Micro Jig GB-1 GRR-Rip Block


Tom King

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I'm pretty sure this has been reviewed before, but I just got one to try.   I like it a lot.  The texture by itself is the best surface I've ever used on a jointer push block.  The texture works so well, that it wouldn't matter to me if the drop down pushers weren't on it or not, but I like them too just knowing they're back there.

I'm not especially crazy about the square-ish shaped handles, but it doesn't really bother me that much.  It's just different than what I'm used to.

I'm ordering the second one, and will be tossing my old style ones.

If you use a jointer to face boards, or your fingers to push a board being resawn on a bandsaw, get a pair.

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37 minutes ago, Tom King said:

I'm pretty sure this has been reviewed before, but I just got one to try.   I like it a lot.  The texture by itself is the best surface I've ever used on a jointer push block.  The texture works so well, that it wouldn't matter to me if the drop down pushers weren't on it or not, but I like them too just knowing they're back there.

I'm not especially crazy about the square-ish shaped handles, but it doesn't really bother me that much.  It's just different than what I'm used to.

I'm ordering the second one, and will be tossing my old style ones.

If you use a jointer to face boards, or your fingers to push a board being resawn on a bandsaw, get a pair.

I like mine too.  I have had two of them for a couple of years now.

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Completely agree, Tom.  I bought my first jointer this earlier this year (a lightly used, but fairly old G0656X).  Since I had never used a jointer before, I had watched a lot of videos and read a lot of content on jointing technique, and saw a lot of comments about how scary a jointer can be.  After restoring it and tuning it up, I jointed my first boards with the original push pads.  It was then I understood why a jointer could be so scary.  I had to put a lot of downward force on the pads to get enough grip to push them forward.  I could feel myself fighting the jointer blades, and I was getting occasional burning and tearout.  Definitely a scary first run.  I figured it was partly the pads, so I ordered a pair of GRR-Rip blocks later that day.  When they finally arrived, holy crap, it was like a completely different machine.  They gripped so well I hardly had to use any downward pressure, and with the hook at the end I could focus on only forward pressure on the infeed side.  I wasn't fighting the blades anymore and getting very light passes like I wanted.  To be fair, I have no idea if newer (and cheaper) regular push pads would've worked just as well but I really like the hook feature.

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  • 3 weeks later...

They look nice but I'm not sure the little retractable tabs are worth the $30 more they cost over the Bench Dogs.  As long as your beds are waxed and your knives are sharp like they should be, I don't find much pressure is required to slide a board across.  I also have a shop made push block with a heel for resawing.  I like new toys but I couldn't justify the upgrade unless/until my old blocks wear out.

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