Rip Cut Binding

[wassaw998]

What would be the cause of a rip cut on a TS binding ? I've had this happen on the BT31x, and now on my new Jet TS. As the board goes past the blade and through the splitter it starts to bind, gets to where I cannot push the wood. I know it seems like an obvious thing, but, it ain't ! Last night I was cutting up some red oak, could it be the boards have some serious internal twisting, or, has my blade gone dull, or, - well, not likely that the fence is out of alignment, and I checked the splitter.. All I can think of is the thin kerf blade I am using is too thin for the splitter and on a dense wood like the oak, the gap is too narrow, or the gap is closing down a bit and binding...[?]

Thanks.

[monte]

I've seen this problem where the cut closes up a couple of times when I've been ripping some flat sawn wood that was tempered when it was kiln dried. It's due to an internal stress in the wood.

[LarryG]

Like Monte my first suspect would be the workpiece closing up due to internal stresses. However, a mismatch between the blade and splitter thicknesses could certainly do it, if your saw's splitter is sized for a full-kerf blade.

One trick you might try is to keep a couple-few wedge-shaped shims handy (the kind that cost a buck a pack), pre-broken off so their thinner ends are roughly equal to the blade's thickness. As the workpiece clears the splitter, reach back and jam a shim into the kerf to keep it from closing up.

[gmack5]

The fact that this problem has occured on TWO different Saws, with two different pieces of stock, leads me to believe that your technique may be at fault.

If we can assume that the Splitter is properly alligned and positioned, then I'd add a Feather Board to help keep the stock tight against the Rip Fence and another one to keep it tight to the Table Top (mounted to your Rip Fence).

Sometimes if you push your stock without a Feather Board to hold it in place, the stock will wander away from the Rip Fence, creating the allusion of "Binding". This can be VERY dangerous and MAY cause a Kick-back!

[leehljp]

You did mention one thing that was not addressed in the above answers > Thin Kerf blade. In making my first riving knife, I chose aluminum material that was was something slightly less than .01 inch thicker (1/100). No big deal I thought. But it was major!

If your splitter is made for a standard blade and you are using a thin kerf, that can definately add to your problems!

You can test it to see if the problem is the splitter being too thick by doing this:
Get a piece of scrap 3/4 plywood about 18 inches wide and run it through as a cross cut. (Do not use it against the rip fence). If it locks up on the splitter, then the problem is the splitter being too thick for the thin kerf blade.

If not, then the answers above will be where your problem lies. 99% of the time, you can eliminate the splitter as the culprit by using a 3/4 plywood cut (which is stabilized). If it cuts fine, then the problem will be 1. the fence. 2. alignment of the splitter, or 3. the wood itself, and not in that order.

My personal feeling is that you do not have a splitter that is close to 1/8 in thick, but it could be.

[Tom Miller]

Ditto what Lee said re: thin kerf blade with 1/8" splitter as the possible culprit.

You can easily check (and rule out) if the problem is due to stress in the wood. When you experience binding, stop the saw before finishing the cut. Then pull the work piece out and see if either the kerf is closing on itself, or opening up, or if either or both sides are twisting, etc.

Regards,
Tom

[wassaw998]

The splitter is indeed thicker than the blade - not sure if the blade has wore down some or what not, cause the splitter is around .090" and the blade is around .084" - so I don't think the splitter is even what would be called a full kerf one. (If my math is right, 1/8 is like .125"). I did check the BT31 Splitter, and it is thinner - close to .072").

Plus to top it off, the oak had a rather wavy grain pattern and it was doing some mild twisting on me as I ripped it. I swapped out to an old full kerf blade I had and completed the ripping. Thanks for the help !

[Knottscott]

You'll want to double check the alignment of everything, especially the splitter. Any toe in of the fence and blade is bad. Since splitter is a hair thicker than the blade, you may want to grind it down some. A dull or dirty blade won't help, but it shouldn't case severe binding on it's own.

[Jim-Iowa]

While it is not related to this problem, I want to inject a quick friendly warning. When ripping thin strips, be more careful of your material selection. knots and voids in the material can cause ugly problems. Once while ripping strips on a radial arm saw, I had one break off at the knot and shoot a 3 ft 1/2" strip back at me.
Fortunately the only part of my anatomy in the path was my pinky finger on my right hand. took the second knuckle and rolled all the hide back. When I wrapped it up in my T-Shirt and went to the house to tell the wife I though I might should got to the hospital, Her response was" Yes I think so you dumb ass". a few stitches and a sore reminder to be more careful and selective.
Now I am careful to select stock that is straight grained with no flaws for ripping strips.

[Stytooner]

.090 is the thickness I use for thin kerf splitters and RK's. They work well enough when adjusted correctly for standard kerf blades as well.
Most standard kerf blades have a .125" kerf. Most thin kerf blades have a .100" kerf.
The blade you are using may be a micro kerf blade. [)][8D] Never heard of a carbide toothed 10" blade that was less than about a tenth of an inch. I know steel toothed blades may cut a thinner kerf. Circular saw blades may as well, especially the thin kerf circiular saw blades.
Did I miss what kind of blade you are using?
That is most certainly the main problem though. Blades too thin or the splitters too thick.

[zootroy]

Jim,
What a coincidence. My wife said the same thing to me when I stuck a chisel into my left index finger.

[wassaw998]

Lee - fyi per your question - Blade is an IRWIN MARATHON - manuf says the blade has a .095" kerf, so I suspect measuring a single tooth like I did was not a valid way to get the saw kerf.

[Stytooner]

Thanks Chris. That is good to know. That means that some of my TK splitters will approach actual kerf on these blades. When this happens there is a lot more instance of catching or pinching on the splitter. Not as much on a riving knife, but a splitter typically sits a little further from the blade. Probably the ideal location where stock will start to close up.
I suggest two things. In this instance, its mandatory that the splitter be aligned with fair pecision to the fence siide of the blade kerf. This will keep the stock from wanting to wander away from the fence.
Second suggestion is to slick that splitter up with some wax.
Kep us informed as to how this works out.

[wassaw998]

Thanks - I really appreciate the help. I totally do not like the blade guard / splitter on this saw (Jet JWTS-10JF / 708301). Does the shark guard you have for the Jet saw fit this one also ?

[Stytooner]

Ubetcha.
http://www.leestyron.com/jetts10jf.php