I am looking at a new table saw purchase, and have been reading many
of the past posts in this newsgroup. I am trying to determine what the
essential differences are that define a rip cut vs. a cross cut,
particularly as done on a table saw and from a safety standpoint.
One particular question that comes to mind, is the following. When I
think of a cross-cut (on a table saw) I think of any cut where the
width of the board (dimension left-to-right on the saw top) is greater
than the depth of the board (depth front to back) - i.e if one were
taking a 1' x 3' panel and cutting it down to 1' x 2.5'. This would
seem to be a cross-cut. Am I correct in understanding that this would
be best done using a sled or a mitre guage?
If so, then the primary use for a 52" rip fence (as opposed to a 30"
fence) would be to rip plywood, for example from 4' x 8' to 3.5' x 8'
(in the case of doing cabinetry work)? And the rip fence is not
intended as the reference to be used for example, to take a 1' x 6'
board and cut it down to 1' x 4' by setting the fence to 48".
Thanks in advance.
I know what you are saying but the terminology was used long before melamine
laminated sheet goods existed. Plywood has grain orientation does it not?
If you were going to cut a piece of plywood that was 1'x4' with the grain
running side to side the narrow way which blade would you use, a rip blade
or cross cut blade? That being said, let's agree you can cross cut with the
rip fence when the size and grain warrants and vice versa. Deal?
--
"If you are arrogant, who's going to care if you're the best?"
On 19 Dec 2003 09:14:16 -0800, [email protected] (Steve) wrote:
>essential differences are that define a rip cut vs. a cross cut,
There's only one difference - anything else is a confusion.
Ripping goes along the grain, crosscutting goes across it. As timber
is fibrous, this is quite a different cutting situation. A rip saw
acts like a row of chisels, a cross cut saw like two rows of knives.
If you're using a handsaw, you need to sharpen it correctly, or you're
in for a workout. If you're using a powered saw, particularly with
carbide insert teeth, then you just throw more power at it. Very few
powered saws have what we'd normally think of as knidfe-edged
"crosscut" teeth, because they'd be too weak for a brittle material
like carbide to be driven at powered speeds.
If you rip a long board, then (depending on the timber and its
seasoning) the cut may either splay apart, or it may close up. Closing
up and grabbing at the blade is dangerous, so we use splitters or
riving knives to reduce the hazard.
As to the fence / sled / mitre gauge issue, then this is one entirely
of proportion and not orientation. But trees are long and thin, so we
tend to confuse the two - although rarely in a way that's ambiguous.
If you're cross-cutting narrow slices from a wide board (maybe you're
making Tunbridge-ware banding) then use the fence - provided the board
is short enough for you to still control it.
--
Smert' spamionam
On Fri, 19 Dec 2003 21:35:08 +0000, David Babcock wrote:
> The terms are related to the grain of the wood, although sometimes such as
> with plywood, or other laminated materials the term rip tends to get used
> more.
> But anyway rip denotes cutting with the grain (the blade fairly rips through
> the wood), and crosscut is across the grain, (pretty self explanatory)
...and don't forget resawing - a thickness reducing rip rather than a
width reducing rip. Also bevel cuts, miter cuts and compound miter cuts,
mostly forms of crosscutting.
-Doug
On Fri, 19 Dec 2003 18:20:16 GMT, "mel"
<[email protected]> scribbled
>
>Rip cut and cross cut refer to the orientation of the grain of the wood you
>are cutting regardless of the dimension of the board.
Yup. The real issue from a safety perspective is whether your cut is
considerably longer than the diameter of your blade. If it is, it's
relatively safe vis à vis kickback and you can use the rip fence, no
matter the grain orientation. Doesn't matter whether you're ripping or
cross-cutting. My only major kickback happened when I was ripping a
5-inch long piece of 2X4 (yeah, I know, stupid). On a large piece of
plywood, say 16" or wider, I use the fence rather than a sled. So, the
52" table is useful for "cross-cutting" full length sheets of plywood.
Luigi
Replace "no" with "yk" for real email address
On Sat, 20 Dec 2003 22:12:15 GMT, "mel"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I know what you are saying but the terminology was used long before melamine
>laminated sheet goods existed.
melamine panels have no long wood fibers in them. it matters not a bit
which direction you cut- all directions are exactly the same.
to get a really good clean chip free cut on the top and bottom faces
pretty much requires a quality saw well tuned up with a specialty
blade on it. that stuff just wants to chip.
