# Cutting thin strips from wide board



## Oldschoolguy (Nov 6, 2018)

Hi y'all, Excuse me for being dumber than a box of rocks. When performing the above mentioned procedure, which is the most safest way to cut it? Wide side towards fence or narrow side against the fence? Thanks and to all LJ's and families, have a safe and prosperous holiday season. In addition, I want to thank all of your for your help, it means alot to me.

The best,
Floyd Mills


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

Wide toward the fence, the thin strip becomes the offcut. If you do a Google search for "thin strip jig" you can see how to set up a stop to rip consistent thin pieces.


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## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

For me, it depends on how thin. I have a Zero Clearance Insert around my blade and very thin push sticks. I'll put the thin side against the fence until I feel the strips are too thin and I don't think I'll have enough control. As to what that thickness is - that's a personal choice focused entirely on safety.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

With my saw, I'll go down to 1/4", thin side to the fence. Any thinner than that and I'll go with a thin rip jig where the wide side is against the fence. A zero clearance insert is a must.


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## GR8HUNTER (Jun 13, 2016)

thin side against fence with a good push stick shoe you could cut all day safely ….BUT you have to do what you feel safe with yourself :<)))


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

im also with the thin side against the fence group but as said you need to do what your comfortable with.just be safe.


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## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

I ran into this when cutting 5" strips of plywood to later cut in half again. I know that the off cut should be on the outside of the blade and fence but didn't want to need to reposition the fence each cut. So like you I asked here and got several answers. Once I determined that I could safely keep the fence fixed for equal cuts I went to town and cut all the strips. Once all were the same size I attached a featherboard to the saw track and started to rip each again. None of mine were small enough to require a zero clearance plate.


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## LesB (Dec 21, 2008)

If the pieces are not very long I would prefer to use a sled with a stop set for the thickness of the thin strips. Longer pieces I usually cut with the cut strip against the fence and using a feather board to keep the wood against the fence.

If it is something you do a lot of there are devices you can mount for quick fence adjustment between cuts to putting the strip on the off side of the blade.


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## fivecodys (Dec 2, 2013)

I use a thin-strip jig.
I found the idea here. https://www.lumberjocks.com/projects/84494

It works well.


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## DannyW (Dec 15, 2018)

I like this idea for doing short strips. I have had very good lick with it.


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## rad457 (Jun 15, 2013)

> I like this idea for doing short strips. I have had very good lick with it.
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Now that is worth coping! Thanks.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> I like this idea for doing short strips. I have had very good lick with it.
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+1 i am copying that,much easier and safer.


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## DrDirt (Feb 26, 2008)

"Safest" is wide side being pushed through the cut.
But it just depends what you are doing. I cut 1/8 - 1/4" strips against the fence often for lamination bending, and to adjust the fence constantly to get a uniform strip as an offcut is too much fooling around. I know you can make a "off cut" stop and slide the fence to move the workpiece to the stop… just not the way I do it.


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## DannyW (Dec 15, 2018)

> I like this idea for doing short strips. I have had very good lick with it.
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Glad I could help. After doing a lot of searching how to cut thin strips this looked the simplest and safest way to do it to me. It has the advantage of cutting on the fence side but yet giving enough space to be safe. The disadvantage is of course that it only works for short strips but that is what I usually need.


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## wildwoodbybrianjohns (Aug 22, 2019)

> I like this idea for doing short strips. I have had very good lick with it.
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What I use, a little safer, IMO. The left hand is neutral. And the "height" block can easily be swapped out for whatever height you need.


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

A good video giving you 3 usable ways to do these cuts.






Marc talks about using a bandsaw, and I agree if you have several to cut it's safest by far, and wastes less material. Just know the finished cuts will need some smoothing. If you have a wide belt sander they are perfect to do that step.

No BS or wide sander then Table saw is the best bet, and using a glueline ready blade you can dispense with some, if not all of the sanding.

I like the 3rd option the best, and is as good a reason to own a magnetic base as any I can think of. I'm not big on the first method, because I have too often had them turn into missiles, and come shooting back. Usually no harm is done if you are standing off the blade, but if they smack anything, sometimes it breaks the really thin ones up. The middle one works great, and keeps you from having to keep moving the fence, but as Marc says on longer pieces that way can get a little weird. I limit that way to 14" long.


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

Brian, mine is like that, but just with a heel at the side to push your piece through. Yours is a much better design, pushing from the top, and the side. At least it looks that way. I take it that is a heel pusher standing tall at the back, and your plywood overlaps the stock you are cutting, so it holds it from above. That is the weakeness of my side only, and as Spagno was saying it makes it a bit wild to do longer pieces.

