Ripping on a slider

[Steve Rowe]

Based on some recent posts and questions regarding sliding table saws, there seems to be a misconception that ripping on a slider is problematic and difficult/time consuming to set up. It can be if the operator attempts to rip using a slider like a cabinet saw. The problem is that if you have a long sliding table, the extension at the front of the machine gets in the way if you attempt to stand in front of the machine. While this is the correct operating position for a cabinet saw, it is not for the slider. This is what most of us tend to do when we get a slider given that old habits are hard to break. I have used a number of techniques to rip lumber on the slider and this is one that I use most often.

In the first 3 pictures, you see S2S stock clamped to the table with a device called the edging shoe at the far end and a modified Kreg hold-down at the near end. The edging shoe comes with the saw (at least it does for the two brands I have owned). The 4th picture shows the completed straight line rip. Note that the fence on the crosscut table has been slid to the left to clear the board.

In the last four pictures, you see the edging shoe removed, the crosscut fence slid back to the right, and the attachment of a support table, and parallel fence. The support table just clips on to the edge of the table and the parallel fence drops into place. The crosscut stop and parallel fence are used together to get a parallel cut. I got lazy on this setup and did not use a clamp at the far end. Note that the crosscut stop can only get so close to the blade. Ripping pieces narrower than this requires the use of a spacer (of convenient length for easy math) between the stop and the piece to be ripped.

For ripping extremely narrow pieces such as edgebanding, clamping becomes a problem. In these cases, I usually clamp a wider piece to the table and use the rip fence in a crosscut stop position to set the width of the rip. In this case, the off cut is the piece to be sized.

In performing all of the above cuts, my hands were at least 14 inches away from the blade and my body was out of the line of fire from the blade.

Hopefully, this will help answer some of the questions on ripping with a slider. There are obviously other methods for ripping on a slider, this just happens to work best for me. I encourage others to post pics and descriptions of their techniques.

Steve

[johnny means]

Based on some recent posts and questions regarding sliding table saws, there seems to be a misconception that ripping on a slider is problematic and difficult/time consuming to set up. It can be if the operator attempts to rip using a slider like a cabinet saw. Ripping pieces narrower than this requires the use of a spacer (of convenient length for easy math) between the stop and the piece to be ripped.

For ripping extremely narrow pieces such as edgebanding, clamping becomes a problem. In these cases, I usually clamp a wider piece to the table and use the rip fence in a crosscut stop position to set the width of the rip. In this case, the off cut is the piece to be sized.



Steve

That sounds pretty problematic and time consuming to me, at least relative to the same operation on a cabinet saw.

My SCMI has a similar set-up. It has never seen the light of day. Adjusting two fences to achieve a single measurement is inherently problematic. on my cabinet saw I can get a 1", 2", 3", and a 4" rip from a 12' board without taking a single step. On my slider I would have walked the length of that board 7 times just to adjust the fences.

Personally, I bought a slider in order to avoid having to use tricks like spacers and jigs in order to cut wood. IMO, after spending a small fortune on the utility and convenience of a slider, it seems criminal to still be "making due". Once your in deep enough to own a slider you may as well
add on the cabinet saw "option". Hell, at Felder the price of the edging shoe, parallel fence, and extension table is almost enough to get you a decent cabinet saw.
On the occasion that I do rip on my slider I just use the rip fence (pulled back) like normal with a "push" board laid on the table to finish the cut.

BTW Nice saw. Is that the newer T74?

[Rick Potter]

It also looks problematic to me, and I have a Felder. My problem with ripping that way is that I bought the 5' wagon because of space concerns, and I often rip boards longer than that. I sometimes use the rip fence on the Felder, and just work around the bump out.

I say sometimes, because I kept my Unisaw, and normally do all ripping on it. the slider is great for panels, and can be adapted to do a lot of other things, but I find it easier to do some things on the Unisaw, and use the Felder for what it was built for...panels. I am glad I have both.

