How to extend rip capacity of table saw

Last updated on November 18th, 2022 at 11:19 am

What is Rip capacity?

Rip capacity is the gap between the edge of the table saw and the edge of the fence. A proper gauge of a table saw’s rip capacity can have no limits if you utilize larger tables for the materials to relax and have a vast number of people assisting you in ripping the piece.

One thing to remember is that rip capacity refers to the table saw’s fence and is more of a marketing word than anything else. You can permanently remove the barrier and have a lot larger rip capacity, but maintaining a straight line without the fence will be difficult unless you have something custom-made.

If your table saw’s ripping capacity is only 20 inches and you need to rip a piece of plywood with a size of 4′ x 8′ in half (precisely at 24″), you can permanently remove the fence and rip the piece of plywood without it.

How to extend the RIP capacity of the table saw?

There are a few options for increasing your table saw’s ripping capacity. They also sell tables created for specific table saw models that extend the table and provide the largest rip capacity possible, giving you a two-for-one deal with a stand and more power! To acquire that increase in rip capacity, you’ll need to change the saw or add the table to the side of your table saw.

Another method you might come across is to relocate the fence guide over one bolt (or more) to improve the fence’s sliding capacity. There are varying ways to do this, and a few instructions show how others have done it for their table saw.

How do you extend a RIP fence?

Cutting a 4×8 sheet of plywood on most table saws is, at best, a risky business. The sheet is heavy, the rip fence is too short, and most of the sheet hangs unsupported in front of the saw at the start of the cut.

Add a rip-fence extension to your table saw as a solution. There are only three elements to the extension: an auxiliary fence, a ledge, and a clamping block. The auxiliary fence replaces the rip fence and extends forward to provide a more comprehensive, positive reference for the plywood’s right edge. 

When the right side of the plywood is overhanging the front of the saw table, it helps to support it. The overhanging plywood is supported vertically by the ledge. The clamping block allows the rip fence to clamp the extension securely.

To utilize it, attach the auxiliary fence to the rip fence using a clamp. Glue and a few screws secure the clamping block and ledge to the auxiliary fence. Ensure the auxiliary fence’s two edges are straight and parallel while cutting it. 

Measure the distance in the middle of the blade and the edge of the auxiliary fence to determine the cut width, then lock the rip fence in place. Place the front of the plywood on the saw table, and during the cut, maintain the plywood’s right-hand edge against the auxiliary fence.

How broad can you cut with a table saw?

Rip capacity on a table saw is the distance between the saw blade’s edge and the furthest distance the rip fence can move away from the blade. In other words, it is the most extended piece of wood on which a rip cut may be made on a table saw. The following are the three most popular rip capacities:

Most low- to mid-priced table saws have a rip capacity of 28 inches. And this will allow you to rip a regular 48′′ plywood sheet in half.

Thirty inches: 

This size is excellent for most woodworkers and will handle most of your cuts. You’ll almost certainly wind up with the extremely rare 36′′ that you won’t be able to create.

This capacity will be available only on the most significant and most outstanding table saws. 

Fifty inches: 

The largest of all sizes. However, most cuts will never necessitate such a high capacity. You may, however, do more with it, such as install a torsion box router table.

What is a good RIP capacity on a table saw?

The amount of table space you’ll need, or the rip capacity you’ll need, will be determined by the projects you’ll be working on. The amount of rip capacity you require depends on the type of work you’ll be doing. A 24″ rip capacity, for example, should suffice for framing jobs on large-scale building projects. Plywood and ordinary sheets of oriented strand board (OSB) used in construction are typically 8 feet long by 4 feet wide.

To obtain the best value for your money, use a table saw with the smallest rip capacity that meets your needs. Smaller table saws have a lesser rip capacity. If you’re working on smaller projects like furniture, you’ll need a lower rip capacity. In this case, a rip capacity of less than 22″ will suffice. If you’re performing heavy-duty work, though, more excellent rip capacity saws are a good investment.

Is it possible to rip a cut with a table saw?

Rip-cutting a workpiece lengthwise, usually parallel to the direction of the wood grain, is referred to as rip-cutting. A table saw is the most significant equipment for rip-cutting, but safe cutting necessitates adhering to suggested techniques. A table saw is the most secure equipment to use for most rip-cutting tasks in terms of safety, but you should follow the following measures for safe work:

Move the workpiece to the last foot or so through the saw blade with a push stick—an disposable stick of wood about a foot long and a 1×1 inch square. You won’t need to put your hands near the blade if you use a push stick. Many woodworkers make their push sticks; however, commercial push sticks are also available. Except while cutting wood, keep the table saw unplugged. When a table saw is mistakenly turned on, many accidents occur.

It would be best to use safety glasses and hearing protection when using the saw.

When at all feasible, keep the blade guard on the saw. It will help if you avoid gloves since they can get stuck on the wood or in the saw, dragging your hand into the blade. While some cutting applications need removing the blade guard, leaving it in place will make your saw considerably safer. Place the convex edge of the piece against the fence during cutting if it has a slight bow. If the wood is highly bowed or curved, don’t try to rip it.

How thin can you cut on a table saw?

It all depends on which side of the blade you’re cutting with. I wouldn’t recommend cutting anything thinner than 1/8″ if the component is between the fence and the blade, but you’ll need a sacrificial push stick to cut a well-built sled.

I’ve cut strips thinner than 1/64 inch to the left of the blade (fence to the right). You can almost read them all. You’ll need the right blade and proper alignment, and you won’t be able to accomplish it with all sorts of wood or even all pieces of wood (Red oak will generally break or crack, maple, poplar, and cherry work pretty well). That thin wood is highly brittle and readily breaks.

To make these cuts safely on either side of the blade, you’ll need a zero clearance insert. Using an incra fence and cutting from the left side of the edge, you can cut 1/64″ off stock. Cutting short strips from the right side of the blade is risky, as it is more likely to cause kickback. 

What does the size of a table saw mean?

The distance between the blade and the throat is valuable to determine the size of a band saw. The most significant piece of stock that can pass between the blade and the throat is shown by this distance. 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 inches are the most common diameters. 

The blade on most table saws is 10 inches, but the blade on some of the most expensive cabinet saws is 12 inches. Various blade designs are available, just as there are for handsaws, to provide the most significant possible cut. For the most part, either option will suffice. The quality and finish of the blade itself are more essential than its size.

Blades for ripping, crosscutting, combining ripping and crosscutting (known as a combination blade), cutting dados, and cutters intended explicitly for plywood, plastic laminates, and other artificial materials are also available. Start with a decent combination blade and a stack dado blade (purchase the blades separately from the saw). 

As you better understand your requirements, you can add more. Whatever blade you choose, make sure it’s sharp and free of the pitch.