Figure 55. Cross-cut operation.
Ripping
Ripping means to cut with the grain of the wood. In other materials such as MDF or plywood, rip- ping simply means to cut lengthwise. To rip a board:
1.Inspect the board for soundness. You will need a straight edge to rip with accuracy and safety. Your workpiece may need to be joint- ed flat before attempting to cut on the table saw.
Never attempt to rip a board that does not have one perfectly straight edge on it. Always run the straight edge of the board against the rip fence. Failure to do this could result in kickback and serious per- sonal injury.
2.Set the rip fence to the desired distance from the blade. IF YOU ARE MAKING NARROW CUTS, USE A PUSH STICK. It is unsafe to put your hands close to the blade. A push stick pattern has been included in this man- ual on Page 62, or you can purchase the G3445 or G1411 push stick from the Grizzly catalog. Use them to hold the workpiece against the table and fence, and push the
workpiece fully past the blade. When a small width is to be ripped and a push stick can- not be safely put between the blade and rip fence, rip a larger piece to obtain the desired piece.
3.Turn on the saw and allow it to reach full speed. Place the trued edge of the board against the rip fence. Feed the workpiece slowly and evenly into the blade. Do not stand behind the board as shown in Figure 56.
Figure 56. Do not stand directly behind wood.
Stand out of the line of potential kickback. Hold the workpiece firmly against the fence and table. Do not allow your fingers to get close to the blade! Do not reach over the blade to
