# Is the MicroJig GRR_Ripper a gimmick or a good tool?



## old novice (Apr 27, 2021)

Hello everyone, just got back into woodworking after 30 years and I just bought a new Dewalt DWE7491RS Table saw and getting ready to buy some new push blocks and miter gauges. I have seen numerous youTube videos on how to make your own push sticks and push blocks and came across a video of the GRR_Ripper and really liked the concept. However, I'm not into gimmicky tools unless they work. Just wonder if anyone has ever used one of these and what are their thoughts about it? Are they really pretty safe as they advertise? Being away from the hobby for so long I see that there are new technologies, tools and methods to do things. I feel like I'm having to learn everything all over again.. I began years ago on big commercial/industrial machines and tools and now there are more compact style machinery.


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I would say if you used a new jig with each cut and your board was perfectly clean it would be safe and would work good. It just wouldn't work if you got dust on the board or the jig, it would cause it to slip. If it had something that hooked to the back end of the board then it would be an asset. I got something similar free with the purchase of a new jointer when I first got into woodworking and after using it for an hour or so the jointer kicked the board out from under the push block and the block went into the knives. Could have lost all my fingers because of some dimwit's idea of safety equipment.


----------



## Bernie_72 (Aug 9, 2020)

I own two of the GRR_Rippers and I can verify that they do work well for my table saw. There is a lot of adjustment on these push blocks that allow setup for most all materials down to about a 1/4" cut. Anything smaller than that would be difficult to use these blocks for.

I think due to all the adjustability and setup time I don't use these blocks very often, only for my small cuts where I want to pull the board and the cut-off through the entire cut on the table saw. I typically reach for a simple push stick on most cuts.

I somewhat agree with Steve's comments about using these on jointers. Unless your jointer's table is waxed very well and the gripper is clean it may not be the safest way to go given the amount of force/pressure that's required for jointing. That being said the microjig gripper has much better holding power than the free push block that came with my jointer. 

I've had a pair of grippers for a little more than a year. Although I do have to dust them off from time to time I've never had a piece of wood slip on the jointer or table saw while using them.


----------



## Kudzu (Dec 23, 2008)

Not knocking it. Seems like a solid idea but I have just never seen the need. I made 2 or 3 different push blocks for different cuts that worked just fine. I just think through the cut, figure out what could go wrong before hand.


----------



## Kaycikim (Jul 20, 2020)

I actually saw a neat demonstration performed with the tool on YouTube. That demo was so well done, that I was convinced and bought one. Used it about once, and haven’t used it since. However, it’s a great tool. Just haven’t had the need to use one yet consistently.


----------



## NoThankyou (Mar 21, 2018)

I made a bunch of push blocks. The handle is the permanent part and the push part is a piece of 2x4 with a piece of either ¼ Baltic Birch or Melamine as the hook. Those parts are replaced as they become unusable from saw cuts. It has been over 20 years since I made these. But IIRC they are on page 61 of the Taunton book, "In the Craftsman Style". 

BTW - Some very important information about push sticks.

*PUSH STICKS ARE INTENDED TO COME IN CONTACT WITH THE CUTTING BLADE*


----------



## shoot summ (Feb 21, 2014)

I've got one, I found it useful for small/thin material.

Beyond that I don't use it.


----------



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

It's a "useful' gimmick. What you need in a push shoe/stick/block ..... is a means to push downward and forward simultaneously and the Gripper does that.


----------



## allpurpose (Mar 24, 2016)

Just on general principle I'm not wild about paying good money for things that will probably get chewed up by a blade over time. I know..adjustable and all, but I'm more apt to just grab my wooden push stick or block and know that when it gets used up I make a new one in a minute or two. Having a scroll saw I usually make 4-5 at a time and let them get chewed up..I'm not out anything and now with a SS I'm not as concerned about my piddy pats..


----------



## Pixxture (Nov 2, 2020)

+1 what Bernie_72 said
i like them. But slow to set up And not good for all situations


----------



## NewBlackDak (Mar 15, 2021)

I make push shoes from scrap. Buying something to get chewed up seems crazy to me. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Saw Dust Rules (Jul 21, 2018)

I have a couple of them and they are useful for smaller parts where you want to keep your fingers out of harms way. I do find that the green rubber pads need to be cleaned with alcohol frequently to maintain their grip. For the money they are overpriced. I should have made a nice set of push blocks and come out way ahead.


----------



## JIMMIEM (Oct 12, 2014)

I made a couple of my own. In certain situations they work very well. They do interfere with the over the blade dust collection. As the others have said they are a little pricey for a task that can be handled by push blocks/sticks.


