It seems like every woodworking project eventually calls for a thin strip of wood. You might need hardwood edging for a plywood panel, a small spacer, or a stack of matching strips for a bent lamination.
At first glance, ripping thin strips seems easy: Set the rip fence and make the cut.
But narrow strips require a little more thought. The goal isn't simply to make a thin cut. You want each strip to be consistent from end to end while keeping the narrow workpiece controlled around the blade.
Here are three useful table saw setups. Which one works best depends primarily on the length of your stock and how you want the strips to come off the blade.
Start with the Right Table Saw Setup
Before cutting thin strips, start with a sharp combination or rip blade.
Then install a zero-clearance insert. The close-fitting opening provides support next to the blade and helps keep a narrow strip from dropping into the throat opening.
Use a splitter as well. It helps prevent the freshly cut strip from pinching against the back of the blade.
Once the saw is set up, you can choose one of three methods for making the cuts.
Method 1: Use a Push Sled for Short Strips
For workpieces less than about 30" long, a simple push sled provides an easy way to rip thin strips.
The sled is nothing more than a piece of plywood with a hardwood cleat attached at the back. The cleat overhangs the edge of the plywood, creating a notch that captures the end of the workpiece.
Set the rip fence for the width of the sled plus the desired strip thickness. Place the workpiece against the sled's cleat, then guide the sled and workpiece through the cut together.
Because the sled establishes the spacing, you can produce matching strips without measuring each one individually.
For shorter stock, it's a simple setup that keeps the workpiece supported throughout the cut.
Method 2: Use a Stop Block for Longer Stock
A sled becomes less practical as the workpieces get longer.
For long boards, you can instead use a stop block positioned ahead of the saw blade to establish the strip thickness.
The stop can be a simple wood block held with clamps. A suitable featherboard that can be reversed and mounted in the miter slot can also serve as the reference.
Position the stop just in front of the blade at a distance that matches the desired strip thickness.
To set up each cut, move the rip fence until the edge of the workpiece lightly contacts the stop. Lock the fence, then make the cut.
Because the stop ends before the blade, the workpiece moves away from it as the cut begins rather than being trapped between the stop and fence.
The tradeoff is that you'll need to reposition the rip fence before every cut.
WOODSMITH TIP: Keep the Stop Ahead of the Blade. The stop is only a setup gauge. Position it in front of the blade so the workpiece clears the stop before it reaches the cutting area.
Method 3: Make a Saddle Push Block
If you're making a number of strips and don't want to reposition the rip fence after every cut, a saddle push block offers another option.
The basic jig is a block the same width as the rip fence with a piece of 1⁄4" hardboard attached along each edge. The hardboard sides allow the jig to straddle the fence.
One side of the block also has a notch that helps control the workpiece as it's pushed through the blade.
Once everything is set up, the saddle rides along the rip fence as you guide the workpiece through the cut.
This setup eliminates the need to reposition the fence between strips, making it useful when you need multiple pieces of consistent thickness.
Which Thin-Strip Method Should You Use?
There's no single setup that's ideal for every situation.
For shorter pieces, the push sled is simple and provides good workpiece control. For long boards, the stop-block method lets you establish the strip thickness on the waste side of the blade. And when you need multiple matching strips without repeatedly moving the fence, the saddle push block is a useful option.
Whichever method you choose, start with a sharp blade, a zero-clearance insert, and a splitter.
A few minutes spent on the setup can give you consistent thin strips ready for edging, spacers, laminations, and dozens of other woodworking tasks.
Give Narrow Strips More Support at the Blade
A zero-clearance insert is especially useful when ripping narrow stock because it closes the open space around the blade. Learn how to make your own shop-made zero-clearance table saw insert, fit it flush with the saw table, and create a blade-matched kerf.
BUILD A ZERO-CLEARANCE INSERT → Shop-Made Zero-Clearance Insert
Put Those Thin Strips to Work
Thin, consistent strips are the starting point for bent laminations. Put the technique to use by building this Fishing Net, a woodworking project that uses bent laminations to create its gracefully curved frame.
GET THE FISHING NET PLANS → Try Your Hand at Bent Lamination
