Ripping Narrow Strips Narrow strips of wood are often used for inlay work. Always use push sticks when ripping material less than 4″ (100 mm) wide. Extremely narrow strips, for example less than 1/2″ (13 mm), present an even greater challenge. It is difficult to guard the opera- tion, and they are more prone to kickback. There are two ways to rip these pieces. The first way requires a zero-clearance throat plate and a sacrificial push stick. The stock is ripped in the normal manner, with the push stick backing up the cut at all times. See Figure 23-23A. The zero-clearance throat plate prevents the stock from becoming wedged in the throat opening. You can make your own or purchase blank throat plates. The second method avoids the issues noted above by positioning the narrow strip on the offcut side of the blade. A stop block is positioned before the blade to obtain multiple strips of equal width. See Figure 23-23B. The main disadvantage of this method is that the fence must be readjusted with each pass. However, traditional guards can be used and there is no danger of the stock getting jammed between the blade and the throat plate. Cutting Dados and Ploughs Table saws can be equipped with a stacked set of blades called a dado set. They consist of a left and a right main blade, and a series of chipper blades of varying thickness. By selecting different combi- nations of chipper blades, grooves can be cut from 1/4″ to 13/16″ (6 mm to 21 mm) wide. When cut with the grain, wide grooves are called ploughs. When cut perpendicular to the grain, they are known as dados. See Figure 23-24. Patrick A. Molzahn Figure 23-23. Ripping narrow strips. A—The narrow strip is positioned between the fence and the blade. A push stick must be used to back up the strip. B—Narrow strips are cut on the outside of the blade. A stop block is positioned for readjusting the fence to the correct point for repeat cuts. The guard has been removed to show the procedure. A B Safety in Action Using the Table Saw • Wear approved eye protection. • Remove jewelry secure long hair and loose clothing. • Stand in a comfortable position and to the side of the blade path. • With the switch off, disconnect the power and lock out the machine before making repairs or removing or installing a blade. • Always use a blade guard when ripping or crosscutting. • Make sure that the blade teeth are pointed forward and the nut is tight. • Tighten the fence clamp or miter gauge adjusting knob. • Make sure the table insert is flush with the table. • Blades should be sharp, properly set, and free of resin. • Always think through an operation before performing it. • Hold the stock firmly against the fence or miter gauge. Chapter 23 Sawing with Stationary Power Machines 383 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.