Table Saw and Ripping

[oldriverat]

I'd like to rip some long boards on my table saw to be used as chines on the 16 foot sailboat I'm building. Is this a safe practice? If so, what precautions should I take or should I just use the Skil saw and rip guide like I did on my first boat. The saw is a Craftsman 10" direct drive.

[ 04-17-2003, 10:16 PM: Message edited by: oldriverat ]

[On Vacation]

Tell us more about your first boat. This will tell us the experience of ripping long stuff. What are you building now? I see you are a newbie, and many here will do what they can to help you.

[capt jake]

Ol' Rat, just make sure the saw in properly adjusted. If you are doing long pieces, make some sort of provision for a lengthy infeed and oufeed table. In addition, you would be well advised to make an extended fence to help in guiding the pieces through.

Not really that hard to do. Infeed and outfeed tables can be anything relatively straight and flat. I use old solid core doors. Extended fence can be any long length of whatever (as long as is is reasonably straight); then true it up and screw it to hte infeed and outfeed.

Many other variations are out there so experiment. smile.gif HAve fun!!! :D :D

[ 04-17-2003, 10:30 PM: Message edited by: capt jake ]

[Don Maurer]

Sure it can be done. You need a good support table on both sides of the saw. You also need to make sure one edge is planed straight or all of your strips will have the same curve as the guiding edge. It also helps to extend the fence on the infeed side.

[Dave Fleming]

You joint the edge, plane the surface.
Jes' pickin' nits, sorry.

[ 04-18-2003, 01:08 AM: Message edited by: Dave Fleming ]

[Thad]

For me it depends on the piece of wood involved. If the piece is moderately heavy I prefer the skil saw. It is a lot easier to let the wood support the saw and only work to follow a line than it is to carry a heavy stick and move it straight through the saw. Of cource there are rollers and feeders and long fences and all to make these things work but the circular saw and a couple of saw horses work fine.

[Dave R]

If you use the tablesaw make sure you have a splitter behind the blade to prevent the stock from closing on the back side of the blade. I would use a feather board just ahead of the blade to help keep the stock against the fence and another on the fence to keep the stock on the table. Clamp the aft end of the fence down if neccessary. Good infeed and outfeed support and a helper who understands what their role is. Have them guide the stock after it clears the back of the table but don't pull. One person propelling the stock is all you want.

If you set the saw up safely, the tablesaw is a good way to do this.

[Scott Rosen]

I do it exactly as Dave R describes. A good helper at the outfeed side of the table makes all the difference.

[Bruce Taylor]

So, how's the Windsprint coming, Mike?

[TomRobb]

What Dave said.
I confess that I've never ripped with anything but a table saw :rolleyes:
Well, there were those 4X6s we scarfed with hand saws for the kid's "tree" house.

[oldriverat]

Originally posted by Bruce Taylor:
So, how's the Windsprint coming, Mike?Mike who? :D Naw, it's coming along fine Bruce. The weather finally warmed enough to get back to work on it. That's what I'm ripping the chines for. Thanks everyone! I think I get the idea now.
Jake, I have a couple of old doors in the shop that can be used as table extensions. smile.gif

[Bruce Taylor]

Good to hear it, Mike. Up here, it's still too chilly for serious googing & splooging, but it should warm up soon. Got a shipment of ply, yesterday...spring is in the air.

Keep your fingers outta that whirling metal.

[JLM]

dont forget to use a nice sharp blade.less chance of kick back. then dito for commits above.

besides fingers with nice clean cut are easer to sew back on. :D

good luck and be safe JLM

[oldriverat]

Originally posted by Bruce Taylor:
Good to hear it, Mike. Up here, it's still too chilly for serious googing & splooging, but it should warm up soon. Got a shipment of ply, yesterday...spring is in the air.

Keep your fingers outta that whirling metal.What are you building next Bruce?

[Bruce Taylor]

What are you building next Bruce?An ultralight lap/ply. camping boat called Blackfly...designed it myself, with help from our buddies here.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid37/p81d1f814346341743d9e6d53c1289cb5/fd1e3504.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid36/pb785410bb74f184dd4ab2ee023425dc7/fd21d2bb.jpg

[Scott Rosen]

Bruce,

I remember when you were doing the design. She looks good. Just one comment: The c/o/e is a bit forward of the c/l/r. Might that result in a lee helm?

[oldriverat]

Looks like a lug rig like my Windsprint Bruce. Am I correct?

[Bruce Taylor]

Scott, a bit of "lead" is normal and necessary. Some boats have none, and occasionally you'll see a design with negative lead, but on a dinghy like this 10-15% lead is considered about right. If I have trouble w/ lee helm I'll step the mast further back.

Mike -- yup, it's a "sprit lug" (that sprit boom you see was recommended by John Welsford, who finds it reduces twist). I've revised the sailplan since making the above drawing. I reduced sail to about 75 sq. ft., shortened the mast by a foot or so, and redrawn the plan with a conventional standing lug (just 'cause I'm used to it...I might experiment with a sprit afterwards).

Windsprint has a "balanced lug" (113 sq ft...hang on to your hat!). Notice that the tack of the sail (bottom right hand corner, where "luff" meets "foot") is not pinned to the mast but hangs in front of it.

[Native son]

I use featherboards for long stock. I have a delta unisaw and I also use saw horses rounded over and 1/4 inch lower smoothed with bees wax as extension tables but I don't move this set up so the saw horses are screwed to the floor