On cutting strips...

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zpeteman
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Joined: Wed Dec 21, 2005 4:28 pm
Location: Florida

On cutting strips...

Post by zpeteman »

I'm trying to figure out the most cost efficient way to cut my strips. Locally available I can get 3/4 x 16' WRC. So my options as I see them are:

1. Resaw it to 3/8 and plane to 1/4

2. Plane the whole 3/4 down to 1/4

or, and this is my primary question..

3. set the table saw to 1/4 and cut as many strips as I can off of the width. The board is 3/4 thick so the strips would be cut off the edge. Is this acceptable? Will that significantly change the grain?

Number 3 seems to easy to me. Any input?
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Glen Smith
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Post by Glen Smith »

If number 3 seems too easy to you then I guess a lot of us are guilty of taking the easy way out. The cedar boards that I buy have face grain on the top and bottom surfaces and of course edge grain on the edges. I buy rough lumber and I plane it down to 3/4" thickness then I run the board through the tablesaw with the fence set at 1/4" or whatever thickness strip I want. I use a featherboard on the fence to hold the board down against the saw table. I use a featherboard on the saw table to hold the board against the fence. I use a zero-clearance insert on the tablesaw and I use a thin-kerf 7.25" saw blade which produces strips with a smooth surface so no extra planing is required. You also need long infeed and outfeed tables to obtain optimum results.

The featherboard on the saw table has to be adjusted for each new strip but the fence is never moved. You could also use "yellow board buddies" instead of featherboards and these require no re-adjustment.

If your boards have been cut so the face grain is on the edges and the edge grain is on top/bottom, you can cut the board into 3/4" X 3/4" strips then flip them 90 degrees and cut the 1/4" strips from these.

Of course, you could use strips that are showing the face grain rather than the edge grain. The appearance is more dramatical but the surface is harder to sand evenly.

Are you getting confused yet or is this all clear to you? :thinking
zpeteman
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Location: Florida

Post by zpeteman »

Not confused at all. I'm glad to hear it too, that cuts my cost estimate enormously. I was thinking I'd get a max of 4-8 strips out of a 1x6x16 using method 1 or 2 but 3 provides roughly 18 per board. It just seems to good to be true.
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Glen Smith
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Post by Glen Smith »

Using a standard blade with a 1/8" kerf will get you 15 strips from a 1 X 6. Using a thin kerf (0.069") blade will get you 17 or 18.
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John Michne
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Post by John Michne »

Z -

See my web site, http://michneboat.com , for a detailed article about making strips. Scroll down to the bottom of the opening page, and click on My Web Site, then click Builder's Corner. There is a list of interesting and informative articles you may wish to read, including Making Strips.

- John
Fred G
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Location: Haslett, MI

Post by Fred G »

don't forget to number your strips coming off the saw. every strip from the same board gets the same number. Sorting strips later is then easier.
zpeteman
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Location: Florida

Post by zpeteman »

Many thanks for the replies, helped out a lot.

Pete
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Juneaudave
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Post by Juneaudave »

Glen is absolutely right...if you are using a table saw, be sure to setup good infeed and outfeed support. With the supports, and featherboards or board buddies, you can rip the strips solo, which I think is easier than having people on each end.
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Bryan Hansel
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Post by Bryan Hansel »

On my last kayak, I used a circular saw to rip the strips from the board. I was surprised how easy it was, and I doubt I'll use a table saw for the job again. Just a thought.

Here's a picture of the saw dust. Look at all those strips. :wink

Bryan

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Tom in MN
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Post by Tom in MN »

How big of a table saw do you have? I have found the best way to make strips is by stacking blades in my table saw, spaced by some plywood circles. Of course the blade you use and the thickness of plywood have to be calculated to give you finished strips the thickness you want. Remeber that strip thickness, within 10 to 20 thousanths of an inch, is arbitrary. What you are looking for is consistancy. If you make them all .240 or .255 is not really material. This is what I like about stacked blades. It is like sawing and thickness planing all in one step. When the strips come out of the saw, there are three strips that are all identical (provided you have three blades and two spaces identical). The fence setting determines the thickness of the inside strip. This method makes strip making faster and more consistant, and who doesn't need spare blades. To use this method, you will also have to make a new insert for your saw (can by one or make one out of plywood and raise the "gang of blades" up through it the first time (as if making a zero clearance insert.)) You also have to built a "sled" to push the strips through the saw and out the back end of the gang (I do not recommend fingers between the blades) as one board makes three strips. If you plan on only making one boat, then this may be too much set up. However, if you intend to make lots of strips. this system is slick. I have made over 25,000 linear feet of stips with this methods and the time I have save is very valuable. I have a power feeder that I set up over the blades and this is better for keeping your hand away and feeding the cut strips through.
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Jim Dodd
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Post by Jim Dodd »

