Injury is an all too real danger for woodworkers regardless of the tool being used. I’m very excited to share with you a product that improves the safety and accuracy of woodworking. Up for review is the GRR-RIPPER GR100 from Micro Jig.
Out of the gate, I was impressed by the great packaging and very thorough instructions. It even came with a DVD showing a few ways the GRR-RIPPER can be used to make your shop safer. When I first heard about this product, I thought “now that sounds like a gimmick”. I was wrong. Not only does Micro Jig’s GRR-RIPPER work really well, it’s made to be used day in and day out.
A few of the details that stand out to me that speak to this product’s quality are the threaded inserts, rubberized gripping surfaces, and the tiny 0-rings used to retain the height adjustment screws when moving the balance support from one side to the other. In addition, the GRR-RIPPER is proudly made in the USA.
The green rubber surface really does have a good… grip (what a coincidence) and doesn’t seem to lose it’s effectiveness once dust collects on the surface. Obviously, you’ll want to wipe off the GRR-RIPPER surface occasionally, but I honestly just run it against my pants to knock off most of the dust and get back to work.
So great…it looks pretty, but does it work?
Here we have the GRR-RIPPER and a shop made push stick, the one you all know and love… and hate at times.
SHOP MADE PUSH STICK
When cutting stock less than 1″ thick, things start getting a little hairy using the old school push stick. You have to apply pressure against the fence and I don’t know about you, but I’m not fond of having either of my hands close to the blade. This means my left hand leaves the stock a few inches before the blade, leaving the stock unsupported as it is cut. This results in cuts that frequently have an uneven surface.
GRR-RIPPER GR100
Before we get going, here’s a shot of how the GRR-RIPPER is set up prior to a cut. The 1/4″ gripping leg is in contact with the wood and the center support leg is out of the blade’s path. If this were a wider strip, the center support leg would be used to also provide downward support to the piece being cut.
Since this push “stick” provides force in multiple directions, you don’t have to push against the stock as you’re running it through the saw. The GRR-RIPPER has plenty of control to run stock through the blade and keep it against the fence securely. It also allows the user to feed wood through the saw at a consistent speed, which prevents burning! The balance support easily drops down again the table to make the GRR-RIPPER level and provide constant downward pressure on the piece being cut.
The GRR-RIPPER is sure to get a workout in my shop as it makes the process of cutting stock, especially thin stock, on the table saw much safer and enjoyable.
Here’s a quick video of my first time using the GRR-RIPPER!
If you just can’t wait to read see more GRR-RIPPER action, jump over to 3dpushblock.com for more videos and information! Don’t forget to check out MICROJIG’s website for other great products.
More great news is that the GRR-RIPPER is sold at Lowe’s!
Be sure to enter the giveaway! Giveaway restricted to United States and Canada.
Be sure to check out my other product reviews! I weight out the pros and cons so you can make an informed decision.
Full Disclosure: This product was provided by MICROJIG for my unbiased use and review. If I wouldn’t buy or use this product I’d tell you. Rest assured, the GRR-RIPPER GR100 is a great tool that greatly improves the safety and accuracy of using your table saw.
Lowes discontinued selling both the GRR-Ripper GR100 and the push blocks. I had to show the one near me where to display them and how they actually worked. Around Christmas they told their stores to drop the price and sell out the stock they have on hand.
That is really too bad since it’s a great product. Aside from specialty woodworking stores, the GRR-RIPPER GR100 is available through Amazon.