Alternatives to Table Saws for Ripping Strips

[kaseencook]

I originally posted this on the table saw forum, but was told to move it to the boat forum....

"Hello! I am new to the forum, I just stumbled upon the forum when doing some research on strip kayaks and ripping strips from planks. I'm glad to find a place to pick the brains of people who know a lot more about tools and methods!

My main wood working interest is in water craft, and I have been doing some research on strip kayaks for a distant future project, as they look beautiful, light weight and not too complicated.

Anyway, I would like to rip my own strips from wood planks as I'm not sure where I could get the right strips pre-made in Tasmania and because it would be much cheaper in the long run to rip myself.

I've had a look around at table saws, as these seem like the tool to do the job, but the cheapest one around is about $400, and from what I have read the fences are very crappy. Even $400 is out of our budget anyway.

My question is, are there any other efficient and cheaper tool options for ripping planks into thin strips? Maybe something like a mounted circular saw (if that's even possible)? We have already in our saw collection a plunge router, jigsaw, circular saw, reciprocal saw (I think that's what it is), and a compound mitre saw. To me a table saw looks like a circular or other saw mounted under a table with guiding fences (of course I'm sure it's more complicated than that). I know that routers can be mounted in that way on router tables, but I have never seen router bits that would rip wood strips like a saw as the bits rotate in the wrong plane.

Thanks in advance for reading and ideas!"

[bloggs1968]

Table saw is good as is a decent bandsaw. If you are only building one or two kayaks it probably isn't worth the expense of purchasing a saw. We mill timber to size and could help - just down the road.

regards,

AD

[PAR]

Clamp you circular saw upside down to a sturdy saw house or bench. Screw a piece of 1/4" plywood to it's base, using countersunk fasteners. The plywood will serve as your table and you can screw a 1x2 fence to the plywood at the desired thickness for the cut. This is dangerous to do, but used with care, you can get by. I've done similar for in the field work.

A safer method is to just use a fence, which can be not much more the a straight edge clamped to the work you want to cut. Plywood's factory cut makes for really good straight edges and cutting guides.

A nice trick is to use sacrificial foam under the cut, on your table. This foam should be deeper then your blade can cut and it'll be replaced for time to time, after it's been slashed all over from repeated cuts. You lay you work on the foam, clamp or screw a plywood guide down, then rip it with the circular saw.

[b.o.a.t.]

Might be worth having a look at Bunnies' Ozito knock-off of the Triton.
Or even try for a Triton if you can afford it.

further to PAR's suggestion of a fence clamped to the job, what about a
fence or guide of right-angle ally screwed to the shoe of your circ saw ?
Would need to extend a generous 500mm forward of the saw to get a good
straight entry to each cut. Even then, you will have clamping & squareness
issues when the stock gets narrow, down to the last 3 or 5 strips.

Have a home-made saw table, with circ saw bolted upside-down under a table
top. It' a bit rough, a lot hit & miss, never seems to properly hold its angle, &
is bloody dangerous. Enough so that I use it only when I have to - eg rip a
70x19 in half or similar. The results always seem to need mucho planing to
make square & straight.

So, from my point of view, AD's offer has to be worth checking out. His
workshop will probably have a bunch of time & labour saving tricks you (and I)
can't even dream of affording.

cheers
AJ

[kaseencook]

Thanks for all your help and ideas!

Thank you AD, it's good to know there is someone in Tassie who makes the strips for kayaks... you just can't find that kind of thing in the yellow pages! :) I'll definitely keep that in the back of my mind for when I do the project.

Thank you as well for the ideas on how to attach the circular saw for stripping. It sounds great in one way because I already have a circular saw, but scary in another way because it's a bit more dangerous.... Although I think my circular saw is probably not powerful enough to do much kick back (sometimes in tough wood the blade just stops).... hummm..... it's tempting....

The band saw also sounds nice because it's not as dangerous and can cut other things as well. I'll definatrely have to keep an eye out for some second hand saws as well.

Thanks for all the ideas, It's a good starting point and I have some options now to mull over in my head about which way to go. :)

Merry Christmas :)

[honkongphoie]

The band saw also sounds nice because it's not as dangerous and can cut other things as well. I'll definatrely have to keep an eye out for some second hand saws as well.
this is what i am looking at getting as i have never liked circular or bench saws they just seem to dangerous to me:oo:




Merry Christmas :)
aaaaaaaaaargh is it that time of year already, it hardly seems like a year since the last one:doh:

[woodeneye]

Seriously, an uncontrolled saw can do some decent damage to body parts. Rather scout around for a second hand Triton Mk3 or a 2000 saw table and mount your circular saw in it. You should be able to pick one up for about $200 or less.

You can do some very decent ripping with them.

[hereselmo1]

Does a band saw give you a nice straight cut if you are stripping down timber? I would be worried that it might end up a bit wavey?

[PAR]

A band saw is best when cutting curved parts, not straight cuts.

