When making a rip cut on a narrow piece, I sometimes used to use the eraser end of an unsharpened pencil to help control the path of the wood past the blade until it was engage with the splitter.  Even using the pencil, I would not place my hand directly over the blade.  LUCKILY!.  One day, while doing this, the pencil broke.  No injury, but it could have been bad.  Since then, I have modified my approach.  I bought some 1/2" dowel rod, cut it into 12" lengths, and put some 1/2" table leg caps on one end to provide the grip the pencil eraser was doing.  Dowel rod doesn't break with this kind of use, and I have the control I was looking for.  Here is what I'm talking about:

 

 

I've used the pencil, too. Never thought about it breaking. Thanks for this improvement!

I made a shoe/boot looking pusher thing. About 10" long and 2" thick. The back end where I grip it is about 6" high. Tapers down to 3" high at the nose. It's a solid piece of 8/4 walnut. 

In use, it sets on the piece to be ripped and it passes over the blade. So, the bottom gets cut, also. Not a biggie. When it gets too chewed up, it can be trimmed. To my thinking, it's much safer than a stick and it gives way more control of the work.

I use a separate push stick, this is just used when I feel the need for additional lateral control.

When cutting small pieces like pen blanks I use an ice pick.  It's metal but with proper blade adjustment it is quite safe and keeps the wood against the fence real well.  The little stab mark in the wood gets pared off when turning.

In '80, I nearly lost my right index finger when the ice pick lost it's grip and the digit went into the blade. Mangled the top side and took a ligament. I now have a finger that is not too handy...or pretty. 

As a result, all my pushers or guides are huge, easily gripped and, most offer positive control through the cut. I quit using sticks or other short and skinny devices. VOE, guys. TIFWIW.

Great tip Tom!

I'd like to remind folks, for our tips forums, please submit your individual tips in it's own unique topic, and please stay on topic with the original tip posted. This way we can build up our Tips Forums with unique tips, there are many ideas for push sticks, if you submit your own push stick design in the same topic as another design, your tip will be lost eventually.

Please create your own tip topic for your own push stick, this way we can keep it all categorized, and listed. Please submit images with your tips!

Thanks!

Just to clarify for everyone, I intentionally referred to my tip as a guide stick, and not a push stick, because I absolutely recognize that it is not adequate to be the only tool providing the push of the work piece through the cut.  I also use a separate push stick, and the guide stick is intended to provide an extra measure of control.  Hope this clears up any confusion I may have caused.

 

4 hours ago, John Morris said:

Please create your own tip topic for your own push stick

I would be very interested in seeing other ideas for push sticks.

You created absolutely zero confusion Peter,

There are some great tips that were left here in your topic, they need their own home. Otherwise we lose them.

41 minutes ago, PostalTom said:

Hope this clears up any confusion I may have caused.

 

38 minutes ago, John Morris said:

You created absolutely zero confusion Peter,

Who is Peter?

1 hour ago, PostalTom said:

Who is Peter?

Tom. Sorry

No problem John.  Just giving you a hard time, all good naturedly. 

1 minute ago, PostalTom said:

No problem John.  Just giving you a hard time, all good naturedly. 

I don't know why I get the two of you mixed up sometimes, I have done it before, I think it's the "P" in the avatar, my brain is grabbing on to the P instead of the obvious in your screen name, "Tom". Crazy, the brain!

 I got $25 from a submitted idea from a wood working magazine, for nearly the same thing. The only difference, I used one of those larger add on erasers and installed it on a larger/longer dowell, to keep my hand away farther.

On 8/3/2018 at 5:00 PM, Gene Howe said:

In '80, I nearly lost my right index finger when the ice pick lost it's grip and the digit went into the blade. Mangled the top side and took a ligament. I now have a finger that is not too handy...or pretty. 

As a result, all my pushers or guides are huge, easily gripped and, most offer positive control through the cut. I quit using sticks or other short and skinny devices. VOE, guys. TIFWIW.

Gene, I am just glad it wasn't your road rage finger.  LOL

On 8/17/2018 at 7:34 PM, Ron Altier said:

 I got $25 from a submitted idea from a wood working magazine, for nearly the same thing. The only difference, I used one of those larger add on erasers and installed it on a larger/longer dowell, to keep my hand away farther.

Those were the good old days when the trades were atleast some what respected. 

Edited November 18, 20187 yr by CharlieL