How I cut thin strips on my BT3K

[cgallery]

This has come up a few times, so I thought I'd post my solution.

This is a two piece assembly. The top attaches to the fence, and there is a t-slotted piece made from prepared 2x4 that slides up/down on that top piece.

Basically, it creates a tunnel that sits right on top of the riving knife.

Your fingers can't get close to the blade, but you do need a push stick to push shorter pieces through the tunnel.

If you can't tell by my posts, I use my Rockler slot-cutting bits and t-slot bolts/nuts quite a bit. Almost every jig I make uses it. Very handy.

[Ed62]

Cool idea. I like it. You should have mentioned the zero clearance throat plate for any newbies that might try cutting thin strips. But I did that for you.

Ed

[cgallery]

Cool idea. I like it. You should have mentioned the zero clearance throat plate for any newbies that might try cutting thin strips. But I did that for you.

Ed

Thank you Ed!!!

[JeffG78]

Thanks for the post cgallery! I don't regularly cut thin strips, but your fixture and praise for the Rockler T-slot bit gave me some great ideas. I was just about to make an aux fence like the one in "Table Saw Magic" for attaching hold down feather boards and such, but yours is much simpler and doesn't require the rails to be moved to reset the scale. I love it.

One question, did you use the single router bit that cuts the whole T-Slot in one pass, or the pair of bits - a straight 3/8" bit and a slot bit? Rockler sells both kinds. I'm heading to Rockler on Saturday and will be sure to pick up the bit(s).

One more question, can you give more details about the attachment of the rail to the top of the BT3 fence? It looks like T-nuts, but how are they tightened? Is there a reason for not using simple knobs with 5/16" bolts into the BT3 T-nuts?

[cgallery]

One question, did you use the single router bit that cuts the whole T-Slot in one pass, or the pair of bits - a straight 3/8" bit and a slot bit? Rockler sells both kinds.

I use the two-pass (3/8 + separate slot bit) combination. I've been using it for a couple of years. Very handy.

One more question, can you give more details about the attachment of the rail to the top of the BT3 fence? It looks like T-nuts, but how are they tightened? Is there a reason for not using simple knobs with 5/16" bolts into the BT3 T-nuts?

Yep, t-nuts and flat-head hex-drive screws because I had 'em on hand from the router fence faces. But knobs or anything else would be fine.

You just want to make sure the screw doesn't extend beyond the bottom of the t-nut, as the fence is easily is easily scraped if the screw is driven too far.

[JeffG78]

Great, thanks for the quick reply. I'll pick up the bits and make my own fence extension this weekend.

[Joe DeFazio]

Hi cgallery,

I am a big fan of building jigs and fixtures. Your assembly looks to be carefully made.

I am not sure if I understand how your fixture is used. It appears that the main job of the fixture is to protect one's fingers from the blade, and it looks as if it will do that very well.

I do have a safety concern about kickback. In particular, I am greatly concerned that the strip being cut off is trapped between the blade and the fence, with no way to positively control it at/near the end of the cut. Although your fixture will prevent the strip from lifting up at the rear of the blade (the rear of the blade usually provides the power for a kickback), it seems to me that it could shoot straight back at you at ca. 150 mph!

I am not sure I understand your device correctly, so maybe I am incorrect in my concern. I am not trying to criticize; merely to protect.

Thanks,

Joe

[cgallery]

Joe, the teeth at top dead center of the blade are buried in the adjustable sacrificial fence, which is positioned just high enough for the wood you're cutting to pass underneath. The teeth of the blade provide upward force at the back of the blade, and downward force at the front. But very little forward force is present.

I have had short strips come out the front but they don't shoot out, they just push out and stop. More often than not, I simply go to the back of the saw and pull them through the rest of the way.

[SARGE..g-47]

I have had short strips come out the front but they don't shoot out, they just push out and stop.... CG

I have had them basically launched out hard enough to penetrated a sheet-rock wall 20' behind my TS. That's the reason I put a target board in my twin screw vise at the end of my work-bench. I tapered the face of that scrap board 8 degrees downward to deflect an off-shoot down to the floor.

So... I expect this using a 5 HP TS but I also strickly follow the First TS safety rule I learned in HS shop in the early 60's so the off-shoots are no major threat..

Keep the Lane Clear..

Or simply.. never.. never stand in the direct path of the blade front or rear until the blade quits spinning

Nice jig, CG..

Regards..

[radhak]

Sorry - just had to ask : how exactly does this jig cut thin strips?

[cgallery]

Sorry - just had to ask : how exactly does this jig cut thin strips?

(1) Set fenced desired distance from blade.

(2) Lower blade below table.

(3) Place piece to be cut over blade opening.

(4) Lower sacrificial fence so it almost touches the piece you're stripping. [I often use a piece of sandpaper between the piece of wood and the sacrificial fence.]

(5) Turn on saw, raise blade until the riving knife nearly touches the bottom of the sacrificial fence.

(6) Now start ripping the piece of wood into strips. The sacrificial fence will prevent the thin strips from lifting up and getting tossed back by the blade.

For the best quality cuts, I would make sure stock you're cutting is at least as long as the exposed blade, plus a few inches. This will ensure that the wood will be long enough to reach the riving knife, keeping the teeth at the back of the blade from scratching it.

[dbhost]

I've ripped a LOT of thin strips by just setting the fence to XYZ distance wanted. and ripping with a push stick. Lots of 1/16" stuff... Never had a lifting problem. Not sure why...

[cgallery]

I've ripped a LOT of thin strips by just setting the fence to XYZ distance wanted. and ripping with a push stick. Lots of 1/16" stuff... Never had a lifting problem. Not sure why...

Maybe you just have a knack for it. I've seen others (like Nahm) do the same as you. I've always been a little nervous about it. I'm a big chicken.

[pizzarco]

stripripping

Yeah I agree... the jig is beautiful and thoughtful but generally a sharp blade and proper feed technique works perfectly for me. Keep downward pressure with feed hand and then do the (proper?!) reacharound. For shorter pieces I use a block of wood with a little hook on the end. How think are the strips though? For under 1/16 or so I'll often use a razor with a jig or straightedge. Rolling marking guage with appropriate cutter works pretty well for veneers.

How do you skin a cat?

Whatever keeps your digits from the blade.

mg