Safe alternative to bandsaw for ripping down 2x2 into 1/8" strips?

[Nick Boehm]

I'm still in the process of adding tools to my shop so I don't yet own a band saw. Is there a safe alternative way to rip some 2X2 hardwood into 1/8" strips?

[Mike Hollingsworth]

You can certainly use a table saw, but that will be a lot of sawdust.

[Nick Boehm]

I agree. I know it can be done with a simple shop made jig and will be more waste than cutting with a band saw but I think making the jig and using the table saw will help me develop my table saw skills. I guess I was hoping people would chime in with their thoughts on tightening up the safety level when ripping that thing.

[Von Bickley]

I would use my table saw.....

[Ben Rivel]

Table saw is the only other way I can think of...

Maybe a scroll saw with a fence board clamped to the table if you have one of those... But that would take forever!

[Ken Andersen]

If you are concerned with safety when ripping narrow strips on the table saw, this is what I do. Take a straight board about 4-5 inches wide of the same length and thickness as the stock to want to rip. "Bundle" your stock to the edge of this board with masking tape. Make sure you have tape at both ends. Then, with your fence set at the width of the board plus the desired thickness of your strip, run the bundle through the saw with the board against the fence. Take the tape off, and you have your strip. Rebundle and saw again to produce the next strip, and so on. (Don't move the fence). This technique is used by segmented turners to produce thin, identical thicknessed strips.

[mreza Salav]

Ken, that's a nice trick but what I don't understand is how do you secure the stock with the auxiliary board so that in the middle of the cut it doesn't move if it is only 1/8" that is left. Is the masking tape on the top/bottom of that 1/8" going to hold it tight with the auxiliary board?

[Ken Andersen]

Mo, you are correct, the stock must be adequately bundled to the aux board along its length. I hadn't intended to imply that tape at the ends was sufficient,
but that tape at the ends, especially the trailing end, is necessary for safety. Thanks for pointing this out.

[Allan Speers]

Track Saw.

[Cliff Furman]

Set fence on ts to 1/8" and rip away. Could have ripped a dozen strips in the time it took to read these posts.

[Jim Finn]

I often cut thin strips from 2x4s. I made a small jig that slides in my table saw slot and is adjustable. I move the fence to it after each cut giving me exactly the same thickness strips every time. The jig is placed on the table saw, fence is adjusted to touch it and then jig is removed. I then make the cut and repeat. Using a jig like this puts the thin strip to what is normally the waste side of the blade allowing the user to feel safe by not having the push stick close to the spinning blade. I suggest doing a search on " jig to make safe thin cuts on a table saw". That is how I got the idea for mine.

[Wayne Lomman]

Use the rip saw. If accuracy is critical, set the fence so that the off cut is the 1/8" wide and adjust the fence each time. This way the thin flexible piece is free to move away from the blade rather than being trapped between blade and fence. And you don't need a jig as you have a decent, solid piece of timber to push through with your push stick. Cheers

[Charles Lent]

A Microjig Grripper with the 1/8" side piece accessory can help you do it with the table saw. Another way is to make a sacrificial push block from a piece of stock that is at least 3/4 thick and 6" or more wide. You will be standing this piece up on edge when using it. Along the bottom edge of this piece, remove an L shaped strip that is almost the thickness of your stock to be cut, but leave a few inches of this piece at the tail end of this cut to form the L. This remaining L shaped piece will act both as a "pusher" and a "hold down". Now use this piece to push, as well as hold down the stock that you want to cut into 1/8" strips, keeping both against the fence and the saw blade set just high enough to completely cut through the stock being cut into 1/8" strips. In the first cut the pushing piece will also be cut, but on successive cuts the blade should run through this same cut. On each pass of the stock being cut into 1/8" strips the stock will of course become narrower to the point that it will be narrower than the pushing piece. You can then add an additional piece of stock to hold this first piece against the fence as you continue slicing the first piece into 1/8" strips. Eventually the first piece of stock will be completely cut and you will be cutting this second piece into 1/8" strips. When finished cutting the strips, just discard the pusher block and make a new one the next time you need to make strips.

Charley

[Cody Colston]

Set fence on ts to 1/8" and rip away. Could have ripped a dozen strips in the time it took to read these posts.

This.

Set the blade just slightly above the stock height. Use a sacrificial, shop-made shoe to push the piece through the cut. The blade will track in the same kerf each time. No moving the fence and it's perfectly safe. I've cut dozens of 1/8" strips from 2" hardwood using this method when making laminations for rocking chairs.

[Steve Schoene]

Set fence on ts to 1/8" and rip away.

WRONG. DANGER. Cutting thin strips between the blade and fence just begs to have the stripped kick back at amazing speeds. If you are in the way, serious injury, even death could result. There are plenty of jigs that can be devised to cut such strips to consistent thicknesses that are safe.

Best to start with wider boards that 2x2 to make the process easier. Remember also that the surface that rides on a fence or stop should be jointed flat before the cut. Construction lumber isn't really flat except in rare cases.