GRR-Ripper

[Jay Boutwell]

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2004393/8909/Micro-Jig-GRRRipper-S...

 

I saw this tool in operation and after all the years that I have been exposed to the table saw dangers this product impressed me the most.  I think it would be of benifit for all of us to watch this in operation and it is reasonable in price as well.  Much better than any push stick or kick back devices I have used

[Jay Boutwell]

Peter, I can understand your frustration with the way the total system of shipping and supply is handled any more.  It is somewhat on the border line of stupidity and insanity.  It is kinds like we have companies in the United States that are supposed to be American companies yet the work force is located in another land.  It is somewhat disappointing to purchase a tool from what we believe is American made and when you look it will be stamped made in China or India or some other third world place we sometimes do not know where it is located.  It is the piggery of the business world where the almighty dollar is the deciding factor in about everything we do.  What is frustrating to a person is that there is not a lot we can do about it short of refusing to purchase it.  Then they got you by the  gonads as when you buy it you think it is American made and do not find out until you receive it and there staring you in the face is: "made in China".  Sorry for your frustrations.  Some companies refuse to go the extra mile to help the good people of their neighboring countries.  I hope things will change before the world destroys its self.

[Peter Green]

I have stopped buying gear from the USA because most suppliers are geard to UPS air freight, this puts the price beyond value for money and coupled with UK inport duties is impossible to justify. OK! Safety is beyond price but for some this is unafordable. At one time I could specify snail mail sea freight but this is now rarely offered.

My son has close friends in America and I am exploring that possibility for getting the stuff I want. This however: is beyong most peoples expectations.

[Robert Brennan]

Peter

Oh to be able to find a dearer of the GRR Ripper in Brisbane QLD Australia.

 

I am at a loss to understand why its not readly available in most wood specality shops.

With the current value of your greenback and the Ozzie dollar if I buy from Micro jig the freight alone is more then the buy cost.

However I reckon somebody's gotta PU the dealership in QLD as its a very good product.

I would think that would also make it a very marketable top end seller item in the woodworkers field, however they are very scarce

 

Regards

 

Robert Brennan

 

Robert Brennan

[Peter Green]

Ordered mine yesterday, arrived this morning (saturday). It was the last one in England but more are on the way in a couple of weeks. 'Wood workers workshop' near Oxford are the only importer in the UK, The owner, Robert Phebey, is very helpful and his prices, allowing for air freight, are reasonable.

http//:woodworkersworkshop.co.uk

 

Worth a look as they carry stuff not available anywhere else in the country.

 

I have no connection with the company

 

Pete

[Robert Brennan]

Jay,

 

I have just returned from the Wood working Expo in Maleny.

Looked for the GRR Ripper but to no avail.

I did however find on the net via microjig a contact in Australia,

That was Northwood Tool Company 16-29 Rose hill Drive Burpengary

but with the current flood we have just had it look like they lost their premsis and stock to a level they cannot trade.

Sent a email to Microjig attempting to find an alternate supplier

 

 

Regards

 

Robert Brennan

[ray vile]

Hi Jay, I checked out the gripper awhile back and also thought it was a great idea and then I completly forgot about it until your post here. I will be ordering one in the near future, but for anyone that wants to see one in action www.microjig.com they have a video there

[Jay Boutwell]

Robert and Art, thank you for the well written eye opening advise of which I am hopeful that maybe this might save someone who uses tablesaw and other wood cutting tools in unsafe methods, from a serious accident.  I can't tell you how many times I have seen well seasoned craftsmen who take unnecessary risks everyday and never think about it.  I know that safety devices are out there and I have used as many as I can get my hands on but lets face it some are overrated and often times are the cause of an accident.  When I saw these GRIPPERS at a friends shop and I got a chance to use them I was convienced and made a decission to pass this piece of good fortune on to as many as I can.  Apparently these are just now hitting the pacific northwest as they are listed as being a new tool. 

Robert I will see if I can find a dealer whom will be able to supply these in your area.

Art that was a well written post on the circle saw conversion the the member Danny posted. I posted one on his page as well.  This is what scares me the most about the in-experienced persons whom are trying the learn.  It is the learning phase that is most dangerous time for them and if they do not learn the safety of the profession they are even at a higher risk through out their woodworking career.  Woodworking is just a dangerous activity even when we attempt to use every per caution and safety device the danger is always there changing with every move we make.   Thanks again men for your imput.

[Art S. Hamilton]

Hello, Jay.

 

When Lee Valley started offering the GGGRIPPER, I was interested, so I went online and

watched any demo videos I could find.  Then I ordered a couple of the complete packages

which cost together about 160 bucks in British Columbia.

Simply said, I believe no saw should be sold without a pair of these included.

At first, when you assemble the kit, it seems like a lot of moving parts to come loose

or get lost in combat.  But the fasteners are retained with o-rings.

It also seemed like the average user might not continue to want to take the

time to make the necessary adjustments to their changing wood sizes.  It might be

quicker to just grab the old pushstick.  Well, after close to a year of ownership,

the value and strengths of these pushblocks hasn't grown stale for me.  I feel more

intelligent when I use them, no matter how silly that sounds.  And there's no

disputing that I have made a positive LEAP towards being able to enjoy woodworking

more, because the anxiety of tricky cuts is in the past.

Maybe a lot of us might not like to admit how insane some of our cuts have been

done at times, when you almost dialled 9-1 on the phone first, so that you only had

to push the 1 button after the cut maybe went all to hell and removed some real estate

from your body.  I strive for safety like it's an obsession, but I have certainly done

risky things when there seemed no alternative.  Now I feel fortunate that I survived to

feel stupid, after adopting this very respectable system.

Expensive?  Oh yeah, no doubt.  Money really well spent.   Could not imagine a wiser

purchase.

[Robert Brennan]

Hello Jay

Good info mate, I checked out the site,and if I can find a supplier in Brisbane I will buy two of them.

I have spent many hours looking for a solution to a "useable" splitter and saw guard for my table saw, however there is nothing available.

This is a very important safety device but it using the saw to its best ability they all get removed because it impedes (my) the ability to use the saw effectively.

I have received injuries from from the saw, cut thumbs and a kickback stick to the stomach along with frightening my wife with high velocity bits of small timber flying around,so its not that I don't know any better.

But I am yet to find a practical solution to having the safety guards in place, and if you were a safety guru you wouldn't be able to use your saw, due to the exposed saw blade risk.

Every time I service my saw I replace the splitter and guard but its not there for long when I want to use my saw to its fullest ability.

 

Keep up the good work

 

Robert Brennan

 

[Gary roofner]

I got have one I like my fingers