ripping long pieces, best method on BT3100

[steve_b]

I am needing to rip 8' long 3/4" x 10" wide popular into 3/4" x 2" x 8'.
I have a rip blade, tuned BT3100 (cuts straight etc) but I will add temp in-feed and out-feed supports. I'm looking for help from the experienced on setup and method to maximize my ability to get the best cut possible (basically keeping the work piece against the fence and achieving a constant feed of the wood thru the blade)
I have, as well, a feather board to work against the fence and a second from the top down (never used and will need to make a mount). Should I have the finish piece (2" ) between the blade and the fence? or have a setup that has the finished piece as the off piece? Also I'm RH'd but typically work from the left side of the blade pushing material. Should I put the fence on the left side instead, so I'm not working over the blade as well.

Regards

S

[dbhost]

So let's see...

#1. Properly tuned BT? Check.
#2. Infeed support? Check.
#3. Outfeed support? Check.
#4. Featherboard? Check.
#5. Proper riving knife (I am assuming this as part of properly tuned...) Check...

Seems like you are good to go...

[pelligrini]

If it were me; I'd put the fence on the right of my rip blade, use a side featherboard, take off my shark guard and leave the riving knife, and set up my pair of Grripers to push the boards through. I'd probably cut the material a little wider than the desired 2" and then run them through the thickness planer for final sizing. The crosscuts would be left for last as there might be a little snipe at the ends from the planer.

[Knottscott]

How about a ZCI?

[vaking]

I would put fence to the right of the blade, finished 2" piece between blade and fence. This way if you need several identical finished pieces - you can get them all without moving the fence. The only thing you will need to change is adjust the featherboard as the board is getting narrower. You should be able to get 4 finished pieces out of a 1X10 board. You will not need to reach accross the blade except the last cut when board is too narrow to push from the left of the blade. Make sure to have push stick handy for the last cut.

[Rich P]

I'd set the fence up the way you normally use it. Set the fence for your 2" cut to the right of the blade as others have suggested. Infeed and outfeed support are of course a must. A featherboard to the left should be enough if your infeed and outfeed are properly aligned with the saw table. As mentioned above, a push stick is a must and you'll probably want to use it on all cuts to clear the piece from the right side of the blade. I usually try to have a helper on longer cuts in case something gets hung up on the outfeed side.

[phi1l]

For something that long I like to add a good straight board to extend the fence to the infeed side to insure a nice straight start to the cut. .. But that's just me.

[John Fox]

Safe rip cuts

I have this for long safe rip cuts. http://www.youtube.com/user/eurekazo...30/dPgdY9IDVoM

[cwsmith]

I do a lot of ripping of 1 x 10 x 8 ft boards on my BT3100-1. To date, it's mostly been pine though, with only a couple of smaller red oak pieces.

I've also ripped some 1 x 10 x 12 ft boards too.

Setup includes a sacrificial board clamped to left side of my fence. Fence placed at 2" from the right side of the blade. The sacrificial board extends the fence by about eight inches.

I have two roller stands (Craftsman) adjusted for proper height and one placed on outfeed side and the other on infeed.

Stock blade guard in place, blade adjusted to proper height, and stock placed against fence, where it's guided though the cut. I stand to the left of the stock... not convenient for getting at the switch, but the power recepticle is only inches away on my left side.

I try my best to move the stock through the cut with consistant and proper speed, being careful to not push it beyond the blade's capacity. I keep a push stick ready for the last foot of the cut and for pushing the stock past the blade.

BTW, the outfeed roller stand is positioned at the balance point of the stock... in other words, when the stock passes beyond the blade, the stock still rests on the back edge of the table and on the roller stand. At that point is isn't going to fall to the floor or continue to roll beyond the stand.

I hope this helps,

CWS

[JimD]

I would put the fence on the right, also. I would also have a push stick handy for when you are completing the cut.

I keep a piece of melamine about 4 inches tall with a t-slot near the top semi-permanently on my rip fence. It is longer than the fence so it supports the board earlier and later during rip cuts. It might be worth making something like this. The t-slot is useful for feather boards. The other thing I like to use is a wheeled arrangement I bought a long time ago. It clamps to the board and two rollers push down and slightly into the board. It helps keep the board against the rip fence and also helps protect against kick-back. I think these are worthwhile but it would take a few days to order it and get it delivered.

Jim

[steve_b]

Thanks everyone. I will be making a fence extension ..

[pelligrini]

There is a long rip fence extrusion that was offered by Ryobi. It's the same profile as the miter fence, but much longer. I'll use it sometimes with long rips, but more often as a long miter fence on the SMT. The Ryobi kit comes with t-nuts, left & right stop blocks, fence attaching plates, and a support plate that goes on the bottom of the long fence to provide some material support on the end hanging off the table. I find it pretty handy at times.

Craftsman used to offer it, but I'm not sure anymore.

[SARGE..g-47]

I would also go fence right and feather left with good piece between.. in and out support is very critical and even with a feather keep pressure on the stock keeping it tight to the fence. Not a BT in this case but I used to do the same thing with one years ago as the principle is the same on stock to 14' to get strips for making moldings. Do a few test cuts on scrap to get the feel as once you get used to it... no sweat.

Good luck...