How long a piece will yours work on?

In any regard, using one like yours, with a magnetic base before the blade would allow you to push through with your jig, and not have to put your hand down to guide the stock due to the magnet acting like your Left hand in the pic.


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

> I like this idea for doing short strips. I have had very good lick with it.
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That is the one I was using, but I'm going to switch to the one Brian posted the pic of.


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## wildwoodbybrianjohns (Aug 22, 2019)

> I take it that is a heel pusher standing tall at the back?
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> How long a piece will yours work on?
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> - therealSteveN


1. Correct. My version has a slot/screw so it can be raised/lowered and tightened/loosened. Mine is also a bit wider than in this photo. And there is a hardwood backer piece, maybe you see it look closely, screwed into the ply.
2. I dont know. Mine is about like in the photo, 40cm maybe. I suppose you could make the jig as long as you want, the key to it is the heel pin, of course.

Come to think of it, if the plywood was wider, and the heel pin was also, then the left hand wouldnt really need to do anything, except perhaps at the very end of the cut for followthrough.


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## xeddog (Mar 2, 2010)

The method I use depends on how thin, and how many. If I just need one or two, then I will most likely put the thin strip against the fence and push it through using a sacrificial block of some sort. I can probably get one or two done faster than setting up the jig. But if I need really thin strips, and/or a lot of them, then I use a thin strip jig with the wide side toward the fence.


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## bc4393 (Apr 10, 2015)

Grr Ripper table saw push block all day. Thin side against the fence. 1/8th inch attachment piece (unless you want to do quarter or thicker can use the included one. It's a game changer. The money shot is at 3 minutes into the video.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> Grr Ripper table saw push block all day. Thin side against the fence. 1/8th inch attachment piece (unless you want to do quarter or thicker can use the included one. It s a game changer. The money shot is at 3 minutes into the video.
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+1 the best push block made.is it cheap,well what does a neurologist charge to reattach fingers?


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

> Grr Ripper table saw push block all day.


Anything that in order for it to work forces me to take off the number one thing that keeps my fingers safe is never going to gain a spot in my shop. No guard on the saw = no good.


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## DannyW (Dec 15, 2018)

> Grr Ripper table saw push block all day.
> 
> Anything that in order for it to work forces me to take off the number one thing that keeps my fingers safe is never going to gain a spot in my shop. No guard on the saw = no good.
> 
> - therealSteveN


Exactly right. No guard, It is not for me.


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

I also use push block. Never had an issue.

I can rip down to 3/32 safely.

You need to have an "absolute zero" clearance insert, a new push block and optional a magnetic featherboard is handy if the board is less than 3" wide.

As long as you follow the cut all the way through, it works fine.


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## wildwoodbybrianjohns (Aug 22, 2019)

> Grr Ripper table saw push block all day.
> 
> Anything that in order for it to work forces me to take off the number one thing that keeps my fingers safe is never going to gain a spot in my shop. No guard on the saw = no good.
> 
> - therealSteveN


Agree, sort of, not using it on my table saw. On a jointer, maybe. The GRIP is not fool-proof like the hook on a shoe-push-device, the gripper can and does slide some if youve got any dust on the stock, which is scary. I know you can get a hook attachment for the gripper but I aint spending any more money on that when I can make push sticks for nearly nothing. Why this hook doesnt come with the basic kit is beyondme??? My other gripe is that I cannot see if the stock is tight against the fence, it could be out slightly and its not noticeable because the gripper blocks what I can see. Another thing I dont like is that my hand is not high enough away from the blade.


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## Rick Dennington (Aug 27, 2009)

For me personally, I've never used a blade guard on my saws….They are more of a hendrence, and blocks my view of seeing the stock being cut….. That's why I use the Gripper. It lets you do exactly how the video demonstrates….I have 2, and use them more than any other push blocks that I've made in the shop…..Just my $.02 cents…...


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> For me personally, I ve never used a blade guard on my saws….They are more of a hendrence, and blocks my view of seeing the stock being cut….. That s why I use the Gripper. It lets you do exactly how the video demonstrates….I have 2, and use them more than any other push blocks that I ve made in the shop…..Just my $.02 cents…...
> 
> - Rick Dennington


+1 im the same,the guard is in the way for most of what do.