But then, I am an old dog set in my ways, so don't listen to me.

Rick Potter

[Steve Rowe]

Come on guys, 3 replies and all of you want to change the topic that you prefer something else. If you want that to be the topic, start another thread. The point of this thread is education and answer some misconceptions about ripping on the slider. If you prefer something else, that is OK but, is not the purpose of this thread.

[Todd Willhoit]

Come on guys, 3 replies and all of you want to change the topic that you prefer something else. If you want that to be the topic, start another thread. The point of this thread is education and answer some misconceptions about ripping on the slider. If you prefer something else, that is OK but, is not the purpose of this thread.

Amen to that.

Steve, thanks for the info. I am new to the slider world and find your tutorial very useful.

Todd

[Mark Bolton]

That sounds pretty problematic and time consuming to me, at least relative to the same operation on a cabinet saw.
?

While I dont rip that way on my slider, the simple fact of the matter is, unless you have a 12' rip fence on your cabinet saw, you rip will only be as straight as the length of the fence. It may well suit your application, but ripping as shown on the slider will produce a dead straight board with two dead parallel edges at your sliders length with only two settings.

I am not defending the ripping procedure here but heck, once you get the ripping guide on, all you do is stand in the middle, set the flip stop, set the guide, and rip. I dont quite see where the seven trips would come from unless your coffee is across the shop and you have to pee a couple of times. Yuk Yuk.

Personally I have never liked ripping on a cabinet saw for anything long. I have never been satisfied with the results. I think for me, running our sawmill as well, I seem to transition over to the slider pretty easily. It is the identical way the wood you are working with is produced (odd huh? the manufacturers are not sliding a log/cant along a short fence to produce your lumber?). Generally if you are looking for consistency and production you look to the industries that manufacture what your buying. The sawmill industry moves their material in the exact manner a slider does. Hold the board on a set of rails and pass it by a blade.

For me, its a no brainer but whatever works for each person and what they feel safest with is most important.

Mark

[Paul Greathouse]

Thanks for the Tutorial Steve,

I had started the thread, "Slider verses Cabinet Saw", there was alot of good information there but I would definately like to see more of what you have started on this thread. Hopefully others will share their techniques on the slider also.

[Mike Heidrick]

Deleted my tracksaw and smiley pictures.

I think the education of using a slider to rip is great.

[John A langley]

Like I said in Paul's thread, if I were to start my business over and if I knew then what I know now I would have bought my slider first. Realizing that finances are a big concern, those that can pay between $12K and $20 for a slider can certainly afford, at some point, to buy a tablesaw. If I knew how to post pictures I could show you my setup - but my slider and my tablesaw basically do not take up any more of a footprint than the slider. With that said, the one given is, a slider can do more and do it more accurately but they both have a place in woodworking. Because I have a tablesaw I have never given much thought to ripping on the slider. In this thread, the original post is very informative to me. It looks like it would be very easy to get used to and get good quality rips. I appreciate you taking the time to post the information.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Steve, thanks for posting that. That straight line rip is only one benefit of a slider, and only one of the optional ways to rip.

Everyone else, can somebody please tell me what exactly is the difficulty with ripping with a slider as you would on a conventional saw???? So you stand in a very slightly different spot. Oh, the horror.

My Felder has a better rip fence than any of the conventional saws that I've had, more table space, more power, more precision, better electronics, more capacity, more stability, better riving knife, better dust extraction, better scoring, and oh, it also has a really cool option of a superb X-roll sliding table! I don't see the problem here!

[Travis Porter]

I have a Felder, and currently do not have the rip attachments like you do on your Martin, but I do have the shoe.

I TOTALLY agree, straight line ripping with the shoe is the only way to straighten a board, but I do not yet feel the samw way about the ripping functions.......

