clamping narrow pieces

[nikev]

Hi all,

Does anybody have a good idea how to work with pieces that are narrower than the rail? I am trying to rip 1 x 6 maple down to 1 x 1 and it's a real pain to keep the workpiece from moving. I tried a bunch of things this morning and failed miserably -- there just does not seem to be a good way to securely clamp something that's under the rail.

Thanks in advance,

Nike

 

[tbellemare]

You should be able to support the rail with additional piece(s) to keep it flat and just clamp the rail from underneath. Be sure to brush any dust off the rubber on the bottom of the rail so it will grip properly.

Tom

 

[nikev]

Thanks. I understand how to keep the rail flat, but how does one clamp it from underneath?

-- Nike

 

[tbellemare]

You can use either the FSZ Clamps or the Quick Clamps in the slot on the bottom of the rail. That keeps them out of the way of the saw, which rides on top.

Tom

 

[nikev]

I see that you could get the FS clamps under the table as you mention if the guide rail is free, but I don't understand how to keep the rail square in that case. It seems that there would be too much slop in the clamp/unclamp process. Am I missing something? Or is the guide rail supposed to be on the guides (but in that case I can't see how to fit the clamps).

 

[tbellemare]

If you are using the guide rail on the table mounts and using the fence on the angle unit for squaring, you shouldn't need to clamp the rail. You just need to, again, make sure there is no saw dust or debris on the rubber underneath the rail or on top of the work piece and drop the rail onto the work piece using the elevators on either end. The weight of the saw should pinch the workpiece and hold it.

Tom

 

[fshanno]

Hi all,

Does anybody have a good idea how to work with pieces that are narrower than the rail? I am trying to rip 1 x 6 maple down to 1 x 1 and it's a real pain to keep the workpiece from moving. I tried a bunch of things this morning and failed miserably -- there just does not seem to be a good way to securely clamp something that's under the rail.

Thanks in advance,

Nike

The classic problem.  Narrow rips from narrow stock.  You have to support the guide with boards the same thickness as the piece you are cutting.  If you have an extra $325 get the FS-PA/VL.  Don't pass Go don't collect $200, just get the thing and be done with it.  It's extremely easy to set up and usage is self explanatory.

Or you can make a ripping platform something like this.  Several different FOG people have made several different versions of the same basic idea.

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Mine is  8' long.

You make the fence by screwing down a stip of mdf about 2" wide and as long as the guide.  Place it so it's mostly under the guide with the guide butted against the backstop.  Support the back of the guide with more 1/4 mdf and off the edge.  Make sure the screws are closer to the backstop than the edge of the guide meaning they are completely under the guide.  Don't want to ruin a blade.  Rip off the part that sticks out from under the guide and your fence is done.

With the fence in place you can get started ripping .  You will butt the board you want to rip against the little fence.  You will put two spacer blocks against the backstop.  The spacers will be the same width as the rip you want to make. You put a board or boards down behind the fence under the guide to support the guide.  This support boards should be the same thickness as the board you want to rip.  Set the guide down and butt it against the two spacer blocks.  You can clamp if you like.  Now make the rip. 

The trick is to make sure the guide is well supported behind the fence, especially on narrow rips.  You can use any combination of support boards just make sure they are the same thickness as your target board.  Be very careful to get rid of all saw dust between rips.  I recommend keeping a blower handy to blow everything off.

I built a 6'x8'x24" face frame pantry unit with 6 panel doors and 18 drawers.  All rips for all hardwood parts were done with a platform like this.  Never turned on the table saw.  Used my band saw to resaw drawer sides, other than that all cuts were made with the TS55.  Not the fastest way to do this job but effective.

 

[nikev]

Cool idea for the ripping platform. I had actually made a similar but much simpler thing myself -:

http://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?topic=3148.0

But I was wondering whether there was an easy way to do this on the mft (I just got one). I have the idea of making spacers at common widths and register these off the dog holes in the table top, which would do the same job without the need for a whole separate platform, but I was wondering if there was another way.

Cheers,

Nike

 

[nikev]

Ps: how does one us the  FS-PA/VL to cut from narrow stock? Don't you need some way to support the workpiece over that u-shaped gizmo?

 

[Brice Burrell]

Ps: how does one us the  FS-PA/VL to cut from narrow stock? Don't you need some way to support the workpiece over that u-shaped gizmo?

Not necessarily, I mean you can if you want. I haven't so far, I hold the piece when I cut through so the last bit doesn't chip or splinter.

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[fshanno]

Cool idea for the ripping platform. I had actually made a similar but much simpler thing myself -:

http://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?topic=3148.0

But I was wondering whether there was an easy way to do this on the mft (I just got one). I have the idea of making spacers at common widths and register these off the dog holes in the table top, which would do the same job without the need for a whole separate platform, but I was wondering if there was another way.

Cheers,

Nike

The MFT offers a lot of options especially then new one.  Here's a gizmo I made for ripping.

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You just pop dominoes down in the track and the board screwed to the bottom of the plywood squeezes against the edge of the MFT's top to lock it down.  It's not perfectly square to the MFT but that's not important because you bump the guide against it and lock the guide to establish parallel.  Set the guide and make a cut in the top to see where the edge of the kerf will be.  Mark that groove so you can use it to set the jig next time.  To establish rip width measure from the outside edge of the groove to set the width of the rip.  I haven't used it much but it's pretty accurate.  And this one is fast.  Not as fast as a table saw but pretty easy and fast.  I get nice straight rips and they are acceptably accurate.  It's long enough to use long ways on the MFT so you can rip up to 4' with the 55" guide.

I have a set of the Qwas Dogs and the Rail Dogs and they work great for ripping also.
 
I have to say that in the shop I don't use my TS55 for ripping and crosscutting hardwood lumber.  Too many hoops to jump through vs. the table saw.

 

[fshanno]

One of the pictures in my last post should have shown the little dominoes.

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