Thread: Getting it straight

Gina, welcome to the world of Triton.

I am not quite sure from your description where you are having difficulties. I will assume that you have a piece of timber without a straight edge. Likely, you are attempting to rip the timber to produce a straight edge but cannot do so because the edge along the fence is not true.

The solution to this problem is simple.

Create an edge that is true and straight by taking a thin sheet of MDF that you know is straight. The size of this sheet should be slightly wider than the piece you are ripping. Using double sided tape (carpet tape will do) place the piece you wish to rip on top of the MDF with the MDF overhang primarily on the fence side of the timber. The MDF becomes the reference surface, not the timber you are ripping. The blade will rip through both the MDF and the timber resulting in an edge on the timber that is true and straight. Remove the MDF, turn the board around and rip the other side to the dimension required. Now both edge surfaces will be true and parallel to each other.

Hope this helps.


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Woodchuck Canuck
Good luck is the residue of good planning!

Thank you Woodchuck,

Yes you are correct in your assumptions and your explanation is very clear and simple to follow.

I have a similar problem to Gina except that the material I want to rip is uneven on four sides, measures 100 x 100 and so will not rip with one pass of the blade. I have to turn it over but then there are difficulties in keeping everything aligned.

I have been thinking about some form of jig to keep it in position yet be thin enough to give maximum blade depth. My current thoughts are for a U shaped jig with the material held in the U, 3mm MDF as the sides of the U and a more substantial back made of two pieces that will adjust for different thicknesses of material. The 3mm MDF may have to be sacrificial. I think I should be able to turn it over end for end to get the second cut then advance the fence to take the next board off or alternatively turn the material 90 degrees to get two faces square.

What are others thoughts on this?

I would suggest you try using a piece of say 90X35 or 45 pine double sided taped to one side of you material(centre the pine so it is 10mm from top & bottom).This gives you a reference to saw one side straight and can be end for ended to enable you to cut thru' the full thickness. Do the same for the next side and then you should have 2 straight sides to use against the fence to cut the remaining 2 sides. Hope this may help.

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Tony K

You should read the article, "Four-Square" in the current issue of the Triton Woodworkers Club Holmesglen Inc. Newsletter. It may provide some helpful ideas.
https://www.ubeaut.biz/triton.html

However I, for one, would avoid spending too much time attempting to work outside the limitations of any piece of equipment. Whilst your suggestion might work, you should ask yourself whether this can be accomplished with complete safety, and will it acheive a satisfactory result.

You might be better advised to take you timber into a local freindly cabinet maker and ask them to run your piece through a jointer first and then a thicknesser.

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Woodchuck Canuck
Good luck is the residue of good planning!