Is ripping narrow stock the TS achilles heel?

[Tinker]

@ Corwin,
Don't give up the jig.  There are some of us who struggle with written explanations.  Uh, certainly not me.  I tell my wife i am the smartest man in the world.  she doesn't believe me either.  for some of us (all the other guys, not me  :) the drawings and animates are most helpful.  I am  eagerly awaiting your next animation.

In reality, I almost never understand written directions until after several repeats.  I do have a much easier time with diagrams, blue prints, animations (of which you seem to be very talented) and any visuals.  That is strange to me, as i have double vision.  My handicap does lead to some activity problems, but, as I suspect with your own handicap, there is always a way.  The fact that I see double should make it more difficult to understand visuals, but that is not the case. 

I had thought you just got tired of the FOG and that's why I had not noticed any of your postings.  Or i had just not tuned into any of your postings. Sorry to find you have been handicapped.  I am glad you are back with us.
Tinker

 

[Holmz]

... So, that may be my inability to communicate well enough
...
But it does bother me to learn that I cannot express myself in a way in which others can readily understand.
...

It takes two to communicate.
I would suggest that you not use my inattentiveness and comprehension as a gauge of your communication skill. At best it is a gauge of our joint-communication.

 

[peter halle]

Corwin,  can't wait to see the final version!

Peter

 

[CrazyLarry]

Maybe this is a waste of my time. Heck, if I cannot explain this in a way in which others can understand and my animation is considered clear as mud, then I certainly have failed. It just takes far too much time to continue with this animation if nobody will understand how this works. I am disappointed. Oh, well.  [sad]

Like the others have said don't be daft, it's me that doesn't get it, unlike Tinker I need a few words (to get the objective) and stills (simulates practice I guess) to pick up the technique / process. The animation is clever but makes me feel like I'm staring into the eyes of shere khan and forget to focus on what's going on!!!

and just because one person (or 10) doesn't 'get it' is no reason at all to give up.

I shall try again this eve  ...

 

[fattywilliams]

hi i was just reading the early post in this and it seems bosch rail system would help as you can clap alot nearer the cutting edge wich got me thinking has anyone thought of modifying or making a clamp for the festool rail which would slide in slot on bottom of rail but instead of being parallel like the standard one have it sitting at 90 degrees just with clamping foot just back from the cutting edge

 

[Tayler_mann]

hi i was just reading the early post in this and it seems bosch rail system would help as you can clap alot nearer the cutting edge wich got me thinking has anyone thought of modifying or making a clamp for the festool rail which would slide in slot on bottom of rail but instead of being parallel like the standard one have it sitting at 90 degrees just with clamping foot just back from the cutting edge

Wouldn't you like to know when my CNC mill has a day of no jobs to run through it.  [big grin] I am definitely going to try to make a clamp out of the MFT table screw clamps and make my own articulating arm clamp. They will not be sold as I would have to buy another mill but could give some people a good idea hopefully to make their own. I feel if you had a welder it would be pretty easy with a few nuts and t channel bolts and a set of clamps with some slight modifications.

 

[Holmz]

hi i was just reading the early post in this and it seems bosch rail system would help as you can clap alot nearer the cutting edge wich got me thinking has anyone thought of modifying or making a clamp for the festool rail which would slide in slot on bottom of rail but instead of being parallel like the standard one have it sitting at 90 degrees just with clamping foot just back from the cutting edge

The pictures/sketch suggested that three was a slot on the top
Of that channel already, and I don't think it can have a slot on both sides.

 

[rustym]

[member=182]Corwin[/member]
Please don't stop with your postings and animations.  I have followed you for a long time on the FOG and am always excited with what you are working on.  Keep up the good work and come up with some plans for this when finished.

Rusty

 

[Corwin]

[member=182]Corwin[/member]
Please don't stop with your postings and animations.  I have followed you for a long time on the FOG and am always excited with what you are working on.  Keep up the good work and come up with some plans for this when finished.

Rusty

Thanks, Rusty. But no, I do not plan on continuing with the animation. It is simply far, far, far too much time and effort for something that has proved not to be as useful as I had hoped. It was a fun learning experience for me, as I hadn't ever spent the time to get the hang of SketchUp in the past, and I thought it would be a fun way to illustrate my methods, but I guess it just is more than others can follow.

I've looked through my drawing file and figure that I could just make a few adjustments here and there and make a few screen shots with commentary. That would be quick, as I have already drawn up everything, just hadn't finished with the animation. This way, others could stare at the illustrations and try to see what is going on, rather than having the images fly on by... I'll think about this during the week and see if I want to proceed or not. I would have thought that someone would have figured out what I was attempting to explain, and would have tried it by now and got back to tell how well that worked. I'm still waiting... Heh, heh. Oh, just kidding.

My father was great at making all sorts of jigs for a variety of purposes. He was known world wide within his field for a product he manufactured for his industry. So, I guess I must have come on my jig-making ability honestly, so to speak. "Its in my jeans," he would tell me.  [wink] He was a talented man, and I was lucky to have him for a father.

 

[tjbnwi]

These were ripped with the TS-55.

It was mentioned the cut off piece can become a projectile as the can/do on a table saw. With the narrow piece under the rail there is no way it is going anywhere. The friction strip holds the piece firmly in place.

I prefer ripping with the TS saws over any table saw I've ever used. The TS-55 is much safer to use than most contractors table saws.

Tom

 

[Corwin]

These were ripped with the TS-55.