----------



## ToolsOnaWall (Apr 8, 2020)

I use one occasionally and it works well, I use it for smaller stuff. But it is difficult to adjust because the parts are plastic and are hard to slide to a new position. I did get an extra set of push blocks that attach to the end of the MicroGrip to push the stock (I've cut the block with the table saw blade multiple times). I think I need to lubricate the areas where plastic on plastic adjustments slide. I wonder what would be a good lubricant for that application. 

I mostly use two sticks, one to hold down and one to push.


----------



## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

I have a pair of MicroJig GRR-Rippers and use them, but not as often as I might. Here are a few comments that might help others:

GRR-Rippers are expensive, but they are unique in the marketplace. (It was difficult to choose between "expensive" and "overpriced".)
Because GRR-Rippers pass over the blade, you use them with a riving knife. If you use the blade guard on your table saw for other cuts, that means you must switch out the blade guard/splitter for the riving knife when you use the GRR-Rippers, and then swap the blade guard back for other cuts. That takes time. (Some woodworkers remove the blade guard and store it forever, using only the riving knife. GRR-Rippers would be more convenient for them.)
The green rubbery pads are very grippy ... when they are new or freshly cleaned. They lose their grip as dust or sawdust collects on them.
The center leg is hard to adjust out of the box. The square ends bind on the frame as you try to slide the center leg back and forth. The fix is easy: apply a coat of paste wax to the top of the leg and the frame. After that, it slides easily. 
In theory, you should never cut your GRR-Rippers with the blade. In practice, it can happen. If you see flying bits of green, stop! MicroJig sells spare legs and parts.
I have a GR-100 and a GR-200. The basic GRR-Ripper has a 1/2 inch side leg and a 1/4 inch side leg. The GR-200 adds an adjustable spacer and a stabilizing plate. I use the extra accessories infrequently, but they are useful and I am glad to have them.
I also bought two 1/8 inch legs and replaced the 1/4 inch legs on both GRR-Rippers. They are useful for thin cuts along the rip fence.
@Steve Neul commented, "If it had something that hooked to the back end of the board then it would be an asset." GRR-Rippers do have hooks. Microjig sells a "Gravity Heel Kit" which is a set of sacrificial tails/hooks that attach to the back of a GRR-Ripper to do just that. Furthermore, they publish plans so you can make your own. All it takes is a T-slot bolt, a nut or knob, and a drilled hole in a piece of scrap. Frankly, you don't need plans for that.
What I like about GRR-Rippers:
They control the wood on both sides of the cut. They make certain thin cuts easy. They offer a lot of flexibility in how you configure the push blocks for a given cut. Someday I may forego the blade guard and use them a lot more often.

What I don't like about GRR-Rippers:
Cost. Overly hyped by woodworking shows. Setup time. Removing the blade guard to use them.

Other Push Blocks I Use:

I have two regular push blocks with rubber bottoms. They are my favorites. When I can use them, I prefer them over the GRR-Rippers because they are fast and don't require setup time. The grippy rubber bottoms feel "just right." They are easy to use. The problem is that for many rip cuts, they don't fit. Sometimes I reverse them so the handles point away from the blade.
https://www.rockler.com/bench-dog-ultra-push-bloc

I also have an offset push "block" (?) that I like for certain thin rip cuts on small pieces:
https://www.rockler.com/bench-dog-push-loc

Final Notes:
I use push blocks on many tools, not just table saws.
Yes, I have made plenty of sacrificial push blocks from scrapwood. I like the rubber bottomed ones better.


----------



## RioVistaAndy (Feb 22, 2021)

ToolsOnaWall said:


> I use one occasionally and it works well, I use it for smaller stuff. But it is difficult to adjust because the parts are plastic and are hard to slide to a new position. I did get an extra set of push blocks that attach to the end of the MicroGrip to push the stock (I've cut the block with the table saw blade multiple times). I think I need to lubricate the areas where plastic on plastic adjustments slide. I wonder what would be a good lubricant for that application.
> 
> I mostly use two sticks, one to hold down and one to push.


Minwax furniture paste wax.


----------



## HSwoodworker52 (Jul 12, 2015)

old novice said:


> Hello everyone, just got back into woodworking after 30 years and I just bought a new Dewalt DWE7491RS Table saw and getting ready to buy some new push blocks and miter gauges. I have seen numerous youTube videos on how to make your own push sticks and push blocks and came across a video of the GRR_Ripper and really liked the concept. However, I'm not into gimmicky tools unless they work. Just wonder if anyone has ever used one of these and what are their thoughts about it? Are they really pretty safe as they advertise? Being away from the hobby for so long I see that there are new technologies, tools and methods to do things. I feel like I'm having to learn everything all over again.. I began years ago on big commercial/industrial machines and tools and now there are more compact style machinery.


