The Ultimate Push Block

The GRR-Ripper Basic from Micro Jig is what I consider a push block on steroids. It comes with two side legs, a middle adjustable leg, and a stabilizing leg. The side and middle legs feature a non-slip material on the bottom, which provides good adhesion to the wood when pushing through the blade. The adjustable middle leg allows the user to move it to either side of the blade to provide more support where needed. Its design also lets the user provide lateral support to keep the wood against the fence when doing rip cuts on the table saw.

The GRR-Ripper from Micro Jig

Gripping safety isn’t the only benefit to the GRR-Ripper. The unit forms a tunnel over top of the blade which shields the user. Everything is made from a plastic material, so accidental contact won’t damage the blade. The side legs are relatively thin and allow the unit to be run along the fence while providing support for cutting narrow pieces, all while preventing kickback. It comes with 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch side legs, but an optional 1/8 inch leg is available (comes standard with the GRR-Ripper Complete Package). Some other accessories available include drop down heels which will automatically lower over the rear edge of a board to provide even better push force and control.

I use mine for the table saw and jointer, as well as on the bandsaw when resawing to provide support and control as the material is passing through the blade. Because the side of the GRR-Ripper is flat, it can ride along the table and still provide good gripping support. I also have a second unit for doing long rips at the table saw– using the hand over hand method of pushing the wood through while maintaining control and safety. Of course, because of the great design and features, there are many more uses for the GRR-Ripper which I don’t do personally. One of those uses is free handing on the router table when doing template copies.

Template copying on the router table

There are certainly other products and solutions for power tool safety. However, I encourage comparing the GRR-Ripper with other push blocks and sticks, I think the benefits will quickly become apparent.