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Re: Table saw
By:Paul G. Jacobson
Date: 1/28/2000, 2:49 am
In Response To: Table saw (Steve Groufsky)

I usually use my radial arm saw -- but if I was going to use a table saw I would use the same techniques. Infeed and outfeed table, or other supports for the board and strip are very important. They can be very simple affairs and still be effective.

I like a long fence. It keeps the board feeding straight. With a table saw I would clamp a 4 to 6 foot long board to the existing fence to provide a nice long fence. If you use a wide board you can clamp a feather board onto this to keep the board on the table.

If you are using feather boards from the side to put your board against the fence, you will find that after each strip you cut you will need to readjust these. If you are cutting strips from 8 boards, cut a strip from each board before you readjust the feather boards. Then run the 8 boards through and cut another strip from each. Since you are narrowing each board by the same amount you should be able to do more cutting and less adjusting.

I use a few small wedges, made from scraps of strips, to keep the strip from wiggling around. After I get about 3 feet of wood past the blade I drop the wedge into the kerf, where it sits for a while, keeping the gap open between the board and the strip. After I cut another few feet I drop another wedge in. No pressure on these. They just sit in there with their almost non-existent weight. Eventually the strip curves away and the first wedges fall out, but the later ones are in there doing the job.

I flip the boards as I cut them. If I feed in the top of a board for one strip, I'll feed in the bottom for the next pass. I'm not sure why, but when I don't do this my last strips seem to have a slight taper. Flipping the boards eliminates this, and is simple to do.

Using a narrow kerf RIP saw blade is a good thing. A planer blade is supposed to give smoother strips. A 7 or 7 1/4 inch blade can usualy be used on a table saw, and as the smaller diameter blades are made from thinner metal you'll not only pay less for a good quality blade, but have a smaller kerf and turn less lumber into sawdust.

Hope this helps

Paul G. Jacobson

Messages In This Thread

Table saw
Steve Groufsky -- 1/26/2000, 7:50 pm
Re: Table saw
Robert Sonday -- 1/30/2000, 2:19 pm
Re: Table saw
Paul G. Jacobson -- 1/28/2000, 2:49 am
Re: Table saw
Steve Groufsky -- 1/28/2000, 1:57 pm
Re: Ripping with a radial saw
Don Beale -- 1/28/2000, 6:20 pm
Re: Table saw
Tim Smith -- 1/28/2000, 3:22 pm
Re: Table saw
Paul G. Jacobson -- 1/28/2000, 6:28 pm
Re: Table saw
Tim Smith -- 1/30/2000, 3:48 pm
Band saw
Paul G. Jacobson -- 1/30/2000, 7:31 pm
Re: Table saw
Nolan -- 1/27/2000, 6:44 pm
Re: Push sticks
Don B -- 1/27/2000, 10:38 pm
Re: Push sticks
Rehd -- 1/28/2000, 12:04 am
Re: Table saw
Steve Groufsky -- 1/27/2000, 8:11 pm
Re: Table saw
Nolan -- 1/30/2000, 9:25 am
Re: Table saw
Tony Ling -- 1/27/2000, 1:25 pm
Re: Table saw
Tim Smith -- 1/27/2000, 1:03 pm