With push sticks at the ready, advance the work slowly at the start, then at a faster pace without stopping.

When the trailing edge of the work reaches the front edge of the table, that’s your signal to call your push sticks into action.

As the cut reaches the trailing edge of the workpiece, maintain contact against the fence with the left-hand push stick.

At the end of the cut, remove the left-hand push stick and advance the work through the saw with the right-hand push stick.

To begin with, let’s assume that the board you are about to rip to width has a face side that is flat in length, flat in width and out of winding and a face edge that is flat in length, flat in width, out of winding and square to the face side. (For more on this, see Chapter 4, Lesson 1, in the Critical Path section.)

Setting Up the Saw

Set the fence to the width of the cut required. If your fence can move fore and aft, set it so that it extends from the front edge of the table to the back edge of the blade. This allows the wood to distort outward, as it often does when ripped. A fence that extends all the way across the saw table acts as a barrier, and if the work distorts towards the fence, it’s forced into the blade. It’s also essential to use both a splitter and a top guard when ripping solid wood.

Starting the Cut

Stand in front of the saw and left of the line of cut. Locate yourself by touching the base or leg with your left foot. This habit enables you to return to the same position for all cuts. Anchor your body and keep your balance by pressing your hip or midriff against the edge of the table. Begin ripping with the face side of the board down and the face edge tight against the fence. Advance the wood with your right hand while pushing it against the fence and down on the table with your left hand.

Keep your eyes mainly on the contact line between workpiece and fence, but also periodically check that the path is clear after the cut, that the wood is clearing the splitter and that the wood isn’t distorting after the cut. The least important check is the saw cut; it will take care of itself.

Begin the cut with the board flat on the table, and feed the wood at a steady rate without stopping. You make a score mark on the cut face every time you stop. If your blade is sharp and the edge of the wood burns, you are feeding too slowly. (A slow feed rate increases heat resulting from friction.) If the motor starts to labor, your feed rate is too fast.

Finishing the Cut

No matter how long the workpiece, the procedure is the same every time the trailing edge reaches the front edge of the saw table. Let go with your right hand and pick up a push stick — which you positioned at the start of the cut — while maintaining forward motion with your left hand to avoid a score mark. Continue a comfortable push rate with the right-hand push stick while picking up the left-hand push stick.

As the remaining uncut portion gets shorter, gradually turn the left-hand stick until it’s at right angles near the end of the cut to ensure continued close contact between workpiece and fence. At the end of the cut, advance the completed workpiece beyond the blade and splitter with the right push stick. With the workpiece clear, withdraw your right hand and use the left push stick to move the falling board to the left of the table. The splitter prevents it from contacting the back of the blade. Retrieve the workpiece by walking around the table. Never pick it up by leaning over the table surface from the front.

Check the Results

Check and measure the results of the cut. Woodworkers often assume that an accurate machine setup guarantees accurate results. That’s not necessarily true. Even if the machine is right, you are working with solid wood and feeding it by hand.