# Thin strip jig



## fisher (Apr 13, 2017)

I made a thin strip jig for the table saw that lets me SAFELY cut thin strips down to just under 1/8th inch. It's probably one of the easiest jigs I've made and it's very reliable in cutting consistent widths. No fence adjustments between cuts and no measuring required. I needed something like this because some of the cutting boards I make require exact precision when it comes to the thin strips. If I'm off even by 1/32" then it throws off the design. I've attached another pic of a cutting board I made using this jig. I have a full explanation and demonstration video on my YT channel that I'll link to. Just thought I'd share in case you're interested. :thumbsup:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Not bad!*

I noticed you used 2 push stick/shoes on this demo. Why not build one on top of the jig, since you will always need one the anyway.... it may take out some of the "ugly" you mentioned in the demo.... :smile3:
Another concern I have, is the other push stick must be withdrawn immediately after the thin strip is free or you MAY push the workpiece into the rear of the blade, causing it to kickback. It requires good hand/eye coordination. I don't have an answer for that.... well maybe.
:nerd2: What if the push tab on the back of your jig was replaced by a taller and longer piece like a sled fence in order to push both the cut off and the workpiece all the way through? I haven't given this much thought, it just came to me as I was typing ... It would have to be tall enough so as not to cut it off when you make a pass.


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## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

that set up makes me a lot more nervous than a sacrificial strip on the fence and running the narrow strip between the fence and the blade with a thru saw push block. way too many loose pieces to go "slip-oops-ah-sheesh"

Rockler has a thin strip rip gauge - acts as a stop to ensure consistent re-setting of the fence. works quite well - small learning curve on twitching the fence parallel at each re-set but I've done lots of thin strips without a hitch.

if the thickness is that critical, one might think about using a thickness planer . . .


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

TomCT2 said:


> that set up makes me a lot more nervous than a sacrificial strip on the fence and running the narrow strip between the fence and the blade with a thru saw push block. way too many loose pieces to go "slip-oops-ah-sheesh"
> 
> Rockler has a thin strip rip gauge - acts as a stop to ensure consistent re-setting of the fence. works quite well - small learning curve on twitching the fence parallel at each re-set but I've done lots of thin strips without a hitch.
> 
> if the thickness is that critical, one might think about using a thickness planer . . .


I don't know how thin your planer goes to by mine won't go below 3/16", so 1/8" would be too thin. 
I do agree with your take on the nervous, a properly set up Riving knife would help. On my Unifence I made a pusher block that slides in the top track with an adjustable finger to do the pushing, which frees up having to think about holding it at the right angle etc. as you are just sliding it along the track. Between the riving knife and the pusher I'm not sure you need a jig at all.


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## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

the Cutech does 1/8 - fwiw.


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## 4DThinker (Mar 13, 2013)

The problem with any jig that requires re-setting the fence between cuts is that many fences when slid over to a stop will shift to straighten out when tightened up. I use this same strategy to cut thin strips although my jig is simpler with no hold-down and I've never had a problem getting consistent results over and over again. 

4D


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## ducbsa (Jul 6, 2014)

The Rockler gauge can be duplicated with a stop stick clamped to a miter gauge on the left of the blade.



TomCT2 said:


> Rockler has a thin strip rip gauge - acts as a stop to ensure consistent re-setting of the fence. works quite well - small learning curve on twitching the fence parallel at each re-set but I've done lots of thin strips without a hitch.
> 
> .


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## fisher (Apr 13, 2017)

You're right, great idea. I'm planning on making a new one. The one from the video was just a prototype to prove the concept. Since then I've been using it very frequently and have made some minor adjustments to it. It's been working wonderfully for me so far but a built in push handle is a very good idea. I'll definitely have to do that. Thanks


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## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

ducbsa said:


> The Rockler gauge can be duplicated with a stop stick clamped to a miter gauge on the left of the blade.


how do you keep the miter gauge from sliding front-to-back-to-front
in the slot?


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*friction and gravity*



TomCT2 said:


> how do you keep the miter gauge from sliding front-to-back-to-front
> in the slot?


It just stays put in the slot by it's own weight. It's not part of the jig, just a "bump stop" for the workpiece, much like the Rockler jig. It would be in the left hand slot, unless I'm completely not gettin' it....:nerd2:


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## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

I don't own any Rockler stock, and I wholeheartedly agree much of their stuff is priced at the 'high end' -
sometimes however there is great value in a well designed widget.

I have a bunch of skate board bearings. I've built jigs like the Rockler. they've been a cobbled up half hearted solution that more than likely does not work most excellently on the next project, needs a re-design, a remake, a re-tweak . . . and just hoping for the best with a left-over iffy set up is asking for injury and screwed up work pieces.