[Daddles]

You've already got a circular saw, so buy at Triton workcentre (or whatever they call them). This mounts your circular saw under a table. If your saw proves to be too small, eventually upgrade to a bigger, stronger saw. You have to be pretty keen for the Triton not to do everything you want for home boat building.

When it comes to ripping and shaping a couple of thousand stick for a strip plank boat, just get the supplier to do it.

A circular saw is a lovely thing to have but it takes up room and doesn't do anything your jigsaw can't ... it just does them better.

Richard

[Boatmik]

this is what i am looking at getting as i have never liked circular or bench saws they just seem to dangerous to me:oo:

aaaaaaaaaargh is it that time of year already, it hardly seems like a year since the last one:doh:

Howdy,

Tell you something interesting ...

Statistically there are more accidents on bandsaws. The reason they think is because people think they are safer.

I have used all types of saws a intensively for a number of years through my life. My natural feeling is much the same as you. Since reading that statistic I have tried to build up my fear and respect for bandsaws to the same level as for circular or skil.

MIK

[woodeneye]

Thats 2 votes for the Triton saw table. With a good 82 tooth blade you'll get a planed finish too...

[hereselmo1]

I managed to get a cheap bandsaw on ebay so I am going to use that to cut stuff to a generous strip then my dads thickenesser to ensure I still get a clean edge.

p.s. I will be sure to be safe :D

[Daddles]

I managed to get a cheap bandsaw on ebay so I am going to use that to cut stuff to a generous strip then my dads thickenesser to ensure I still get a clean edge.

p.s. I will be sure to be safe :D

Sure you will stumpy, sure you will :wink:

Richard
actually, I'm jealous, I'd love a bandsaw ... not that I've got anywhere to keep one, let alone use it :rolleyes:

[Kev da Fridgee]

Yep like I said Richard.... Ya need a biger shed mate......... me?? I need a shed and a place of my own to start building:~

[kaseencook]

I've been experimenting with ways to strip wood to 7mm thick strips for the kayak in the past few days with the tools I have.

The best one so far is to securely screw the very edge of the plank (within about 1cm or so) to the edge of the wooden work bench. I then take a piece of 7mm scrap ply about the size of my hand with a flat edge and a tiny fence nailed on and run it down the length of the wood with a pen up against it to draw the 7mm cut line in a few seconds. I then rip the strip with my circular (18V battery type) and wa-la! It is not too bad, takes about a minute or two per strip, until the batteries run out and I have to recharge. Strips are moderately refined and even. What would be perfect is if I could make a fence that goes straight on the circular that is 7mm wide (the fence that comes on the circular doesn't go smaller than the base plate, so can't get it to 7mm wide). I use 120mm wide pine 19mm thick, and get about 10 strips before I get to the edge then there is a small strip left over to figure out what to do with..... toothpicks.....

I think that's what I'll use for the boat, then I don't need expensive new tools and it's safer than a home made table saw because you can have both hands on the circular using it as it was intended with the wood securely screwed to the table.

[Daddles]

then there is a small strip left over to figure out what to do with..... toothpicks.....

Save them for the inevitable demonstrations of your abilities as a woodworker ... and use them to fill the gaps :doh:

Glad it's working for you.
Tell me, when that battery goes flat, do you curse your luck or sigh with relief? :rolleyes:

Richard
who will build strip plank one day (probably a rowboat), thus justifying the lack of faith many have in his mental stability :oo:

[hereselmo1]

I just went into Bunnings today and looked at a small Ozito table saw.

Looked pretty flimsy, only cuts to 40mm thickness and the blade cant be raised or lowered or tilted for angle cuts.

Having said that it is only around $100 and has a three year replacement warranty so it is probably perfect for my project. Has gone on the birthday/christmas list. :D

[Daddles]

I just went into Bunnings today and looked at a small Ozito table saw.

Looked pretty flimsy, only cuts to 40mm thickness and the blade cant be raised or lowered or tilted for angle cuts.

Having said that it is only around $100 and has a three year replacement warranty so it is probably perfect for my project. Has gone on the birthday/christmas list. :D

A mate of mine bought something similar for a similar price. The fence was useless so he cobbled up something that worked. You won't miss not being able to tilt the blade- I've done it once on the Triton to see how how it went but never since. Similarly, being able to raise the blade is a nice safety thing but not a problem in use. I couldn't raise or lower the first saw in my Triton either, mainly because it was a small thing. I cut a lot of timber in two bites - cut one side, turn it over and cut the other side - that worked though you'll note that eventually I bought a big brute of a saw for the Triton (and gave Dad his saw back :rolleyes:). The interesting thing about Mike's was how quiet it was - dead silent except for the sound of the saw tearing the timber. And the beauty of the price is that it's not excessive so you can afford to buy one just to work out how much you actually need it and, regardless of whether you decide to get a better table saw or not, it'll pay for itself just on the TS16 :2tsup:

Richard