Ripping long, narrow boards using TS-55

T

thender

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I need to rip 3/4" off the edge of a 1x4 oak board (I need it 2-3/4 wide) .  Is there a way to do that using the TS-55?

The workpiece is 6'-8" long.

The problem, of course, is that the board is narrower than the track.

I tried putting a second 1x4 next to the board I need to rip to give the track something to set on.  I set it up carefully, including clamping the track to the table.  But when I made the cut, the work piece shifted so the offcut was tapered.

Looking afterwards, I see that the clamp track was over the second board, not the workpiece.  So clamping didn't secure the workpiece.  Should I have secured the workpiece to the table using double-stick tape?  Or not use the clamps?

So I'm hoping somebody out there has a suggestion for ripping a 1x4 using the TS-55.

Sorry I don't have pics of my setup but I hope you can envision what I was trying to do.

Thanks in advance!

-Tom in SoCal
 
Can you join two pieces along the long edge using double sided tape? Could you join two pieces by using a piece of wood at each end screwed into the ends of each piece to keep them together until the cut is done (watch the screw)?

Peter
 
  You need to set up so that the support piece and piece being cut won't shift or slide forward as you cut. That is actually more important than clamping the rail, although clamping the rail won't hurt as long as the pieces are secured. Sometimes I put a scrap piece clamped at the end (exit end) of the boards to push against. That keeps the pieces from sliding forward. Basically whatever works to keep the pieces from moving.

Seth
 
If you are going to be doing much of this, you need to look into the parallel guides and parallel guide extensions.  I did 3 Youtube videos on this several years ago.  Go to Youtube and search for Muller  Festool narrow
 
Thanks everybody.

I double-stick taped the work to the table, and tied the workpiece and spacer to each other at the ends.

Then took a slim cut as required to true it up and all worked wonderfully.  That piece is now ~3/16 too narrow, but I can compensate elsewhere for that.

FOG is an awesome resource;  thanks so much for your thoughts an expertise. 

-Tom in SoCal
 
Glad it worked out more or less.  Another solution -- though this depends on your surface and whether you have some extra length at the front and back of the board -- is to use a nail gun to tie in the board being ripped to the work surface.  You can then set up the scrap that's being used as a support, and clamp the rail to that.  It's not an optimal solution, but I've used it to trim moulding when I couldn't get access to a table saw, and I didn't care about nailing the board into the 4x8 sheet I was using as a cutting surface.  Just make sure the nails are clear of the cut and underneath the rail. 
 
ya this is one of those times where a ts55 cannot replace the good ol table saw. just for a small rip like this takes time to setup which is tedious.
 
Nothing to this. I do it all the time. Faster than a table saw with a better edge. Do a search on the subject.

Tom
 
#Tee said:
ya this is one of those times where a ts55 cannot replace the good ol table saw. just for a small rip like this takes time to setup which is tedious.
Click to expand...
totally agree.  I love my TS55 but I don't get enough time in the shop as it is.  for some things the table saw is just the better tool, IMO.  for other things, of course, the TS55 sames time and effort.  it's all about the right tool for the job.
 
baldguy said:
#Tee said:
ya this is one of those times where a ts55 cannot replace the good ol table saw. just for a small rip like this takes time to setup which is tedious.
Click to expand...
totally agree.  I love my TS55 but I don't get enough time in the shop as it is.  for some things the table saw is just the better tool, IMO.  for other things, of course, the TS55 sames time and effort.  it's all about the right tool for the job.
Click to expand...

ya ive heard before buying my ts55 how awesome it is and it can replace the table saw on some festool reviews on yt. after using it for some small rips or cross cuts i would have to break it out from its slumber, set the rail/dogs for 1-2 cuts which is annoying. the ability to set up fixtures and jigs on a table saw is huge and true work horse in any shop/home garage diy.

i dont care what anyone says, dropping a piece of narrow stock and ripping it on a table saw takes 5 secs to set the fence. the ts55? fumbling around to square things up let alone setup time for the rail if its not already setup...and all the support and double stick tape? its tedious.
 
Love my TS55.  Trying like hell to never have to use the table saw again!  Lol. Kinda got a system for ripping narrow material.  I do a lot of cabinet installs that require ripping narrow filler strips.  For tall filler (8'+/-) I set the board on a couple horses, masking tape a like board along side it to support the track, and cut away!  I've also modified my tracks with an additional "sticky" strip about a inch back from the cutting edge.  This helps hold narrow stock in place.

For shorter strips 4' or less, I made a small jig to nest the piece in and support the track.  It's a 10" wide piece of 1/2" ply with a 1x6 attached flat along one edge, and a 1x2 attached perpendicular to it at the end of the ply.  The 1x6 supports the track, while the 1x2 prevents the workpiece from pushing.  The additional sticky strip keeps the piece in place.

Hope my explanation makes sense, but it probably doesn't lol.  Sounded good while typing.  If anyone wants pics, let me know and I'll take some tomorrow and post.
 
I bought Rip Stops from Rip Dogs, along with the right length of Incra Plus track that they fit on. I am having a little difficulty picturing exactly what you are trying to do, but found that the Rip Stops allowed me to accurately rip strips off of narrower pieces. Sometimes I neeede to support the Guide Rail with pieces of similar thickness, but, so far, I have been able to do what I needed to without using my old table saw. That was my goal in going to the TS 55 and MFT and, so far, I have only used the tablesaw once (not to rip though, but to do a dado which I found later I could easily have done with the OF1400 and guide stops on the MFT). If you are a production shop, I can completely understand not wanting to take any extra time to do a job and needing a tablesaw. For me, as hobbyist, I'm content right not to be creative with the TS55. I've found it safer and it actually does a better job than my old tablesaw anyway.
 
There is a thread here where Tom shows his method/jig for ripping strips of wood using a guide rail. Pretty darned good. I used it all the time in the states and will when I return. Its awesome for face frames as they mostly
are the same width all the time
 
In needed to tackle this problem and found this thread. My solution was using the Festool parallel guide and a support piece equally high as the wood you are putting. The wood was actually 65mm thick, I cut the remainder with my pull saw, which worked really well. Downside is that I now have one less argument for buying a table saw.....
 
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