GRR-Ripper System

Just ordered this from Lee Valley (along with a F1 template for the D4....;-)

formatting link
was wondering what owners think of it after using it for a period of time. Has it worn out (rubber pads), or have parts broken easily? Any "gotcha's" that make it not worthy of the space it takes up? I've been making some small parts recently and after nearly trimming a finger nail, I thought it best to find a better way. This looks good but is it really or is there something better out there that I should look at. Bought the bucket of common sense since mine ran a tad low while making a sewing box....

Is the DVD (optional extra) worth getting?

Thanks,

Bob S.

Reply to
BobS
Loading thread data ...

time and cut a kerf right through the rubber and plastic ( not near my fingers ). No problem, altho I don't recommend the action. It gives really good control on cuts on narrow pieces where I would not have made the cut because of the proximity of the sawblade. This makes those a snap. Definitely MUCH more than a push stick. I am going to order a second one.

Just MHO,

Vic

Reply to
Vic Baron

I've had one for a while; it's the kind of thing I don't use much, but am very glad I have when I need to make narrow cuts or cuts in small pieces. It works very well. I too have cut through it, and the replacement part was expensive, but I still think the tool is worth having.

Reply to
eag111

I found the DVD to have a lot of good information on it, and am glad I ordered one. It has some especially good material on veneering and marketry using the GRR-Ripper.

-- Tom

Reply to
Tom

I have not one, but two ... "they" can say all they want about 'rolling your own', I now would not want to do without either of them.

Reply to
Swingman

You can make your own push blocks that will get the job done. The ones I've seen rely on sacrificial principal.

Now having said that, I own two GRRRippers, a couple of the optional kits, a complete GripTite system with steel fence and a couple of homemade sleds. I use them all and would buy them all again. I think of GRRRippers as useful for for pieces shorter than 18". I use the Griptites for all my longer ripping. I also use the GRRRippers instead of push blocks when I am ripping modest sizes of sheet goods.

Problems? Until I got the hang of how to set them up, I cut up a couple of the pieces by accident. No problem with rubber parts wearing out. You have to clean them every once in while with denatured alcohol. They are very "sticky" when clean. I also use them on my router table.

I did not buy the DVD so cannot comment on how good it is.

Bob

Reply to
BillyBob

I think it is. It shows you correct use of the GRR-Ripper and highlights some features and uses you may not know about. You have made a good purchase in my opinion. I love my two GRR-Rippers :) GRR-Ripper Review >

formatting link
Bielanowski Editor, Online Tool Reviews
formatting link
6 Reviews:

- Veritas Medium Shoulder Plane

- Sherwood FM-150 Dust Extractor

- Ryobi BT3100K Table Saw System

- Senco 41XP Finish Nailer (Review Update)

- "Orbiter" Drill Accessory

- "Vertiacc" Vertical Drill Press Accessory

------------------------------------------------------------

Reply to
www

Looks like the GRR-Ripper is a winner. I ordered the "system" from Lee Valley but from a couple of the posts, it sounds like there's more to this than what LV has on their site (highly unusual...). I'll do some more research and also order the DVD since it sounds worthwhile.

Thank you all - appreciate the time you spent making your comments.

Bob S.

Reply to
BobS

Also took the advice of getting a 2nd one. Seemed a waste to pay $6 shipping just for a CD soooo...........

Thanks,

Bob S.

Reply to
BobS

It works very well when cutting small pieces. "tunnel" over the blade feels safe. If you cut into it, not a big deal as th blade likes it as well as wood. Engineered by someone who used it - those little O rings to keep the various fasteners in place are an example I wish others would follow. In fact, I've added O ring keepers to several of my home built jigs!

The DVD (mine was free) is fun to watch. Those guys use a TS like I wouldn't. I'm a fraidy cat!

Long rips, wide boards, nope. The 2 hand technique doesn't work in my brain, so I avoid it. I do not like kickback, so if it's long and narrow, I re-engineer.

Regards.

Reply to
Tom Banes

Thanks Tom,

As I said, I've been making some small pieces lately and I think I have spent more time making jigs or feather boards to help hold and guide the wood than I have spent making the entire project. Saw this GRR_Ripper on the Lee Valley site and it looked good and as I've read here tonight - others certainly agree. Just placed the order for the 2nd unit a short while ago.

You evidently had a problem with kickback at one time and now won't make a long rip on a wide board now. Try a 7' long 42" wide glued-up table top that needed to have the sides ripped down - that can get your attention. Actually, it was a very safe operation but I practiced pushing the top thru (blade down) several times until I felt comfortable doing it and I knew what the top was going to do at all points along the path - start to finish. With an outfeed table attached to the rear of the saw, a good solid fence and a well tuned tablesaw - it was very easy to do without any one else helping - after I practiced doing it.

