Comments on: Musings from the left side

By: Rob

Rob — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 01:40:08 +0000

I have considered buying one, but with four roller stands already, I am covering the bases.
The flip top is not a substitute for what I have here though. The oversized piece has to be supported through the entire cut, no bumps. It has to transition and be fully supported end to end. Any changes will show up in the cut quality at the least, and perhaps worse, and that was what I was hoping to avoid.

I think the flip stop would work great on the outfeed end of a Table saw, and it would also be really nice with the Bandsaw, Planer, even a helper on the Drill Press. I’ll likely have one someday, but I would likely use it for infeed support on the Bandsaw and the DP.

Thanks Danny,

Bests,

Rob

By: daniel vandaele

daniel vandaele — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 20:59:47 +0000

hi,
nice set up! have you ever used the RIDGID “flip top” and what do you think of it?

thank,
danny

By: Michael Hamby

Michael Hamby — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:48:39 +0000

Hi Rob,
Two words for your rig: Pure Genius! I too work alone and have tried many different approaches to solve the “cutting large sheet goods single-handed” dilemma. Due to the flex of thinner material or the inherent bow of most sheet stock, my cutting operations have ranged from “acceptable, but not good” to “ridiculously dangerous, bordering on just plain stupid”. Thank you for sharing your wonderful solution to a problem which has more than likely left some woodworkers minus a digit or two. Your rig will increase the likelihood that I’ll keep all of mine. I’ll be building two of these for use with really long stock for my 1960′s model Delta Unisaw. And I’ll be saying a small prayer of thanks for your idea every time I cut sheet stock safely and accurately.
Mike

By: Rob

Rob — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 23:48:55 +0000

Hand saws are a great alternative to an unsafe situation. I have my arsenal of them and you can bet I reach for them when I determine they are a best/safest way.

There are a number of factors involved in a decision to use one method or another. The ski doesn’t need much testing, it just needs to be smooth, straight, low resistance, and adjusted to be coplanar to the surfaces it is working with. I’ll vouch for it, it works.

For some it is a use what you’ve got alternative when high production or high cut quality is what is desired on sheet goods . This jig will help get you there.

By: grain damaged

grain damaged — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 13:50:07 +0000

Rob,
I gotta say, this is ingenious.
I too have been stuck with the conundrum of support, smooth travel of the workpiece, and the possibility of catastrophic failure to both the piece and myself. I found that, for myself anyway, an entirely different approach was necessary. The motto of the uninsured woodworker pops into my head like a mantra, “if the cut is too scary to do on the machine, buy another tool” I’m quickly finding that hand tools can make the difference between a cut which threatens limb and limb (not a typo) and getting the job done with all limbs intact.
The device looks to be perfectly sufficient and the price is right! However, faced with the choice of setting up, adjusting and testing this device, or just grabbing a good sharp saw to make the cut, I’m going to head for the saw.