Rip Narrow Strips with HKC55?

[Jmacpherson]

Hi all

This is my problem, I need lots of different 32mm wide narrow strips of various lengths for shelving unit.
Here where I'm located you can get something called Cover Strips in either Pine or Meranti which come in 3 metre lengths X 8mm X 32mm/44mm.

I can find 32mm Meranti which is too dark for my needs but all the retailers either have no stock of 32mm or don't stock it.

Then I remembered I can get PAR Pine in 220mm X 32mm and that the FS guide rail is +/- 185mm wide and will comfortably fit on a piece of lumber this wide.
If I place 2x pieces next too one another will be even more stable.

I have the 32 tooth blade for the HKC55 which gives nice cuts in my opinion, I've used it to trim a door previously.

It doesn't have the splinter guard of the TS55 which would be better suited to this but if I used masking tape on both sides of the wood and I obviously take the width of the blade into account would I be able to make my own strips with clean enough results?

 

[ear3]

I assume you will be using the normal rail as opposed to the FSK?

I haven't done any ripping with the HKC, since I have the normal TS for that, but I assume it should be fine given the softness of the material you're using.

When doing narrow rips on the TS, I've found it useful to secure the piece being cut with nail gun brads or pins -- once the piece underneath the rail starts getting small, it is much more likely to start moving on you.  Provided you position them close enough to the edge, you only end up losing 1/2" or so.

 

[Jmacpherson]

Yes, would use the FS rail instead of the FSK.

Thanks for the tip on the nails. I can use my 23g pin nailer.

My biggest concern is the tear out on the waste side which isn't the waste side in this case but I'm hoping the masking tape will eliminate that issue.

Only one way to find out