Table Saw Safety
#11
I have some some pieces of cherry that I would like to rip into pen blanks.

Some are as short as 5 inches and they are about 3/4 of an inch thick.

What is the safest length to rip on a table saw?

Of course I will use a push stick so my hands won't be close to the blade but the guard will also be removed.
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#12
Use a bandsaw for the win.
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#13
Use the cut offs, maybe 2 or 3 x the pen length. Then chop to length as necessary. Saws are indiscriminate. Will eat any thing you feed to it.
Pat Warner
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#14
If you must use a TS make a sled to hold the pieces. A longer piece is wood with a stop for the end of the cherry, and one for the width. Insert the cherry and clamp it down. Safely rip on the TS. Much easier with a band saw, or use a hand saw?

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#15
I'm going the Band Saw route, it sounds safer.
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#16
I cut narrow strips but always on the outside of the blade and never between the blade and the fence.

I found this image which shows a similar setup to what I use. It is quick to make and perfectly safe to use.

Use a second piece of stock to hold the wood stock being cut snug to the fixture.

http://images.meredith.com/wood/images/2...nstrip.jpg

If you are going to do a lot of this it may pay to buy a narrow kerf rip blade. I have the Freud and it is excellent.
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#17
I use my TS all the time but I cut a blank about 2 ft long and use the RAS to cut the blanks to size.
Don
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#18
When I do this I have a push block that covers the blank and blade. Still remind yourself where the blade is.
John

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#19
I use a gripper for anything that narrow, but as others have said, since it is going to be turned, I would use a bandsaw and sacrificial push block.
danw
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#20
I thin rip to 1/8" between fence and blade all the time. But nothing that short.

A good push block, not a stick, is safer to use. IMHO
Gunners Mate, 1st Class, A long time ago...
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