Auxiliary Fence (Flip Down); Push Block; Grooving And Rabbeting - RIDGID R4550 Operator's Manual

FLIP DOWN FENCE
Use the flip down fence when cutting thin stock in which the
blade guard would normally interfere with the fence to make the
desired cut.
To utilize this flip down feature for small, narrow cuts, you must
slide the flip down part of the fence underneath the blade guard,
so that the blade is still covered safely by the blade guard. Please
see Figure 63.
For thin materials use the fence on the left of the blade. Fold
down the thin fence to allow use of blade guard. Subtract 2
inches (50.8mm) from the scale for accurate measurement.

PUSH BLOCK

Push blocks are blocks used to securely hold down the workpiece
against the table. They include some gripping surface or handle to
hold the block. Any screws running through the underside of the
block to fasten the handle MUST be recessed in order to avoid
contact with the workpiece.
1.
Select a piece of wood about 4 inches wide, 6 inches long
and 1 to 2 inches thick (a cutoff from a 2 by 4 makes a
good blank for a push block).
2.
Drill a hole in the block and glue in a dowel to use as
a handle (you can angle the hole to provide a more
comfortable grip on the handle).
3.
Glue a piece of rough or soft material such as sandpaper
or rubber to the bottom of the block to grip the workpiece
(old mouse pads work well).
See Figure 64.

GROOVING AND RABBETING

Clamping a featherboard in front of the blade can increase safety
during non-through cuts, like grooving and rabbeting, and through
cuts. Use a featherboard to guide the workpiece against the table
and fence when making non-through cuts such as rabbeting. A
featherboard helps to control the kickback.
CUTTING AIDS AND ACCESSORIES
37
Figure 63
WOODEN
DOWEL
SANDPAPER OR OLD
MOUSE PAD MATERIAL
Figure 64