Micro Jig Grripper - is it worth the money?

[RC]

Noticed that Woodcraft has a sale on these and some internet woodworkers have given praise to them, but are they really worth the money?

Anyone have the pros and cons of using them vs. normal shop made push sticks?

How about the various accessory pieces they sell - are any of them worth having or will they be yet another handful of bits that get lost at the bottom of a drawer somewhere and never to see the daylight again?

[Outcome of the pushers here]  [wink]
So I ended up ordering the double kit above with the narrow strip addon for both, one connection set just in case and both 4oz and 16oz Glu-Bots since I was paying postage anyway, some paint strainers and then it snowballed into getting a Wixey digital height gauge for my router table and another Wixey one for my Makita lunchbox planer...
It gets seriously expensive to ask product questions on this forum  [embarassed]

The sadly funny part is that Even though Micro jig has a 'local' re-seller in Finland (local here is a bit relative since the shop is 800km North from me) it still is 40€ cheaper to order the Grripper set above after postage, VAT and customs fees and I get the other NAIEU bits pretty much for the same shipping price and have it hauled over half the globe... I guess my personal carbon footprint just went to heck  [unsure]

 

[P2P]

I have two of them (purchased at different times) and love them.  I will never go back to regular push sticks.  These are far safer and allow me to do things on my table saw that I would never have dreamed of doing (safely) before.

While not used all the time, the side leg and stabilizer plate (or whatever they call it) do come in handy from time to time.  When you need them, they are there.  I've not ever used the replaceable cleat.  The stand alone device grips so well I've not ever had the need to use a cleat.

 

[Wooden Skye]

I like mine and how it keeps your hands away from the blade, provides downward pressure, plus it is adjustable depending on the width of the stock.  I am tempted to buy another.  I know people that have 2 use with the jointer, and long rips walking hand over hand.

 

[RDMuller]

They would be a bargain at twice the price.  Pick up 2 of them for "hand over hand" push through.  Reasons for enthusiasm:   1.  Safety,    2. better control over the workpiece,   3.  work on many different woodworking tools,   saws, router tables, shapers. jointers, etc.

When I work retail, I see many customers with injuries.   I had a grown man all but crying one day (he was very choked up) when I showed him the Gripper.   He said "this would have saved my hand".   Enough said

 

[semenza]

   I have a set with the handle bridges.  I like them a lot use them all the time on the router table , much better than other push blocks and sticks in my opinion.  The wide flat piece that rides on the table surface can be adjusted to go tight against the side of the piece. So not only are the blocks holding the piece down , they are also holding it against the fence. And the grip is very good.  The width of the gripping portions can be adjusted, the height of the side drop down , etc. They are very modular and can easily and quickly be reconfigured for  various operations.  Yes, I feel they are worth the money compared to other blocks, and I would say that the set you linked to pretty much has everything that you will really use. I have a couple other add ons but those never seem to come out of the drawer. But that may simply be  due to what I use them for.

Seth

 

[P2P]

I will add that if these were available when I had my disagreement with my Jet table saw many, many years ago, I'd probably still have the full length of my right index finger.

I don't want to turn this into another Saw Stop bashing thread, but my accident is why I now own a Saw Stop and why I use the GRR-Ripper products.  I wasn't doing anything stupid at the time.  I was cutting some narrow stock, zero clearance insert was in place, blade guard was down (being used), and was using a push stick.  Something caught and stock kicked back.  Push stick flew up and took the blade guard with it exposing the blade, forward momentum of my hand and the fact that push stick was gone flipped my hand over and I notched the top of my index finger down to the bone through the DIP joint.

I can safely make that same cut today using the GRR-Ripper with a stabilizer plate to safely pass the stock through the blade while having complete control.

 

[Danny]

Bought the 200 version last week and love it........and will buy a second one.  The only question is whether i will buy another 200 version or just the 100.  I think if you get the GR 200 you will have all you need.  Not sure i would spend the money for the extras like deflectoror or handle bridge.

My advice; start with the GR-200......you will wonder why you did not buy it sooner.

Danny

 

[Len]

Ain't nothing better for ripping thin, narrow strips.

 

[grbmds]

I have used them mostly for my table saw, which I think is their best use. Since I have the TS55, I now still use them for the router table and, occasionally on a wide piece while face jointing on my jointer (although if that were your only use, there are others that would work just as well). For my table saw, I have used the side supports and I also have the cleat which I actually think helps sometimes, but I used them for years without it and they worked well. I do occasionally clean off the sawdust on the rubber on the bottom. Since I also have mistakenly taken small amounts off with the blade, i have bought replacement parts. I have used them almost since came out.

 

[Ajax]

Wouldn't rip thin stock without them.  Safer and more accurate than anything else.

 

[amt]

Like others have said, excellent for ripping thin stock, and good in general for pushing stock as the bottom is very grippy.  I have one and plan to get another.  Just keep in mind when making thin cuts, you will probably not be able to use your blade guard, which is not that big of a deal in regards to safety, as the block itself is now the guard.  However, if your blade guard also provided dust extraction, you lose that.

 

[semenza]

     The handle bridge is supposed to distribute the force across the width of the block (to both edges) so that you don't need to reposition the handle.  It seems to do what is claimed and the set up makes sense that it would work. The bridge came with whatever version I bought and I haven't used it without so I can't compare.  I like to position the handle at angle , diagonally corner to corner. That way I get better multi-direction control and I find it more comfortable so that I am standing slightly to the side of the work piece rather than behind it. I think the bridge probably makes the diagonal position more feasible.

Seth

 

[fshanno]

I've had a pair of 200's for years.  I would get the the 200 because the stabilizing plate is very useful for small pieces on the router table.  Really excellent on the router table.  Two of them are like a human power feeder. 

However.  On the tablesaw I mostly use the Bench Dog Push Loc. 

[attachimg=1]

I've had this for years also.  Gives very good control due to the rubber on the bottom.  Rips down to about 1/4".  Obviously it can't be quite as safe as the GRR but it's always sitting in it's cradle on the fence ready to go.  It's never let me down.