Rip Rail

[epicxt]

Excellent info. I hadn't even thought of this for super small tasks.

 

[grbmds]

If someone does not have a small table saw to do this sort of work properly then they should look for a safe approach. I would caution everyone that cutting narrow stock where the wood is not completely gripped by the rubbery stuff on the guide rail that they are taking a risk. Doing any machining operation where the stock is not stable and under control is dangerous.

If you have to do it then use a hot glue gun and attach one side (the unwanted side) of your narrow piece to a wider piece of something of the same thickness using a blob of glue every 2 feet.

Peter.

When ripping stock narrower than the rail, I took the advice of an instructor at a woodworking store in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. He suggested buying extra adhesive backed rubber strips (Festool accessory) and putting them on the bottom of the rail. This won't help with real narrow stock but allows you to use the rail more easily with stock somewhat narrower than the rail. The rubber strips, of course, hold just the factory equipped rubber, except they cover most of the bottom of the rail.

 

[ifit]

I have never had an issue putting a piece of the same thickness at the back of the rail to support it