I have two of them, and use at least one of them (sometimes both) frequently. I read some of the other comments about them being "hard to adjust" and others "cutting them up". I have NEVER even nicked any of them in use, and don't find them difficult to adjust. Several months ago, I was ripping some thin strips and decided I should have bought the back end drop down "shoes" for pushing. I didn't have them at that time and used some small pieces of plywood in their place. That worked well enough, but wasn't perfect fit. That convinced me to order the real things and am very pleased with them. I'll admit that the GRRRipers themselves are overpriced ...... but they work very well for me.

Something else, a little off topic, but might be of interest to you. I own and use the MAGJIG fences and hold downs. They see more action than the GRRRippers. Another pricey item, but I think they're a great addition to my shop.


----------



## Packard (Jul 27, 2018)

I have the magjig push block. It relies on friction to push the stock along. The problem is that sawdust on the surface substantially reduces that friction and it is hard to advance the material.

At the same time I bought the Magjig push block I also bought a bright yellow plastic push stick. The problem with plastic push sticks is that they catch on the blade, bend and store energy until they break. In my case it simply exploded. I only required some bacitracin and a large band-aid, but with pieces flying it could easily have been worse. Now I only use wood, plywood and MDF push blocks.

At that same time I ordered their magnetic featherboard and that is excellent and probably my most-used store-bought table saw accessory.


----------



## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

I think there may be confusion between *Microjig* and *Magjig*. Both are related to woodworking products.

*Microjig* is the company that produces the GRR-Ripper that we have been discussing in this thread. See my post above. They also produce a GRR-Rip push block with small hooks or tails that pop up and down. *Microjig* also produces other plastic products used for woodworking such as the Matchfit dovetail clamping system, the Microdial tapering jig, the MJ Splitter aftermarket splitter for table saws, and more. I have never tried bought or tried the GRR-Rip push block, only the GRR-Rippers as I described above.
https://www.microjig.com/collections
https://www.microjig.com/products/grr-rip-block

*Magjig* is a switchable magnet made by Magswitch corporation. You turn a knob and the magnet grips the cast iron table on your table saw or other tool. Turn the knob the other way to release it. Magswitch makes woodworking products designed to work with the *Magjig* magnets, such as featherboards, resaw guides, and much more. You can also buy a Forstner bit and drill holes to make your own jigs that use the *Magjig* magnet to hold them in place. *Magjig* magnets come in three sizes/strengths: *Magjig* 95, 150, and 235. They are different sizes, so get the correct size Forstner bit for it if you want to make your own jigs.

Like @Packard above, I bought the Magswitch Woodworking Starter Kit, which includes two *Magjig* 150 magnets and a featherboard. I highly recommend it - the magnets make it quick and easy to position the featherboard.
https://magswitch.com/product-category/woodworking/
https://magswitch.com/product/woodworking-starter-kit/
https://magswitch.com/product/magjig150/

I have never seen a "magjig push block", but it may have existed in the past.


----------



## Packard (Jul 27, 2018)

Yes, I did make that error. But the rest of the comments stand. The GRR-Rip seems to lose friction when covered with sawdust and I no longer use it. The Magjig featherboard is excellent. I bought them both at the same time and they are both the same yellow, so I think that the confusion was inevitable. Thanks for pointing that out.


----------



## Rev. A (Jan 29, 2021)

old novice said:


> Hello everyone, just got back into woodworking after 30 years and I just bought a new Dewalt DWE7491RS Table saw and getting ready to buy some new push blocks and miter gauges. I have seen numerous youTube videos on how to make your own push sticks and push blocks and came across a video of the GRR_Ripper and really liked the concept. However, I'm not into gimmicky tools unless they work. Just wonder if anyone has ever used one of these and what are their thoughts about it? Are they really pretty safe as they advertise? Being away from the hobby for so long I see that there are new technologies, tools and methods to do things. I feel like I'm having to learn everything all over again.. I began years ago on big commercial/industrial machines and tools and now there are more compact style machinery.


I have 2, like them a lot. Saved about 1/2 the cost for the second one by finding a Chinese equivalent - and it's better made that the Micro-Jig. I hate buying from China but couldn't beat the deal. They even use metal nuts instead of the cheap plastic ones on the Micro-Jig.


----------

