Thread: How to machine slats for thong locker

6mm isn't all that thin when ripping on a tablesaw. I think nothing of ripping 3mm, just make sure your blade is sharp and if possible a thin cerf blade. The easiest way is to have someone tailing the saw pulling the wood through. Or if you don't have anyone to help, rip the board half way, flip end of end, and rip the other half.

If you still want to rip the wood on the outside of the blade then you'll just have to move the fence the 6mm + what ever extra you want + the blade thickness each time. If you run the wood in long lengths it won't be too inefficient.

Rip them down to 7 or 8mm and then plane to a hair over 6mm and sand with the belt sander and then the RO and finally by hand with the grain.

Most important is to use the straightest grain pine you can, any run out in the grain will could cause problems with tear out and breakage.

I'd glue the slats into the the rebate and maybe pin them if there was a way to hide the pin. I'd use epoxy as the glue, that way I know they'd never come loose.

Thanks Mathew. I did manage to rip enough to do the job but sanding, assembly and the thought of rubbing back all those edges during spraying put me off. Time was also a problem so seing as it was only bedroom furniture and really not all that important I took the easy path. I have a bundle of slats for another job now.