"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?


I find 8' plywood rips aren't possible (with a full 4' sheet.) It's one of
those times where a straightedge and the wormdrive circular saw is the right
tool (for me).

Ed