentioned is a partial fence ( a flat piece of wood/mdf at least 3/4 inch thick) clamped or screwed to your infeed side of the regular rip fence. This add-on fence should end just at the point where your strip is cut free from the blade. You can then push your thin cut strip into a nice wide space between the blade and the regular saw fence, with a quick flick of your push stick. Without the partial fence, binding and kickback will be more of an issue. John |
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| Author: | Dave Rickard [ Sun Jan 14, 2007 10:43 am ] |
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Thats a good idea John. I'll try that next time. Thanks! |
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| Author: | Don Williams [ Sun Jan 14, 2007 2:02 pm ] |
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My advice, which some may or may not value, would be to rip over-sized, and sand to the final thickness. I like John's suggestion of using longer sticks that keep your hands well away from the blade. Either longer or taller or anything to keep your hands clear is good. Table saw blades, jointers, router tables, shapers etc. all can be very dangerous to your digits. You can't play guitars without fingers. Today at the NEL meeting, Mike Mahar told me about a friend of his who is a very good guitarist who just lost half of two fingers on his left hand in a jointer accident. Of course he's right handed, so he's going to have a bear of a time relearning to finger the strings with stubs... Just thought I'd throw in a little safety talk. We can never get enough of it. |
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| Author: | Serge Poirier [ Sun Jan 14, 2007 2:29 pm ] |
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[QUOTE=Don Williams] My advice, which some may or may not value, would be to rip over-sized, and sand to the final thickness. I like John's suggestion of using longer sticks that keep your hands well away from the blade. Either longer or taller or anything to keep your hands clear is good. Table saw blades, jointers, router tables, shapers etc. all can be very dangerous to your digits. You can't play guitars without fingers. Today at the NEL meeting, Mike Mahar told me about a friend of his who is a very good guitarist who just lost half of two fingers on his left hand in a jointer accident. Of course he's right handed, so he's going to have a bear of a time relearning to finger the strings with stubs... Just thought I'd throw in a little safety talk. We can never get enough of it. [/QUOTE] Don, very good advice on ripping oversize and sanding down to final thickness, very good post too, i need my fingers to play guitar, thanks bud! |
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| Author: | Anthony Z [ Sun Jan 14, 2007 2:56 pm ] |
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What do you fellows thing of Lee Valley's Magnetic Feather board and hold down attachment? |
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| Author: | Serge Poirier [ Sun Jan 14, 2007 3:52 pm ] |
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Thanks for that link Anthony, sounds very interesting, i'll check that tool with attention, next time i'm at the store and will give my report! Todd, now that makes a lot of sense, thanks coach! |
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| Author: | Lillian F-W [ Mon Jan 15, 2007 4:02 am ] |
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While I was looking for something else yesterday, I came across these at Lee Valley and these at Rockler. I've used rare earth magnets for jigs and they are great. You just have to be careful how you handle them, especially the big ones. You don't want any flesh between them and whatever they are try to attach themselves to. A friend used them for his featherboards. Had to put a lever on the back to get them up. Couldn't get his fingers under it and it was too hard to push it across the top. |
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| Author: | Colin S [ Mon Jan 15, 2007 9:18 am ] |
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When making braces, like everyone here  I first split it down. Then I set the table on the BANDSAW to the correct angle against the split face and saw of my brace stock oversize with that. I personnally never feel comfortable using the table saw for cuts like that. I then plane them to the required dimensions. Same with bindings, I always use the bandsaw.
