Workpiece drifts away from fence on table saw

[Bob Wingard]

+1 regarding GRRIPPERS ... I got a pair when they first hit the market and wouldn't want to be without them.

[Erik France]

Peachtree has a special on a gripper package right now: http://www.ptreeusa.com/edirect_041312.htm

I have a pair and use them quite a bit on narrow and small pieces. The 1/8" leg is great for narrow rips.

[Alan Schwabacher]

If your riving knife is centered on the blade, it should push the stock neither to right or left, even if there is fuzz in the kerf. You do need to control the stock all the way through the cut. If the riving knife is aligned to the left edge of the blade, it could push the stock away from the fence sometimes, which would not be desirable, though you could overpower the tendency.

I see no problems with aligning the right edge of the blade with the right edge of the riving knife, where it will help you hold the stock to the fence. This seems reasonable unless you move the fence to the left of the blade.

[jeff phillips]

I think I have it fixed. I opened up the owners manual and took a look at how Sawstop recommends the riving knife be aligned. As I mentioned before, when I first set up the saw, it came from the factory with the riving knife aligned with the left side of the sawplate. The manual actually recommends aligning it with the right side using a straight edge. I went through the setup procedure exactly as described in the manual, and it seems to have fixed the problem.

I had just assumed if it was aligned somewhere behind the blade it was fine, I never considered that where it was aligned behind the blade would make a difference.

Thanks for all the input.

[Mark W Pugh]

Peachtree has a special on a gripper package right now: http://www.ptreeusa.com/edirect_041312.htm

I have a pair and use them quite a bit on narrow and small pieces. The 1/8" leg is great for narrow rips.

Or you can get the set for a fare price. Two works great with longer pieces. http://www.amazon.com/Micro-Jig-gr20...736411&sr=8-18

[Lee Schierer]

You can use a feather board like the one made by Grip-Tite behind the blade. They make a steel fence that attaches to your regular fence that allows the magnets to be used in a vertical orientation. They also sell a Roller Guide kit that fits onto their magnetic feather boards that is specifically designed to hold rip cut pieces tight to the fence. I have these on my saw and have used them extensively. I can attest that the roller does a superb job of holding the stock tight to the fence. At their website there is a video showing the roller guide working on a rip cut. The bias on the roller actually pulls the stock to the fence as you make the cut.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Jeff, remeber that if you align the splitter with the edge of the blade, you'll have to re-adjust when you change blades.

My saw manual reccomends aligning it with the center of the saw blade, that way as you change blades it doesn't need adjustment..........Rod.