My best idea so far is
: just a simple sheet of plywood fastened to the bandsaw table at one end
: with a couple of legs at the other. This would work for shorter strips,
: but how do you folk handle the long ones?

I hate to tell you this, but most of us use a tablesaw.

Now there is a tool that LOOKS like a bandsaw called a resaw which is meant to
make straight cuts.

The bandsaw is designed to cut curves. It has a narrow blade and a table top that
is purposely high so it will be close to your eyes because 99% of your cutting with
the bandsaw will be freehand with eye/hand coordination controlling the cut.
The small blade width and inaccurate fence are not designed for straight cuts. Bandsaw
blades are notorious for wandering sideways. Few people know how to set the guides properly.
The high tabletop makes it impossible to assume the comfortable stance and hand placement
natural to tablesaw work. The lightweight table/fence is extremely susceptible to error due to
the slightest board twist during feeding.

Yes, I know, I hear you guys out there. I used a bandsaw and it was great.

Use can use a bandsaw to do a lot of things it wasn't intended for.

I can drink beer through my nose too, but I don't prefer to.

The fact is that tools are designed to excel at specific tasks where others
can be forced into inferior service.

To cut fast uniform strips safely the tablesaw is the tool. It is designed to make straight
cuts. The tabletop is low so you can use your body weight and hands to press down on
a large board to keep it against the long fence. The size and height of the tabletop are
designed for making straight cuts. The accurate fence is designed to make a straight cut.
Feed stands are designed to support long boards on the tablesaw to make straight cuts.
The tablesaw blade is large in cross section to make straight cuts.

Uniform thickness strips are critical to making the stripping process go smoothly.

If you own a tablesaw, why not use it?

Can you get a thinner kerf with a bandsaw cut? Sure.
Will your strips be as uniform as those cut from a tablesaw? No.

Do you think you'll save money by wasting less wood? You may end up
wasting more wood and slowing or flaming your whole stripping project if your strips are not uniform.

Why hinder your project with the potential for a bad start?

All the best,

Rob Macks
Laughing Loon CC&K
www.LaughingLoon.com