Serious Ripping!

[MarkSJohnson]

I built some "outriggers" for my floorstanding speakers from a couple of 2x2 Maple turning blanks (as purchased, they were 2 1/8" x 2 1/8"):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v481/MarkSJohnson/_MG_0442.jpg

Now, a friend would like a set in Cherry for his "Boston Cherry" finish speakers.

My blanks I found right at Woodcraft. Easy. Today, I checked a local Woodcraft for his project and the only Cherry blanks they had were 1 7/8" x 1 7/8". I really needed 2" per side after finishing on my jointer and planer. So I went to a Hardwoods specialist, and they don't carry blanks in that size. If I need a final 2x2 size, I would have to buy 10/4 Cherry in pieces 8~10" wide. I'd have to rip them, and I was concerned that my saw wouldn't do it.

All the lumber I've ever bought (except those two Maple blanks) was from Lowes or Home Depot. All "one-by". I've never bought anything like 10/4 Cherry.

Will my Ridgid 3660 go through this stuff with a Forrest WoodWorker II or a 24 tooth Ripping blade? Or, does this saw simply not have the horsepower to do it?

[Pipestone Kid]

Buy it and rip it--you have plenty of saw.

[huckster4]

what are ya waitin for? 3660 will cut it no problem. nice job btw

[BHD]

If you have to,
cut one pass about half depth and then a second pass to finish off the cut,

but you more than likely will not have any problems unless it pinches the blade,

[MarkSJohnson]

Excellent! Thank you all for your responses!

Would my Forrest WWII do OK, or should I grab a rip blade to play it safe?

[hewood]

A WWII 30T would definitely do it, especially the thin kerf...the 40T might if it's a TK, but I'm afraid a 40T WII full kerf is really pushing the limits of that blade/saw combination....you don't mention what kerf your WWII is. Cherry burns pretty easily. You could always cut it two passes if need be.

Nice looking bases! Would those be the Axiom Epics by any chance? Not sure those Boston Acoustic speakers are worthy of this effort!

[MarkSJohnson]

Would those be the Axiom Epics by any chance?

Yes, those are the M60s! I remember seeing that someone here was into Hone Theater... was that you?

My current WWII is a thin-kerf, but as I have not as yet dialed in my new 3660 and dealt with the "splitter issue", I'm not sure that I won't pick up a full-kerf WWII. I should be able to finish setting it up this weekend.

I have a Freud 24T full-kerf Ripping Blade (http://www.amazon.com/Freud-LM72R010-10-Inch-Ripping-PermaShield/dp/B0000225UD/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t) available as well, but I wasn't sure if the aggressiveness of the rip design wasn't offset by it not being thin-kerf.

Certainly, I can just experiment a bit. I just didn't want to pick up the hunk of Cherry if my saw wasn't able to cut it... literally and figuratively!
:)

[hewood]

I had the same full kerf LM72 and found that the LU87 TK or equivalent did much better on my contractor and hybrid saws. I'm not sure you'd gain anything with a full kerf WWII vs your TK WWII. If you want another WWII, try the thin kerf 30T...outstanding blade.

I used to be a pretty serious audio purist, but am pretty ignorant on the "home theatre" scene (aka "video"). I designed and built a couple hundred pairs of highend home speakers locally, and used to go to the CES shows with Merlin and Convergent.

Here's the last pair I built back in the early 90's:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/hewood/Projects/000_0562.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/hewood/Projects/000_0553.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/hewood/Projects/000_0563-1.jpg

[MarkSJohnson]

Wow! Very, very nice! The drivers look like B&W's Kevlars....

[hewood]

Wow! Very, very nice! The drivers look like B&W's Kevlars....

Kevlar is correct, but those are from Focal of France. The tweeter is a dual chamber aluminum dome from Seas of Norway.