Did you ever find out what caused the kickback? If you know the cause - then the cure is to avoid doing it again and following safe practices. Making long rips can be every bit as safe as any other operation on a tablesaw once you know the proper technique and are comfortable with the technique. Practice doing it as I did, with the blade down and do it in slow motion so you can think about your body position, where your hands are and get used to the hand-over-hand feeding technique.

Doing it live with a blade spinning and saw dust flying can be very intimidating so make the dry runs first - power off, blade down. If your equipment isn't up to the task, fix what is needed. I really doubt that you're a fraidy cat as you said - just need someone to show or talk you thru it once or twice until you see the whole process. Practice, practice, practice.....still doesn't make a perfect project... but you'll feel better........;-)

Bob S.

Reply to
BobS

You can make them and I did for a long time. To have one that will do as much as the Gripper, you either have to make a lot of them in various configurations or put an unreasonable amount of time into building something adjustable. Worth the money. Works well, versatile and cheap if you rather make furniture than tooling.

Reply to
CW

That's some of the best advise I've read in a long time.

Bob

Reply to
BillyBob

And thanks to your post, I'll soon be a bit safer with the GRR-Ripper's keeping my fingers out of way.

Thanks,

Bob S.

Reply to
BobS

Mine's still in great shape after over a year of (unfortunately) light use. Just be sure to double check that the blade is set to go through the channel between the runners. I've almost run the blade down the center of them a couple of times.

Reply to
justme

formatting link

Reply to
Doug Payne

Bob:

Appreciate the advice and time you took to post it.

Yep, I had a nasty kick back this past weekend ripping 4" off a 24X48 hunk of 3/4 ply. Luckily I recognized the symptoms as I was running the cut and got the heck out of the way. Only harm was a lovely semi-circular gash through the leading end of the board where the top of the blade caught it. I was almost across the room by then (little guys learn early how to run real fast).

Yes, I know what caused it. Long story cut short. I had dismounted the UHDP side panels on the fence (it's a Jet Xacta) to smooth them up a couple of weeks ago. When I remounted them I put the panel that's normally on the right side (not normally used side) of the fence onto the left, or normal board guiding side. I had not tuned the saw with it on that side. Lo and behold, when I checked it after the excitement the dial indicator showed that the side panel pinched in at the far (out-feed) end by almost .035. The correct panel slants a tiny bit out (~.004) at the out feed - tuned it that way on purpose. Second mistake was that I had failed to snap the splitter back in (after market Bies) before making the cut - don't ask me why. So 2 goofs gave me a gotcha.

Your practice the cut idea is "spot on". Had I done so, I would have immediately noticed the lack of a splitter. I might not have noticed the pinch-in, but with the splitter the odds of a bad kick back would have been less.

So fraidy cat or no, I'll learn, hopefully more from listening to you guys than from my own dumb-ass mistakes.

Regards.

BTW - the "bad" panel went through the planer, was remounted and checked out OK. Also both panels are now permanently engraved with their "Left" "Right" titles in bright red on the top edge.

Reply to
Tom Banes

"Tom Banes" wrote

Reminds me of the medical practice of clearly indicating on the body where the surgery is to be performed.

Apparently there were some mistakes made before. And they don't want to repeat those mistakes in the future.

Same idea as what you did.

Reply to
Lee Michaels

I think we have a few things in common: short, Jet Xacta, Beis splitter, quick reflexes (duck), learn the hard way.....;-)

Maybe it was one of my posts that you read on how to tune that Xacta fence. Have you added the extra screws? If not - then you obviously have not read my post.

It sounds as though you are *now* well aware of what the hell went wrong and how to correct it next time. You'll remember that one for awhile and hopefully, you'll get in the habit of making a dry run before applying power. Knowing where the stock will be when it exits the blade is as important as knowing where your hands will be at all times.

Bob S.

Reply to
BobS

I've been subconciously aware for a few months that use of my table saw seems easier and safer. Yeah, that's a weird statement. I bet everyone who uses a tablesaw can relate to the idea that you gain a kind of feel or sense for how cut is going through experience.

Well, sifting through possibilities and ruling out that I'm getting soft in the head, I realize what's changed. I used a little splitter device from Mesa (Grip-tite) folks for about a year. Then I switched to the microjig splitter (GRRRipper folks). I thought it was way overpriced. But what you really pay for is all the design and testing time that went into the final product. I read somewhere that Henry Wang went through several hundred iterations in designing the GRRRipper. He also tried to have it manufactured overseas but could not get the quality he wanted in the production model so has it built in the USA (that may have changed - I don't know).

Anyway back to the original point - I haven't had anything close to a pucker factor cut on my table saw since I started using the MJ splitter. I must be getting really good. :-)

Bob

Reply to
BillyBob

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.