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## dscheidt (Jun 10, 2019)

> For me personally, I ve never used a blade guard on my saws….They are more of a hendrence, and blocks my view of seeing the stock being cut….. That s why I use the Gripper. It lets you do exactly how the video demonstrates….I have 2, and use them more than any other push blocks that I ve made in the shop…..Just my $.02 cents…...
> 
> - Rick Dennington


Why do you need to see what's being cut? If the saw and fence (or whatever jig is in use) are set properly, then if the piece is run through tight to the fence, the piece is going to come out correctly.


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## Phil32 (Aug 31, 2018)

> Why do you need to see what s being cut? If the saw and fence (or whatever jig is in use) are set properly, then if the piece is run through tight to the fence, the piece is going to come out correctly.
> 
> - dscheidt


It will more likely come out like a javelin!


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

> Why do you need to see what s being cut? *If the saw and fence (or whatever jig is in use) are set properly, then if the piece is run through tight to the fence*, the piece is going to come out correctly.
> 
> - dscheidt
> 
> ...


Why do you say that Phil? You get javelins when your fence is toe in, and causes a pinch, or with no guard at all, they don't have a splitter in place either much of the time. At least all the ones I have seen. No splitter, and the fence not parallel to the blade will launch wood frequently. Having them set correctly, and a splitter in place is as safe as you can be.


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

To do the thin cut between the blade and the fence, you would want a splitter or riving knife behind the blade to help keep to thin strip from motioning toward the blade. You also should use a zero clearance throat on the table.

If I'm only doing a few cuts, I'll always have to thin cut on the outer side. If I'm ripping several boards at the same time, I'll rip the thin cut between the fence and the blade. Last week I ripped six oak boards 1"x6"x48" to 1/8"x1"x48". Because how many pieces cut, The thin cut was between the blade and fence.


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## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

I put a backstop aligned with the blade, set the narrow rip, stand well to the left of the blade and just run it thru. The narrow piece is attached to the wide until the cut completes. The wide piece is moved left and clear while the narrow piece is ejected back. This is a planned operation where the cutoff is expected to come back, hit the backstop and fall harmlessly into the catch bin. This is not a 'kickback' as it is a planned operation, not an accident.

Discuss

M


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## Andybb (Sep 30, 2016)

> If you do a Google search for "thin strip jig" you can see how to set up a stop to rip consistent thin pieces.
> - JayT


+1
I might be late to the party but….IMO the first response was the best method I have found. Infinitely adjustable, easy to make and accurate down to paper thin. Bolt is just threaded into the wood, firmly but loose enough to be turned by hand, acts as a featherboard and I use my gripper to keep the stock against the fence. You can even make the miter bar from wood. Don't need a measuring devise on it as I'm using my calipers to dial it in.


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## bc4393 (Apr 10, 2015)

It's a valid point if you rely on the guard but I would argue if you are that against something like the Gripper because of the guard you're not following basic table saw safety and using some sort of push block or stick when your fingers cant be 3 inches away from the blade anyway. Or you don't have the proper stance or weight distribution when pushing stock through. Or you're blade is consistently too high. You might even have a Shetland pony running around your shop your worried about it tripping you mid cut. Hell your head might weigh so much no matter how you stand if you lose your balance you'll tip face first into the blade. Practicing basic table saw safety is not optional no matter what apparatus you use. Just different ways to skin a cat. As long as you keep your fingers and keep cutting that's all that matters. I just know the Grripper keeps the whole strip or any piece of wood for that matter in control and against the fence so they come out smooth as butter with a good blade. It's actually a well thought out and safe piece of kit combined with basic table saw safety. Don't knock it until you've tried it. It just might be the woodshop viagra you never knew you needed.



> Grr Ripper table saw push block all day.
> 
> Anything that in order for it to work forces me to take off the number one thing that keeps my fingers safe is never going to gain a spot in my shop. No guard on the saw = no good.
> 
> - therealSteveN


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

I just did this yesterday for making slides for a tool chest I'm building. Clean up the side of the board with the first cut. Then, make the appropriate adjustment with your Incra fence, make a cut. Rinse and repeat. I made 7 each 1/4" X 1/4" X 24" strips in a couple minutes, with the wide side of the source wood against the fence. They are all within .001" of each other. Yes, I checked!  That precision isn't crucial, but it's one of the things that make the Incra fence shine. I used my Gripper, too.


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

If Im cutting narrow strips I just set the saw about a 1/8 larger and cut and take them to the planer to size them.

Never seen a need to stand to the left of the tablesaw. Guess I got more confidence in what I'm doing than most…


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