# Small strips



## Pauley (Jan 21, 2012)

I'm looking for a jig to help me cut small, say 1/2 x 1/2 strips of wood that would be square.I have a very small shop, so I don't have a thickness planer and not very well versed with planes to use them on small strips. I did a Google search and seen this, but something just doesn't look right with it...anyone have any ideas...preferable pictures. I"m kind of a see and do guy...
Thanks everyone...


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## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

good instincts. what isn't right is the small cut-off strip is between the blade and the fence.
if a wood gnat sneezes, it'll get kicked back / out / up.

now....on a sled with the back end 'supported' by the sled fence, it can't "kick back" - if it wants to it can start, but you'll wind up with a mangled work pc.

but it can kick 'up' - especially as it passes the outfeed end of the saw blade. any misalignment can make the problem super bad if the exit end of the blade is cocked 'tighter' to the fence - you'll have flying stickettes running through your eyeballs..... not good, not good at all.

one possible solution is to use the fence as illustrated, but make some arrangement to clamp the cut off pc under the fence, so it cannot go flying around. how long are the strips? the clamp should cover at least 75% of the length.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

I don't like trapping the thin strip between the blade and fence, whether using a sled or the table saw fence. My preferred method is to use a stop that the fence is moved over to before each cut so the thin strip is on the unrestricted side of the blade.

http://www.benchnotes.com/Strip Cutting Gauge/strip_cutting_gauge.htm

Some of the guys will likely come along and show you a type of a push stick that can be used, I would not recommend this to anyone that is not experienced using a table saw.


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## m.n.j.chell (May 12, 2016)

I've recently started using a sled. I love it. just reverse the side you cut "From".


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## Brian(J) (Feb 22, 2016)

I do this a couple ways. Sometimes with a plane with skids attached. You'll have to figure out how to attach the skids, which could be wood, to the sides of the plane is you don't want to spend real money on a Bridge City plane that comes with them:









The other way, which isn't as much fun or leave a superb finish, but is faster, is to use a clamp and a guide on a sliding jig that's keyed to the miter slots, or a sled. I do it this way most of the time.
In the image, the guide has the black stripe and the clamp is red.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

The best way would be to use a log piece of wood and skip the jig. You can rip a piece half way through, flip it over and rip the other half. Completely safe, not even a danger to a push stick.


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## Brian(J) (Feb 22, 2016)

There are many ways to get what you want done. I personally would not want to reset a fence or stop for each cut, my parts would vary more than I like and would add another series of steps downstream and I hate that. I would rig up a fence or stops, perhaps by just screwing it to the sled, and then rig up a clamp to hold it rigid. 
I almost never do anything that allows my hand within 8" of the blade and spend time building reusable jigs to help with that. Having a sliding table saw helps a lot.


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## Alchymist (Jan 2, 2011)




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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Lots to think about, and probably more to come.
The 'best" way is the method you are most comfortable with, there are always trade-offs as far as safety goes, all you can really do is eliminate as many risks as possible. As always, "If it doesn't feel good, don't do it".


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## matador55 (Mar 9, 2013)

*A jig for cutting small strips*

Hi Pauley,

Have a look these pictures of a jig I made a some years ago for holding timber against the fence on a table saw. The feather board is 7mm thick so if you need to cut thin strips you need to take the feather board off. I have cut 3mm strips with this jig. As you see in some of the photos there are strong magnets holding it down on the table and only way you get a kick back the saw will have to throw the jig and timber back at you. I have been using it now for nearly 4 years had no kick backs. Those magnets are from old hard drives. I hope that helps and if you need know more about jig let me know.

































Graham.


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## Pauley (Jan 21, 2012)

Wow, thanks for all the replies. I think I'm going to try Brian (J) method. Thanks again.


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## Brian(J) (Feb 22, 2016)

Matador,
that is a nice jig, I'm going to make one of those sometime. Not for this application exactly, but I can think of usefull variants. 

Thanks.

There's been a lot of mention of kickbacks, a riving knife goes a far way to prevent those and reduce the violence when they happen.


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## matador55 (Mar 9, 2013)

Hi Brian(J),

Yes that jig is very good for stopping kickbacks. But only danger is with this jig is when it snips down on the table because of the magnets it like to bite fingers. I am going to make a larger jig like that so it can hold large boards, MDF and sheets of plywood against the fence. But I will have to use more and stronger magnets to hold it down to table. If you happen to make I would like to see your version.



Graham.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*small scraps made useful*

If you have scraps that are too small to safely rip, here's a simple way to make them usable:

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f27/strips-too-small-safely-rip-104969/


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## Alchymist (Jan 2, 2011)

Another technique:


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## Pirate (Jul 23, 2009)

I use a simple pusher I made. Ripping small strips is as easy as it gets.
Can't imaging moving the fence for each new cut.
Pusher doesn't use the t track on top of fence, and big knob, is just a handle.
I put a piece of wood against the wood being cut, (before the blade!) to hold it against the fence.


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