Push sticks for the shop

JimD

Jim
Senior User
Sorry I do not have an image but some of you may have seen Tage Frid's push stick design. Many years ago I saw it in Fine Woodworking and made one. It works so well I have traced it onto other scraps and continue to use that style. The handle is open but you push both down and ahead as in the last couple posts. I make it of thinner wood for narrower cuts but I also do not worry about pushing it through the blade. The bottom can be reshaped and another push stick only takes a few minutes to make.

The gripper design is interesting but wouldn't a rubber float used to grout tile work about the same? And be a lot less expensive?
 

nn4jw

New User
Jim
The advantages of the Grriper are that it 1) "bridges" the blade without contacting it so that everything is held and pushed through, 2) the rubberized bases give a firmer more stable grip to the work pieces, 3) when properly set up your hand cannot contact the blade, and 4) with two you have pretty complete control over all wood movement, and 5) you are both pushing and holding down the work pieces from multiple points if you use two. Using a single push stick of any design doesn't control the work piece on both sides of the blade. Doing that requires either two push sticks or one of your hands on the work piece.

Can you engineer or make something similar? Of course. Just like anything else.

If you use all the safety mechanisms on your table saw, the blade guard and pawls, then there's no particular advantage to the Grripper over any push stick or such since you won't be able to use the Grripper to hold down both sides of the cut. If you don't use a blade cover and pawls then the Grripper adds back a higher degree of safety over other types of push devices. If you are cutting panels or wider boards then it doesn't add much over other devices.

Where it really shines is cutting thin pieces where unsupported cuts can either get your unprotected hands too close to the blade or cutoffs can take flight.

It's not the answer to all types of cuts. What is? It is an effective safety device and I use mine quite a bit.
 
Last edited:

Jeff

New User
Jeff
I got this "PushStick" from Miles Craft but haven't tried it. It's 3/4 w x 9.5" l.

 

Joe Scharle

New User
Joe
Well.....I was going to show some of my easy-peasy 2 X 4 push blocks, but most of my pics are GONE!
So here's the picture...take any scrap 2 X 4, 4"-12" long, glue scrap carpet pad on bottom and some kind of handle on top. Your hand pressure keeps the workpiece against both the fence and table. When it gets all cut up, make another...
 

Alex Stokes

New User
Alex
I've got several push sticks, but I picked these up on Amazon a few years ago and really like them. They make me feel like I have more control of the wood. They are multi adjustable and allow you to hold pieces on both sides of the blade as well as the router table. They're especially useful (I think) for very thin cuts. Here's a link. The color has changed. https://www.amazon.com/GRR-RIPPER-P...r&qid=1557239988&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1
 

Attachments

  • IMG_8330.jpeg
    IMG_8330.jpeg
    1.9 MB · Views: 231
  • IMG_8331.jpeg
    IMG_8331.jpeg
    1.8 MB · Views: 228

Premier Sponsor

Our Sponsors

LATEST FOR SALE LISTINGS

Top