"firstjois" wrote in message

John McCoy wrote:

I dislike having a significantly wider piece on the outside of the
blade. It just feels funny as it's being pushed thru, especially

While I can visualize what you mean, I was taught to keep the best edge
against the fence, your way you are making a new edge every time and for
some reason that was frowned upon. Maybe because we were students???

Certain operations on the table saw are a matter of comfort level for some,
and it always pays to stay within your particular comfort zone.

IME, there is nothing wrong, or inherently unsafe, with having the offcut
wider than the keeper piece as long as you can control the keeper piece
throughout the cut with a push device. Just don't go pushing the offcut
against the blade, or reaching over to move it out of the way before the
blade stops spinning.

I was taught (on two continents) to start these type cuts with both hands,
the left holding the piece against the fence, well in front of the blade,
then shifting control to the right hand, holding the push device, well
before the left hand gets in the danger zone ... then don't touch the offcut
until the blade stops.

In the interest of batch cutting precisely dimensioned parts, I routinely
rip 3/4" (and often 1/2") strips off of 6" - 8" stock with the keeper strip
between the blade and fence this way.

If it gets any smaller than that I use the butt end of a featherboard as a
stop, positioned in the miter slot to the left of, and well in front of, the
blade, and move the fence. For real thin strips (1/16 - 1/8'") you can often
measure the board and move the fence the appropriate amount, taking into
account the kerf, on each successive cut.

Then, as George wisely brought up, there's always the band saw.

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Last update: 10/04/04