bridgerfafc:

I think, with your "use the table saw as a joiner", you've
provided support for the Short Fence. What you described
-straightening a crooked board on a table saw with a long
fence - isn't such a good idea, or a safe practice, especially
when you do have a joiner and perhaps a joiner hand plane
(#6 for short stuff, #7 for longer stuff or a #8 for the
Arnold S. folks who just like to lift heavy things).

Now if I understand your method correctly, you have both
the front and rear edge of the crooked board against the
rip fence as you start and end the rip cut. Let's say the
board in question is 36" long. That would require 36" of
fence from the front of the blade as well as 36" of fence
behind the front of the blade. Unless you have an auxillary
fence added on to the back of your fence as well as to
the front of your rip fence, you'd be asking for trouble,
even if you have a riving knife in place.

A short fence won't let you even consider making the
cut you describe. Just because it's possible to do
something doesn't mean it's safe to do. And my point
with the short fence - though implied but not stated -
was safety.

It's possible so I'll try it.
I've got a 12" sliding compound miter saw that'll
CROSS CUT a tad over 12" WIDE boards. Since
it works sort of like a radial arm saw I figured
I could rip a wide board with it - ie cutting "with
the grain" rather than the intended "acrossed
the grain". I took the precaution of using one
of the saw's hold downs - and clamped that
sucker down nice and tight.

When the first saw tooth made contact with
the end grain, or within nano seconds afterward,
all hell broke loose, as did the fence and the support
to which the hold down was attached! The chunk of
wood blown off my board was never found and it
took me a while to find, and get my heart back
in my chest. Figured I should do that before I
went in and changed my shorts - priorities you
know.

USE THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB!

DON'T TRY AND MAKE A TOOL OR MACHINE
DO WHAT IT WASN'T DESIGNED TO DO!

Neither is good for you - or the tool. One of
the objectives is to have you AND the tool
last a lifetime - in good working order.

rant mode OFF

charlie b