The Rockler doohickie locks in the miter slot, has a bearing at the contact point, adjusts easily - stays put, offers no friction/resistance as the work piece is moved thru the blade.. I've used it on the table saw, the band saw and the router table. will it work for everything in every conceivable situation for every possible thing you want to cut? probably not. but it is really good at what it does.

blocks and stop that move and dance around are seriously bad solutions, by definition; there's a reason it's called a "stop". a block stop loose in the miter slot is not going to stay still when pushing the work piece thru the blade.
trust me, I've tried it.
if anything binds, cocks, whatever and you've got identified splintered objects (ISO's) of stuff flying everywhere at high rates of speed.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I also like the Rockler thin strip jig*

Yes, it does lock in the miter slot, but the bearing does not support the strip as it is passed through before the blade. It is just a "bump stop" for the work piece.

You had me questioning myself, so I just went to the shop and using a Grizzly miter gauge which is adjustable, and fits the slot nicely and clamped a 3/4" X 2" scrap to it about 3/16" from the blade. That distance becomes the thickness of the strip to be ripped. I bumped a 2 X 6 X 12" against the scrap end and slid the fence over to the 2 X 6 X 12's right edge and clamped it down. I ripped two strips, resetting the fence each time as you would with the Rockler jig. I made two passes and then mic'd the thickness and they were identical. The miter gauge and scrap did not move at all. The stop was located about 5" in front of the blade and had no affect on the strip being cut off or the workpiece as it slid past it.

So, a "poor man's thin strip jig" can be made using the miter gauge and a scrap clamped to the face. :smile3:


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## ducbsa (Jul 6, 2014)

woodnthings said:


> So, a "poor man's thin strip jig" can be made using the miter gauge and a scrap clamped to the face. :smile3:



I prefer "thrifty man's thin strip jig"! :wink2:


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## fisher (Apr 13, 2017)

ducbsa said:


> I prefer "thrifty man's thin strip jig"! :wink2:


Maybe I'm not understanding, but I don't see how the miter gauge and block alone would be the same. For example, If you had a 1" piece of stock and wanted to rip off a 1/8" strip from it. Wouldn't you need the support of a fence? That's where this jig seems to shine. You get the support of a fence without the risk of kickback. But maybe I'm just not picturing what you guys are meaning.

btw, happy Easter!


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## Pirate (Jul 23, 2009)

TomCT2 said:


> that set up makes me a lot more nervous than a sacrificial strip on the fence and running the narrow strip between the fence and the blade with a thru saw push block. way too many loose pieces to go "slip-oops-ah-sheesh"
> .


Why would you use a sacrificial fence for ripping thin strips?

I just use my shop made stock pusher, (The Pusher Man) that rides on the fence. The 2 unused slots were from an earlier version.
Takes longer to write this than rip a bunch of strips.
T track is for other jigs.
Big knob (CM ras knob) is for lateral adjust and pushing.
I have a wider "foot" for most ripping under 4" wide.
If I could figure out how to video it, you could see how easy strip cutting is. Ripping 1/8" is as easy as ripping 2".

Making one for a Biesemeyer style fence, without the t track would be easier, with just a piece of wood between the fence faces to guide it.


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## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

putting a wood sacrificial strip on a metal fence is somewhat SOP for a table saw.
it avoids metal-to-metal chewing-things-up if one booboos the placement of the fence.....

there are many ways - not one and only one - to rip thin strips.
some ways are more suited to some situations than others.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Oh Boy ....*



fisher said:


> Maybe I'm not understanding, but I don't see how the miter gauge and block alone would be the same. For example, If you had a 1" piece of stock and wanted to rip off a 1/8" strip from it. Wouldn't you need the support of a fence? That's where this jig seems to shine. You get the support of a fence without the risk of kickback. But maybe I'm just not picturing what you guys are meaning.
> 
> btw, happy Easter!


Ok, let's start from the beginning. You use your fence in the normal manner as the registration for the right side of the workpiece.

The miter gauge with the stop block is located at the desired distance from the left side of the blade, ... the width of the strip and well in front of the blade.

The workpiece is placed in registration on the fence, and both of them are slid over to the left until the workpiece touches the stop block. Now the cutting pass begins and the mitergauge and stop block are NOT part of the cutting operation, they stay in place several inches from the blade. This is very similar to the Rockler thin strip jig, except you don't need to buy the jig, saving a few $$$, hence the name "poor man's thin strip jig".






I'll be happy to take some photos when the sun comes back out... :smile3:


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## TeesLogan (Apr 18, 2017)

woodnthings said:


> I'll be happy to take some photos when the sun comes back out... :smile3:



That would be great still trying to fully wrap my head around this. though I love the name poor man thin strip. sounds awful punny.


