"MikeWhy" wrote in message
...
The concept seemed simple enough, and it didn't occur to me that I had
never tried cutting anything this long before. I have to cut some 8'
sheets of plywood the long way on the TS. A few dry runs with a helper had
it weaving and bobbing off the fence and table. We tried it with the
helper making like a featherboard. We tried it with the helper making like
an infeed support roller, which worked a little better. The lumberyard
would have ripped it for me at $1 per cut, if I had been thinking. But now
that it's here...

Is there a secret to a long rip on tablesaws? 8' of leverage easily
overcomes whatever force I can apply holding it to the fence. I've seen
conical feed rollers that hold the work to the fence, but never paid much
attention, since I didn't have problems with the size of work I was doing.
I can't find them now on online stores. What are those roller-things
called?

There's no problem on the outfeed end. I just need to get the first 3' or
so to feed straight enough to not kick back. From there, it's a very
comfortable rip, just like the ones I'm used to. What's the secret?

My experience is to avoid helpers. I use multiple roller stands with swivel
wheels on infeed and outfeed to support both sides of the cut and when
cutting to press the plywood against the fence. Where material allows, I cut
it 1/4 inch oversize, then retrim the cut piece when it is more manageable
in size.

I find helpers tend to try to help too much and often move about as they are
easing the wood through the saw when walking backwards, which causes binding
and a weaving cut.