Rip Sawing

Ripping is where the work piece is fed with the grain into the saw blade using the fence as a guide and a positioning device to ensure the desired width of cut (Figure 25).

Figure 25

Before starting a ripping cut, be sure the fence is clamped securely and aligned properly.

•Never rip freehand or use the miter gauge in combination with the fence.

•Never rip workpieces shorter than the saw blade diameter.

•Never reach behind the blade with either hand to hold down or remove the cutoff piece with the saw blade rotating.

Always use the blade guard, riving knife and anti-kickback pawls. Make sure the riving knife is properly aligned. When wood is cut along the grain, the kerf tends to close and bind on the blade and kickbacks can occur.

Note: A caution decal is installed on each guard to remind the operator of the dangers of improper machine operation.

Figure 26

The rip fence (A, Fig. 26) should be set for the width of the cut (C, Fig. 26) by using the scale on the front rail, or by measuring the distance between the blade (B) and fence (A). Stand out of line with the saw blade and workpiece to avoid sawdust and splinters coming off the blade or a kickback, if one should occur.

If the work piece does not have a straight edge, attach an auxiliary straight edged board on it to provide one against the fence. To cut properly, the board must make good contact with the table.

In ripping, use one hand to hold the board down against the fence or fixture, and the other to push it into the blade between the blade and the fence. If the workpiece is narrower than 6" or shorter than 12", use a push stick or push block to push it through between the fence and saw blade (Figure 27). Never push in a location such that the pushing hand is in line with the blade. Move the hand serving as a hold-down a safe distance from the blade as the cut nears completion. For very narrow ripping where a push stick cannot be used, use a push block or auxiliary fence. Always push the workpiece completely past the blade at the end of a cut to minimize the possibility of a kickback.

Figure 27