Colin |
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| Author: | Anthony Z [ Mon Jan 15, 2007 11:42 am ] |
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Lillian thanks for the links I missed those in the latest Lee Valley catologue. How cool is that - magnets with an "on" and "off" switch. Those are great safety tips Todd et al. I prefer to cut mine on a bandsaw -- though perhaps for a different reason than Colin. I am just plain afeared of table saws. When I have to cut narrow stock I make a different kind of sacrificial fence. I set the blade distance from the fence for the desired width of cut. Then I run a piece of scrap stock through that is thicker than the height of the blade. Then clamp the sacrificial stock to the fence over the blade just proud of the height of the stock to be ripped. Next set-up the featherboard in front of the blade. The sacrificial fence keeps your fingers well clear of the blade. This method doesn't prevent the stock being ripped from being a potential projectile so I stand out of the path when pushing the stock to be cut. I use this method for ripping binding and purfling but it would work for 1/4" stock just as well. |
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| Author: | Kirt Myers [ Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:57 am ] |
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I just saw this yesterday in a woodwooking magazine. You clamp a small stop on the opposite side of the blade as your rip fence at your 1/4" dimension, and just in front of the blade, not along side it. slide the rip fence and your stock over until they hit the stop. Each cut you move the fence over until the stock hits the stop. So you are actually saving the "off-cut" pieces. Looked like a good idea. However, I like the saw oversize and either plane or sand to finish thickness routine. Kirt |
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| Author: | Colin S [ Tue Jan 16, 2007 10:03 am ] |
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[QUOTE=Anthony Z] I prefer to cut mine on a bandsaw -- though perhaps for a different reason than Colin. I am just plain afeared of table saws. [/QUOTE] No, table saws scare me as well, the day it stops scaring me is the day I get rid of it, because then it will be really dangerous. Colin |
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| Author: | Lillian F-W [ Tue Jan 16, 2007 3:19 pm ] |
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You should be afraid of table saws, of any saw for that matter. They can do a lot of damage in a very short time. I put mine in the same category as a Cotton Mouth (it's a surly snake that will strike just because you crossed his path and pissed him off). I don't trust it at all. I never turn my back on it because I know as soon as I relax its going to strike. My son, (he's 17, 9 ft tall and bullet proof, just ask him), decided that he had watched me once or twice and that was enough to know how to use the table saw. Without asking he went out to make a few cuts in a block of wood. He didn't use anything, he free handed the block through a blade that was raised about 3/4". Of course it caught and kicked back at him and when it did his hand slipped. He mangled his thumb, index and middle finger. No bone or tendon cut, just made hamburger out of them. He was more upset that he had cut himself because we are in between insurance at the moment, which we had just joked about fifteen minutes before he went out to the shop. He is very lucky. Lucky he didn't cut a finger off or that I didn't kill him. I know that I'm preaching to the choir here, but get a book on using all your power tools and review the basics, especially if you need to do something that you don't normally do. Be safe. Okay, I'll step down off my Mommy soapbox now and go change he bandages before I chew on him some more. |
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| Author: | Serge Poirier [ Tue Jan 16, 2007 3:29 pm ] |
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Got the message Lillian, well said! Before cutting with any saws, it is good to visualise what you're about to do first from every angle and anticipate what might go wrong or how you can achieve your task safely. |
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| Author: | Jim Watts [ Tue Jan 16, 2007 4:47 pm ] |
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I actually do mine like Colin and vary the angle as necessary to follow the grain. I also cut a little over size on the band saw and finish up in the thickness sander. |
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| Author: | Mark Tripp [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 6:09 am ] |
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Yup, Same as Colin, Anthony, and Jim. Safer and easier - for me anyway... -Mark |
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| Author: | Don Williams [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 7:00 am ] |
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I'm not sure why it never occured to me to use my bandsaw for ripping brace stock... but yes, I'm more comfortable with that than with my table saw. And I'm very used to using pushblocks with the bandsaw. That said I have the most respect/fear of my table saw than any of my tools because of my two angled fingertips. Now, if I'm going to do something a shade risky, my instinct is to pull away and find another way. My mind says "No way Williams!" And my hands just pull away from the tool instantly. Pain has a memory of its own...and is a powerful force. 
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| Author: | CarltonM [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 8:32 am ] |
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Heck, I've cut myself with a HAND saw! Guess I misunderstood the terminology.
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| Author: | Todd Rose [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 1:00 pm ] |
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Yup - bandsaw, cut a bit oversize, then run through Wagner planer or thickness sander. |
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| Author: | Anthony Z [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 2:49 pm ] |
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Lillian, sorry to hear about your sons mishap. That's another reason for building archtop guitars, you only have to cut enough for an "X" brace 
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| Author: | Lillian F-W [ Wed Jan 17, 2007 3:43 pm ] |
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Thank Andy. He is going to recover with complete use of his fingers. The scars shouldn't be too bad. And his momma isn't going to kill him. But more importantly, he has admitted that he doesn't know anything about using any of my tools, power or otherwise, and is willing to learn. It will be a good opportunity for the two of us to get to know each other again, especially before he graduates and sets off into the world. Who knows, he might get bitten by the building bug as well. |
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