Router sled via low cost linear motion

M

Michael Kellough

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Jan 23, 2007
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Just noticed that Lee Valley is offering a kit for making a very low cost router sled.

Lee Valley router sled kit

The linear motion is the same principle used by some panel saw manufacturers. U bolts populated with wide nylon washers provide a low friction ride on round tubes.

In this case Lee Valley provides the hardware suitable to ride on nominal 1-1/2” diameter EMT, along with CNC cut wood parts to make a uniform cross-slide for the router.

There are many other things you can do with such a simple, lightweight, and economical linear motion kit.
 
Not putting it down, I think it’s pretty cool.  I love these kinds of simple readily available solutions, they often work well, or well enough and we all employ similar hardware-store-engineered concepts from time to time. 
But I have to say the low tech ‘novelty’ of the system is something you would expect to see in clickbait diy woodworking tips video.  Some hardware U bolts, some loose fitting nylon standoffs, and some drilled scrap plywood… $90.  (emt pipe etc. not included).  Lee Valley’s got some cojones.  Wish I had thought of it.
 
they got some brains. those nylon bearings seem to glide incredibly well in the video. the pipe is probably full of little bumps and it just soaks them up

i haven't see anyone do this solution by hanging the carriage off u-bolts! it seems so obvious now.
 
I’m surprised by the patent. This use has been in production for decades.

m0239_2000x2000.jpg
 
A cool alternative for someone who isn’t going to dedicate the rest of their life to working slabs.  [eek]

Myself included, a slab or two...how many more does a guy need?

The U-clamps and nylon washers have been used for years on Milwaukee and Speed Saw products.
 
I think it would prove worthy of the asking price for the occasional slab surfacing. Not a production tool but the price it right. I can't see setting this up with a span of more than 5 feet though. I don't think 1-1/2 EMT is sturdy enough for this but it has a relatively smooth surface. If they offered some 6061 Aluminum tubing in various lengths that would be  a plus. By the way the price is $69 (I just checked) in the catalog I got recently.  Different area gets catalogs with different pricing, or maybe Robin likes me and I got he one with the special discounts (no, that ain't it) :-)

I do think the compact router table on the next page is a bit pricey for what it is at $129, even $99 would be high for that.
 
Looks like crap to me.  The u-bolt linear bearings in particular.  If I wanted something cheap and dirty, I would make my own with wooden "linear bushings" just a wooden block with a U shaped hole.  Then just push a little harder.
 
I've been watching a ton of YouTubers make and use Router Sleds. So far, this seems the best overall, pretty cheap and straight-forward to build. Biggest knock against it is that the design doesn't incorporate dust collection.


 
20mm side rail is useful for standardizing on the M6 screws and allows for the optical linear rod brackets to utilize one of the holes as a mounting point.  Crafted Elements has that setup.  I like JKM bought the 16mm SBR, but am upgrading those.  I do prefer the JKM overhang as that buys you a bit more space recovery (I just bought longer SBR20s).
 
If you're using decent linear rails and trucks, there's so much more that could be done with a good setup than just using it as a slab flattener.

With the addition of some travel stops it easily becomes a dado jig, performs rebates, edging and/or trimming, or even an overhead router for routing patterns into panels or doors.

 
smorgasbord said:
And add some stepper motors with computer control and viola! A CNC.
Click to expand...

Still a long ways from a CNC, but still useful.  Unemployed Redneck Hillbilly made one,


Marius Hornberger also built a sketchy (but works well, fully automated) one out of his usual plywood.

 
Reorganizing the shop and moved the old workbench to a new spot and couldn’t get it level.
Realized it is too twisted and remembered that is why I only used it as a giant shelf all these years.

Now that I have time to mess with it I was pondering which method to use to flatten it.
I could plane it but trying to make it hold still while it is homeless would be another problem.
I could use my belt sander with sanding frame but between the noise it makes and the heat the dust extractor makes (it’s summer here) I don’t want to.

In my Apple News feed I noticed an article in Popular Mechanics on making a router sled. It said that linear rails bought from Vevor were used and the cost was low. I used to buy such components to building motion control rigs for cinematography and the stuff was expensive.

I checked out Vevor and was astonished at the prices. I used to pay more than $50 for one linear rail bearing block and at Vevor I could buy 4 blocks and 2 mounted 2.2 meter linear rails for 1/10th what I paid some 35 years ago.

So I bought some.

And received something unusable out of the box. Maybe these are parts someone screwup and returned or maybe they were never assembled correctly but if it isn’t straight it won’t help me flatten my workbench.

Straightness is probably not perfect (I can’t discern any problems…) but I think it’s good enough.

While I wait for the cross rails to arrive I need to make a platform or frame to which to fix the linear rails.
 

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For the VEVOR, remove the rod from the base.  Then use a straightedge and reattach it yourself.  You can get it straight again as there is slight give on both parts.  I suspect they did not round-robin the screws hence these things always come deflected from the factory.  It's VEVOR - they expect you to be a tinkerer or don't care enough.  The old-skool providers always assumed you wanted it calibrated out of the box and were willing to pay for it.
 
The cheapest linear motion tracks are barn door track (for real barns). But keep in mind that unlike real linear motion tracks which hold tolerances vertically (up and down) and horizontally, barn door hardware only holds tolerances vertically and only in the down direction.

Happily, that is the one direction required.

But note:  I have never seen this done.  And I don’t know if it will work.

A distinct advantage:  These tracks are available in long lengths.
https://www.national-hardware.com/c/exterior-barn-door-hardware
 
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