> Plywood has grain orientation does it not?
the individual plies have a grain direction, but the plies alternate
direction. for all practical purposes all cuts in plywood can be
considered crosscuts (use a crosscut blade).
>If you were going to cut a piece of plywood that was 1'x4' with the grain
>running side to side the narrow way which blade would you use, a rip blade
>or cross cut blade?
always a crosscut blade for plywood....
Bridger
"Steve" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I am looking at a new table saw purchase, and have been reading many
> of the past posts in this newsgroup. I am trying to determine what the
> essential differences are that define a rip cut vs. a cross cut,
> particularly as done on a table saw and from a safety standpoint.
>
> One particular question that comes to mind, is the following. When I
> think of a cross-cut (on a table saw) I think of any cut where the
> width of the board (dimension left-to-right on the saw top) is greater
> than the depth of the board (depth front to back) - i.e if one were
> taking a 1' x 3' panel and cutting it down to 1' x 2.5'. This would
> seem to be a cross-cut. Am I correct in understanding that this would
> be best done using a sled or a mitre guage?
>
> If so, then the primary use for a 52" rip fence (as opposed to a 30"
> fence) would be to rip plywood, for example from 4' x 8' to 3.5' x 8'
> (in the case of doing cabinetry work)? And the rip fence is not
> intended as the reference to be used for example, to take a 1' x 6'
> board and cut it down to 1' x 4' by setting the fence to 48".
>
> Thanks in advance.
The terms are related to the grain of the wood, although sometimes such as
with plywood, or other laminated materials the term rip tends to get used
more.
But anyway rip denotes cutting with the grain (the blade fairly rips through
the wood), and crosscut is across the grain, (pretty self explanatory)
Dave
Steve,
You've got it figured out!
Sleds or miter gauge for cross cutting and the fence for rips of sheet
goods or lumber. My sled is about 17" deep so I can cross cut sheet
goods once they've been ripped down to <17".
I use the same blade for ripping and crosscutting 99% of the time: a
Forrest Woodworker II. For smooth melamine cuts, I use a Freud double
sided Melamine blade, which is awesome.
dave
Steve wrote:
> I am looking at a new table saw purchase, and have been reading many
> of the past posts in this newsgroup. I am trying to determine what the
> essential differences are that define a rip cut vs. a cross cut,
> particularly as done on a table saw and from a safety standpoint.
>
> One particular question that comes to mind, is the following. When I
> think of a cross-cut (on a table saw) I think of any cut where the
> width of the board (dimension left-to-right on the saw top) is greater
> than the depth of the board (depth front to back) - i.e if one were
> taking a 1' x 3' panel and cutting it down to 1' x 2.5'. This would
> seem to be a cross-cut. Am I correct in understanding that this would
> be best done using a sled or a mitre guage?
>
> If so, then the primary use for a 52" rip fence (as opposed to a 30"
> fence) would be to rip plywood, for example from 4' x 8' to 3.5' x 8'
> (in the case of doing cabinetry work)? And the rip fence is not
> intended as the reference to be used for example, to take a 1' x 6'
> board and cut it down to 1' x 4' by setting the fence to 48".
>
> Thanks in advance.
you example is so lame as to defy a reply. Please try again!
dave
mel wrote:
> I know what you are saying but the terminology was used long before melamine
> laminated sheet goods existed. Plywood has grain orientation does it not?
> If you were going to cut a piece of plywood that was 1'x4' with the grain
> running side to side the narrow way which blade would you use, a rip blade
> or cross cut blade? That being said, let's agree you can cross cut with the
> rip fence when the size and grain warrants and vice versa. Deal?
>
Try a SHARP plywood blade.
"mel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I know what you are saying but the terminology was used long before
melamine
> laminated sheet goods existed. Plywood has grain orientation does it not?
> If you were going to cut a piece of plywood that was 1'x4' with the grain
> running side to side the narrow way which blade would you use, a rip blade
> or cross cut blade? That being said, let's agree you can cross cut with
the
> rip fence when the size and grain warrants and vice versa. Deal?
>
> --
> "If you are arrogant, who's going to care if you're the best?"
>
>