Abstract: A waste strip-removing apparatus for use with a ripsaw that saws an incoming board into one or more usable boards and removes the opposite side edges, which become two waste strips that must be removed and transported to a different destination from that to which the usable board(s) is (are) transported. The apparatus includes two air-blasting units each having one or more air nozzles assigned to each waste strip. The air-blasting units are positioned with respect to a lateral direction by a positioning mechanism so that air directed from the nozzles impinges on the waste strips and moves them laterally away from the usable board(s). The positioning mechanism can include a linear motor having two forcers movable along a platen and respectively attached to air-blasting units.

Abstract: A ripsaw includes an arbor that receives a plurality of blade assemblies each having a spindle with a saw blade affixed thereto. The blade assemblies are slidable on the arbor to any selected positions. Each blade assembly has an associated blade-positioning unit for moving the blade assembly to a desired position along the arbor. The blade-positioning units are supported by a rail assembly along which the blade-positioning units slide. The blade-positioning units are moved along the rail assembly by linear motors. A first group of the blade-positioning units has a first linear motor for moving the units of the first group, and a second group of the blade-positioning units has a second linear motor for moving the units of the second group. The two groups of blade-positioning units are interleaved on the rail assembly, and the associated blade assemblies are similarly interleaved on the arbor.