Cutting Small Strips On A Table or Bandsaw

As long as you use a sacrificial push stick you can safely rip thin strips tight to the fence. Then you do not have to reset the rip fence after each cut.

^ I usually do it that way.
Less chance of things going wrong with the thin strip jig though.

-- He who dies with the most tools... dies with the emptiest wallet.

Good that you were there to help tinman.

I’m with you, don’t like ripping thin strips between the fence and blade all that much. Your gauge/tool looks like a good solution.

-- Bill, central NY...no where near the "big apple"

Thanks for your comments. As I said I did not invent it. Variations have been around for years. Besides less danger, this jig avoids the burn marks and excess saw marks you get when thin strips are pinched betwen the fence and saw. The cuts come out just as good as any other rip operation If you have a good blade the thin strips are ready for glue such as to cover plywood end grain.

-- Life is what happens to you while you are planning better things -Mark Twain

1/2” is about as thin as I go on a TS. BS is safer but the cut isn’t as clean. I use a GRR-Ripper but prefer not to cut thin strips against the fence either.

I use two gripp’rs and you can go as thin as a slight thicker than the thinnest hold down on the gripper. 3/16 would not be an issue.

-- Sooner or later Liberals run out of other people's money.

Tinman way to help out/save the day! Personally I use a gripper but a thin rip jig like your has been on my list for a while. With YOUR endorsement, I will have to put it on the front burner. Thank god your neighbor was wearing safety glasses! God job on being neighborly too. What goes around comes around.

-- "despite you best efforts and your confidence that your smarter and faster than a saw blade at 10k rpm…. your not …." - Charles Neil

Hey Joe,

I’m glad I was there too. He’s a nice kid with a nice family. The jig works good and takes about 20 minutes to make. This one was my dad’s but I’ve made several for friends. Add a block of wood in the front then trim and cut at 45 when the glue dries. No tollerance to worry about.

-- Life is what happens to you while you are planning better things -Mark Twain

as you were writing this, I was building one out in my head. Im wondering, do you think it would be worth the time to put a bearing in the tip? My thoughts are the smoother the wood runs through, the better. Im a big fan of low friction tape but I dont think this would be the right application for it.

-- "despite you best efforts and your confidence that your smarter and faster than a saw blade at 10k rpm…. your not …." - Charles Neil

I’ve seen store bought ones with bearings. Some folks are now adding bearings to the home built. From my experience I don’t see the need. It’s not like you should jam the board to the jig. But I also must say that I’ve been using this since I was knee high and am used to it. In short a bearing couldn’t hurt. If it makes you more comfortable do it.

-- Life is what happens to you while you are planning better things -Mark Twain

It might make my girlfriend more comfortable about me using it LOL! I also dont see the need, because from what I understand the stock just touches the guide. My problem is that when I build a jig I tend to try to cram every possible upgrade or cool function I can. I will have to make the ultimate thin rip jig. If budget were no concern, Id throw a digital caliper/readout on that bad boy just for fun.

-- "despite you best efforts and your confidence that your smarter and faster than a saw blade at 10k rpm…. your not …." - Charles Neil

Charles,
Maybe a wide wheel such as is on a skate board. That would cover the whole vertical distance from horizontal top to bottom which would make it useful for different thicknesses of wood you might be cutting.

-- Just a barn cat, now gone to cat heaven.

Timberwolf, if the Charles was meant for me, then Im afraid you are mistaken my friend! That is just a quote from our own Charles Neil. Im TBW/BW or if were friends, Joe. I like your idea about the wheel, would be good for slabs or thick cutting boards. Nice idea and thanks for posting it.

-- "despite you best efforts and your confidence that your smarter and faster than a saw blade at 10k rpm…. your not …." - Charles Neil

Good idea for wider coverage but skateboard wheels are not flat. Take that into consideration.

-- Life is what happens to you while you are planning better things -Mark Twain