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## geichel (Apr 26, 2017)

I completely agree with "the poor man's thin strip jig" and it's what I have been doing just a scrap and a clamp, it works great....the part that I'm having trouble with is when the remaining portion of board gets less than an inch or so, not a lot of real estate to sagely push..... I'm thinking some sort of pusher that will go over the top with a groove for the blade or that is sacrificial.... any thoughts. Thanks

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


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## ducbsa (Jul 6, 2014)

I've made pushers out of 1/4" plywood that do fine. I also usually use a wood stick to keep the piece against the fence.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*watch the Rockler video*



geichel said:


> I completely agree with "the poor man's thin strip jig" and it's what I have been doing just a scrap and a clamp, it works great....the part that I'm having trouble with is when the remaining portion of board gets less than an inch or so, not a lot of real estate to sagely push..... I'm thinking some sort of pusher that will go over the top with a groove for the blade or that is sacrificial.... any thoughts. Thanks
> 
> Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


The Rockler thin strip jig is used as a "bump stop" for adjusting the left side of the workpiece, and having the "off fall" to be on the left side of the saw blade, NOT between the blade and the fence on the right side of the blade, thereby requiring a push stick riding over the top of the blade.

I have often used a sacrificial push stick which DOES ride over the blade and gets cut into when ripping thin strips and it works just fine. One if the issues in using this method, is the blade guard is often in the way with the fence so close to the blade. You can get around this by using a "L" shaped auxillary fence which is lower and creates an addition 2" or so between them.

Here's one I made in a hurry, showing 2 pieces of wood to make the fence and a scrap on the right side of the blade for the photo.


http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f2/anyone-read-article-l-fence-56712/


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## Pirate (Jul 23, 2009)

TomCT2 said:


> putting a wood sacrificial strip on a metal fence is somewhat SOP for a table saw.
> it avoids metal-to-metal chewing-things-up if one booboos the placement of the fence.....
> .


I always thought a sacrificial fence was when you needed to make a cut where the std fence wouldn't work, as in cutting a rabbit, where you imbed the blade in a sacrificial fence.
I don't adjust my fence with the saw running, if the blade is within 1" or so of the blade. Any closer, and I flash back 50 years ago, and didn't know better, and, stupidly ran the blade into the fence on my CM ts. Cut a smile on the fence, and put a frown on mine
An added fence face for normal use is not a "sacrificial" fence in my world. 
Would the HDPE screwed on fence faces on my Exacta fence, be called sacrificial?

If you had a "sacrificial" fence on your fence, and needed to make a rabbit cut, would you cut into it to imbed the blade?


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Yep*



Pirate said:


> *I always thought a sacrificial fence was when you needed to make a cut where the std fence wouldn't work, as in cutting a rabbit, where you imbed the blade in a sacrificial fence.*
> I don't adjust my fence with the saw running, if the blade is within 1" or so of the blade. Any closer, and I flash back 50 years ago, and didn't know better, and, stupidly ran the blade into the fence on my CM ts. Cut a smile on the fence, and put a frown on mine
> An added fence face for normal use is not a "sacrificial" fence in my world.
> Would the HDPE screwed on fence faces on my Exacta fence, be called sacrificial?
> ...


That what I do on my sawzilla when using the dado set. I have a full set of chippers on the stack and run it up into the 1 1/8" thick sacrificial fence the depth of the rabbet and then set the fence to the length of the rabbet. With a table saw setup with a dedicated dado stack saves changing blades and chippers, except when you need a specific width dado. For dados that are less than 15" long, I use a dedicated RAS also setup with a dado stack. If you buy more than one of the older Craftsman10" RAS, you will find that the carriages or motors are interchangeable and you can unbolt the stop screw, remove the carriage and run another one right on the rails and be ready to make dados.


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## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

I almost hesitate to reply since semantics around here generate so many issues.

in my world any chunk of wood one employs for any normal or strange reason and has no qualms about whacking on / cutting / drilling / bashing / nailing / divoting / etc / "into it" - causing damages as to make it unpretty or unuseful for "other purposes" is "sacrificial"

vise faces are a prime example. I use poplar for my bench vise because it's about the softest thing going. I don't give a hoot it it gets dented, squished, glued on, oopsied with a chisel / saw / hammer, etc. it is their purpose in life to take the hit for my work piece; I love them dearly but I have no issues taking them off, tossing them in the trash, putting on new faces. actually they go in the scrap bin, because I'll probably use them as a drilling backstop, but whatever.....

I bought a nice white plastic manufactured "shelf" from the closet department to make fence(s) for my router table. any bit I use requires cutting away part of the fence. eventually it'll get so beat up I'll toss it and start over. why all the fuss&muss? the OEM 'sacrificial' fence is two piece and is not intended to be cut into - it's slotted, it adjusts, it sings, it dances. okay, great idea - but two pieces = alignment issues and "oops what's the work piece hung up on comma now comma again?" the alignment issue is well documented by Bosch users, to the point I bought the shelf the same time I bought the table. never used the OEM two pc sliding on-serts.

as your experience points out - sh*t happens. and accidents happen, like neglecting to properly lock down the fence....who, moi?

and in some cases ala very shallow width cuts and the rabbeting situation, it's full on intentional take whack out of the 'sacrificial' piece.


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