I used a "US" style cabinet saw for many many years, and I am still getting accustomed to the "slider". Say you don't have the ripping accessories you show. Are you not going to have to stand behind the saw say for ripping wide stuff? Where do you stand in the same scenario ripping narrower, say less than 12" stocK?

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Are you not going to have to stand behind the saw say for ripping wide stuff? Where do you stand in the same scenario ripping narrower, say less than 12" stocK?

Stand in the same place you would with a conventional saw, and a bit to the right, or outside the table to the left.

[Peter Quinn]

The point of this thread is education and answer some misconceptions about ripping on the slider.

Sounds Like there has been some education Steve, but not of the persons you were thinking, You now know that a number of experienced individuals that have tried several methods of ripping different stock widths on the sliding panel saw actually PREFER the cabinet saw over the method you featured. Count me among them. Education can be funny like that.

When I step up to a machine to rip widths at work, I may have a cart and cut list with hundreds of parts at widths varying from 3/4"-9" for a given cabinet job. Plus applied beads at .275"-.375", edge banding at .125", and so on. I'm going to rough my parts from wider stock at the start, I'm going to rip to final width at some point later. All this is very quick and dead simple on a standard cabinet saw, or a dedicated straight line rip saw too, but few have those in the home shop. On the slider? I'd venture to say that by the time you are done resetting all those parallel stops and shoes I would be in glue up on the same assembly.

So if a wood worker has room for one saw only, or a budget for one saw, or some compelling reason to use only one saw, then your pictorial description of panel saw ripping is invaluable and evidence that ripping on a slider can be accurate, pleasant and safe. But many of us have tried it using methods just as you explain and decided "this sucks, where is my cabinet saw?" Those who haven't tried both will at least learn that opinions and methods sure do vary. No actual cats were skinned for this demonstration, but a number of theoretical ones have not been seen for some time.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Forgive this very dumb question. I've never seen a slider in real life, and am curious.

I've looked through lots of pictures showing the use of a slider, and I'm still not sure I understand (too many different-looking aluminum extrusions to keep track of). If I understand correctly, with a slider, I can:

-Straight-line rip a board using the sliding table alone (and some clamps)

-Mount a fence 90* to the sliding table to crosscut

-Mount a rip fence parallel to the sliding table to rip

(I attached a picture of how I think this works - is it correct?)


I've also seen sliders that appear to have a standard (US-style) rip fence to the right of the blade. What is that for?

[Mark Bolton]

I have a Felder, and currently do not have the rip attachments like you do on your Martin, but I do have the shoe.

I TOTALLY agree, straight line ripping with the shoe is the only way to straighten a board, but I do not yet feel the samw way about the ripping functions.......

I used a "US" style cabinet saw for many many years, and I am still getting accustomed to the "slider". Say you don't have the ripping accessories you show. Are you not going to have to stand behind the saw say for ripping wide stuff? Where do you stand in the same scenario ripping narrower, say less than 12" stocK?

Travis,
I will try to take an image of my ripping setup (shop made) for my slider. It is very simple however. Just imaging a large speed square sitting on the carriage. One leg of the speed square is against the fence, the other is running the length of the slider. I made mine out of 1/2" ply and attached solid material to the right angle faces. I cut a large radius in diagonal portion to allow me to stand close to the slider.

I simply clamp this right angle square to the fence and use my flip stops for measures (adjusting the scales). When I made the square I recessed the screws that fasten the solid material to the edge that runs along the blade. Then my first pass was cutting that edge on the saw. This made that edge perfectly in line with the blade. Now I simply slide the square to my desired dimension, place the straightlined board against the square and rip. Simple.

The jig weighs about 15lbs and hangs on wall beside my slider. It also is great used as a tapering jig for long pieces. You can swing your fence to any setting and taper.

I originally built it to miter some long wide poplar boards (5/4 x 12 x 9') which were for a project wrapping some large rafters to look like timbers. I needed a dead straight miter and with a right tilt saw the captive cut issue is well,....

Works good for me.

Mark