It was mentioned the cut off piece can become a projectile as the can/do on a table saw. With the narrow piece under the rail there is no way it is going anywhere. The friction strip holds the piece firmly in place.

I prefer ripping with the TS saws over any table saw I've ever used. The TS-55 is much safer to use than most contractors table saws.

Tom

Perfect, Tom! I couldn't agree more with every word you've written. I've always been more of a private person in the past, but less so these days. I would not have mentioned my disability publicly here, but I did so in this case as testimony, if you will, to the ease of using these tools and methods as opposed to, in this instance, a table saw. This 'ease of use' has enabled me to do some things that my disability would otherwise prevent. My condition is not anywhere as dire as those that suffer from ALS like you may have become familiar with recently with the 'bucket challenge,' but it is in the same family of involuntary movement disorders in which mankind simply does not yet fully understand. Many things are extremely difficult at times. Even simple things like getting dressed. Or eating a meal armed with hazardous, and sharp utensils. Fortunately for me I have a great disposition -- well, most of the time, that is.  [tongue]

Point being, cutting thin strips from pieces that are already narrower than the GuideRail is by no means the 'Achilles Heel' as some would have you believe. They just haven't discovered the right method yet. That's all.

Oh, and I also concur with your assessment with the need for [or the lack of any such need of] a backstop. The best aspect of such an addition would likely be that of eliminating/reducing tear-out. I've never had a piece fly off. Yet, I saw a kid  do that with a table saw when I was in, oh, 7th grade -- not something you forget, but something best learned from someone else's mistake, if you catch my drift.  [blink] The next day that same kid cut off a finger using that table saw.  [crying]

You all have a great day! My wife is calling me to have a meal, so wish me luck! [scared] [big grin] Ha, ha, ha. [wink]

 

[Corwin]

[member=182]Corwin[/member]
Please don't stop with your postings and animations.  I have followed you for a long time on the FOG and am always excited with what you are working on.  Keep up the good work and come up with some plans for this when finished.

Rusty

Thanks, Rusty. But no, I do not plan on continuing with the animation. It is simply far, far, far too much time and effort [... yada, yada, yada ...]

Okay, I did take 7 or 8 days away from the project, except a few moments to make some screen shots to help others understand the basic principal on which these jigs have been designed and operate -- like this one:

[attachimg=1]

Here's a link to my latest update: The SketchUp discussion at talkFestool

 

[scgwhite]

Wow - that video you've linked to is great, and a lot of work. Thanks for the effort you are putting into the community.  [big grin]

 

[Corwin]

Wow - that video you've linked to is great, and a lot of work. Thanks for the effort you are putting into the community.  [big grin]

Thank you!  [big grin]

 

[peter halle]

Corwin,

Hey Buddy you you rocked it

Peter

 

[jacko9]

Corwin,

I'm sure your method of ripping stock with a track saw is good for people without table saws but, just in case any younger starters to the trade read this I want to say again that a table saw is quicker and safer and for every instance you cite about fingers, flying stock,etc.  I'm sure that people trying to use a track saw to rip narrow stock have their own horror stories as well and I know the time element is without question faster on the table saw.

I only post this because the title of this post will lead people here searching for answers and I want the answers to be fair and balanced.

Jack (with 10 fingers)

 

[Corwin]

Corwin,

I'm sure your method of ripping stock with a track saw is good for people without table saws but, just in case any younger starters to the trade read this I want to say again that a table saw is quicker and safer and for every instance you cite about fingers, flying stock,etc.  I'm sure that people trying to use a track saw to rip narrow stock have their own horror stories as well and I know the time element is without question faster on the table saw.

I only post this because the title of this post will lead people here searching for answers and I want the answers to be fair and balanced.

Jack (with 10 fingers)

I cannot agree with your assessment of the safety aspect at all. But, I wouldn't argue with the speed of a table saw versus that of using a track saw no matter what the method. I hope that I didn't lead anyone to think that. Rather, my method is much faster than any method using a track saw that also involves clamping the rail to the workpiece. Those methods simply don't stand a chance by any stretch of one's imagination. And that is what I was referring to as to the speed of my methods. Sorry if I left any confusion.

 

[jacko9]

Corwin,  while you have devised a great way to use the track saw, others have devised safe ways to use the table saw like the "L Fence" that takes your fingers away from the blade.  My first Table Saw was a Swiss Inca that had an adjustable splitter that minimized any kick back (and I never experienced any kick back).

So while I love my Track Saw for cutting up sheet goods and trimming doors or large panels, I would never give up my Powermatic 66 Table Saw with the Excalibur Sliding Table.  While it's nowhere in the same league as the Felder saw, it does the job safely and quickly.

I agree that your method of ripping narrow stock is great for those with only a track saw.

Jack

 

[Corwin]

By all means, rip away.

See, I do not own a table saw.

But, if I did own a table saw, I certainly would make jigs to perform the operations that it was not otherwise readily setup to accomplish. You know the jigs I'm talking about. Would you not think that a person owning a table saw that didn't use/make a cross cut sled or any of the other typical jigs one uses with their saw was rather lacking in their skill and knowledge? Isn't the same true for a track saw?

As I see it, there are a number of operations where placing the guide rail by simply aligning its splinter guard to the intended cut line is the perfect solution. However, if you are making multiple pieces alike, wanting to align square to an adjacent edge or parallel with an opposite edge, then aligning using the splinter guard is just not the best method. It may be all you have at your disposal in some situations, but if you don't have anything more in your "toolbox," you just might not be as good with your tools as you think...

 

[jacko9]

I don't think we disagree and I'm old enough to remember turnip trucks!