Difficulty
Moderate
Steps
4
Time Required
In Progress
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User-Contributed Guide
This guide is not managed by the site's staff.
Introduction
A rip cut is a cut along the grain of a piece of wood, using the rip fence to guide the cut to a specific width. Typically a rip cut is along the long dimension of the material.
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Be sure the blade angle has been set back to vertical (unless you intend to make an angled cut). The blade should protruding be 1/8” to 1/4” higher than the height of your stock. Setting the blade any higher only increases the chances of injury.
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Check that the blade, blade guard, table insert and all other parts are securely fastened. If any part seems loose, or you are unsure if it is correctly secured, STOP and ask for help.
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Unlock the fence by pulling the locking handle up to the horizontal position as pictured.
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Move the fence to the left or right until the desired width of cut is set.
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You can use the reticle to set the fence to your desired width.
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Since the reticle can be bumped out of alignment occasionally, it’s a good idea to use a tape measure or ruler to confirm / fine tune your desired cut width.
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Lock the fence by pushing the locking handle down.
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If the stock you’re cutting is long, setup a roller stand behind the machine to catch the outfeed stock. NEVER attempt to catch stock on the back side of the blade yourself. Either enlist a helper, or let the stock fall off the back of the saw.
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Check that a push stick is located within reach if needed.
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Make sure that all materials are clear of the blade.
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Never stand directly behind the piece you’re ripping. The blade can catch in the material and throw the piece back at you (a “kickback”).
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While holding your material with your right hand, start the saw with your left hand by pulling the start/stop paddle.
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Feed your material into the blade keeping the edge tight against the fence with your right hand, while pressing it down on the table with your left hand.
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Once the end of the material is on the table: grab your push stick, begin to push the material forward, remove your left hand, and push past the end of the blade.
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Press the “STOP” button to and wait for the saw to come to a stop before moving to retrieve your work.
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If you need to make a thinner cut than the plastic guard allows, refer to Changing Guard and Riving Knife to install the riving knife.
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You must have either the plastic guard or riving knife installed at ALL times during a cut.
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Grab a push stick with a heel for your cut.
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You do not want to rely on friction to push your material through the saw because it can slip and move away from you.
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While holding your material with your right hand, start the saw with your left hand.
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Feed your material through the saw with your right hand, while pressing it down on the table with your left hand.
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Once the end of the material is on the table, grab your push stick, begin to push the material forward, remove your left hand, and push past the end of the blade.
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Press the “STOP” button to and wait for the saw to come to a stop before moving to retrieve your work.
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