I'm with Bryan!
I use an old Makita 13amp. skill saw with a an 18in length of aluminum angle clamped to the shoe of the saw. It works great!
I've been away from this sight for a long time and now that I'm back, it's good to see many of the same people posting as before! That says something good about this site, and the builders that frequent it!
Jim D
Keep your paddle wet and your seat dry!
Tim Eastman
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JuneuDave - Questions About Your Shopsmith!

Post by Tim Eastman »

Dave I can't help but notice that you're using a Shopsmith.

I just picked up a NICE slightly used Shopsmith 5 for this solo stripper project. I'm absolutely in love with the thing and it has produced forms which are closer than 1/64 inch with the sanding disk (my bi-focals can't see closer than that!). The only one thing I'm not too impressed about the affair though is the table and fence for the table saw.

Did you come up with a special jig /approach/ fence setup for ripping strips? I see you have a really cool outfeed table on your setup but how are you handling the infeed and fence and fingerboards and such?

We're really close to ripping strips and seeing you've been there - done that - with your shopsmith I'm really curious.

Also what did you use for a ripping blade. Forrest? Frued?
Juneaudave wrote:Glen is absolutely right...if you are using a table saw, be sure to setup good infeed and outfeed support. With the supports, and featherboards or board buddies, you can rip the strips solo, which I think is easier than having people on each end
Tim Eastman
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Be an example worth following
canoeblderinmt
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Post by canoeblderinmt »

Tim,
I also use a Shopsmith. Mine is an old one, circa 1962. The biggest drawback to the Shopsmith is it's table. Everything is a compromise and the 'Smith loses on table size. The later models have an accessory set of tables that are adjustable and removeable to address this issue. Try them online at:

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/cata ... ofence.htm

Here's a link to my latest adventure gang-ripping 22 foot boards:

http://photobucket.com/albums/y258/canoeblderinmt/

I just built some temporary tables and clamped them to the 'Smith. A little parafin wax helped everything slide smoothly. Good luck on your canoe!

Greg
" Choose to chance the rapids, Dare to dance the tide..."
Tim Eastman
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Post by Tim Eastman »

Greg thank you so much for the reply!

I went to your links and appreciate both. The Table Upgrade BTW costs more than what I paid for my entire shopsmith. A friend at work basically wanted it to have a good home where it would get used. It's a 1982 and he's literally used it for two whole projects. A little WD40 in a couple strategic places and some cleaning of the slide rails and that baby purrs.

What I found very interesting though is your setup for infeed and outfeed. I like your "zero clearance" throat insert! Nicely done. Now how did you gang your blades on the Shopsmith spindle? And what blade(s) did you use? Did you go with a full ten inch thin curf blade(s) or a 7 1/4" blade(s). Forrest or Frued or other??
canoeblderinmt wrote:(snip)

I just built some temporary tables and clamped them to the 'Smith. A little parafin wax helped everything slide smoothly. Good luck on your canoe!

Greg
Tim Eastman
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Be an example worth following
canoeblderinmt
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Post by canoeblderinmt »

Tim,
When I got my Shopsmith, the gentleman who owned it was the original owner and had built most of his house and the furniture within. I got LOTS of extras with my setup, including an extended spindle. I went to Shopsmith.com to look for it. I think it is actually #555302, the Honing spindle. It is a 5/8" spindle about 2" long, threaded on one end, with two washers, like shoulders for holding a buffing wheel or grinding stone, I think. Either that or it is an old Dado spindle.

I used thin kerf 7 1/4" blades (for a skil saw) from Freud. Mostly for cost, as the thin kerf 10"-ers are a pretty penny. We could get about 3 run-throughs and then the motor would get hot and bog down. So we did a run AM and one PM, and had the ripping done in about 4 days. I got enough for two canoes. I'm sure your younger 'Smith will do just fine. Let us see some pics of your setup when uyou get it into operation, OK?

Greg

PS: This weekend is decks, since I just got my scuppered inwhales put on.
" Choose to chance the rapids, Dare to dance the tide..."
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