luvmytoolz
Member
Nice work, they look great!
Seeking your ideas for: A) Slab desk and B) Small Night Table
- Thread starter smorgasbord
- Start date
smorgasbord
Member
I spent the last few days designing a larger base plate for my DeWalt 620 router. Used my Shapeoko CNC to mill it out of aluminum:
I had intended to take my slab to a local hardwood dealer who has a gantry flattening rig, but since I'm removing material only from one side, I wanted to do it in stages to watch for stress relief warping, and to decide just how thin I wanted to do. So, I'm building a slab flattening jig:
Still a work in progress.
Considering the time it took me to design the base plate and then figure out how to mill aluminum on my CNC, it probably would have been cheaper considering the value of my time to have bought the Woodpecker's jig, although with the 43" max width of my slab I'd need the "Pro" version. Still, this is fun, learning to cut aluminum is a valuable skill for me to have for other things, and to be honest, with the rails (2 sets, length and width) coming in at about $150 I just couldn't not build one.
Since I don't have a workbench near wide enough, I'm using four 4040 extrusions running across to support the long rails, using the cross-string technique to be sure the tops are flat (easier than winding sticks if you ask me). For my pretty small shop, the whole thing will unbolt (I'll probably keep the cross-rail as an assembly though since it's flat) for storage in the rafters.
I still have to work out the height adjustment, which will be between the "Z" angle extrusions. I guess I could just mill vertical slots, but maybe I'll design a set of many holes for various heights in like 3/16" increments or so. I do have some thicker pieces of angle extrusion, enough that I could tap threads. Hmm, looking at the photo now I probably should have left the angle extrusions longer to provide access to bolts/nuts, but maybe moving the bearings in from the ends will accomplish what I need.
I had intended to take my slab to a local hardwood dealer who has a gantry flattening rig, but since I'm removing material only from one side, I wanted to do it in stages to watch for stress relief warping, and to decide just how thin I wanted to do. So, I'm building a slab flattening jig:
Still a work in progress.
Considering the time it took me to design the base plate and then figure out how to mill aluminum on my CNC, it probably would have been cheaper considering the value of my time to have bought the Woodpecker's jig, although with the 43" max width of my slab I'd need the "Pro" version. Still, this is fun, learning to cut aluminum is a valuable skill for me to have for other things, and to be honest, with the rails (2 sets, length and width) coming in at about $150 I just couldn't not build one.
Since I don't have a workbench near wide enough, I'm using four 4040 extrusions running across to support the long rails, using the cross-string technique to be sure the tops are flat (easier than winding sticks if you ask me). For my pretty small shop, the whole thing will unbolt (I'll probably keep the cross-rail as an assembly though since it's flat) for storage in the rafters.
I still have to work out the height adjustment, which will be between the "Z" angle extrusions. I guess I could just mill vertical slots, but maybe I'll design a set of many holes for various heights in like 3/16" increments or so. I do have some thicker pieces of angle extrusion, enough that I could tap threads. Hmm, looking at the photo now I probably should have left the angle extrusions longer to provide access to bolts/nuts, but maybe moving the bearings in from the ends will accomplish what I need.
luvmytoolz
Member
Very nice work, that's a great looking sled!
Milling aluminium is loads easier with the occasional squirt of WD40, stinks horrifically but pretty much completely stops the alu gumming up the cutter.
Milling aluminium is loads easier with the occasional squirt of WD40, stinks horrifically but pretty much completely stops the alu gumming up the cutter.
smorgasbord
Member
I used Zrn coated “O Flute” bits plus added Lubri-Cut Cutting Paste periodically.
These cheap linear rails, while not good for exacting usages seem great for a lot of woodworking tasks. I saw a video where someone used them to make a sliding table for his bandsaw.
These cheap linear rails, while not good for exacting usages seem great for a lot of woodworking tasks. I saw a video where someone used them to make a sliding table for his bandsaw.
luvmytoolz
Member
The rails are terrific value, they used to be incredibly expensive but have come down dramatically.
smorgasbord
Member
If anyone has the inclination, I'm looking for ideas on how to attach the two angle extrusions to each other. Here's that photo again:
The outside angles attach to the tops of the rail bearing blocks. My idea is that the two angles touching each other, creating a "Z" are attached via bolts with one of the extrusions having a slot so the router carriage can move down, below the linear rail supports. The extrusions are 2" across. My problem is where do I put the bolts?
Those bearing blocks are themselves about 2" square. To provide access to these new adjustment bolts, I either need to move them in towards each other (along the rails) and then I can have the bolts outside. However, that plate is only 7.5" deep so the bearing blocks would be getting even closer to each other. Do you think that would be a problem?
Another option is to remake the angle extrusions, but longer. That cuts down my width capacity by however how much they stick out, and on each side.
Another option is to use a thicker extrusion (¼") on the outside and tap the holes, so I just bolt through and can place the holes where the bearing blocks are if the bolts are exactly the right length (or use washers to fill).
Other thoughts?
The outside angles attach to the tops of the rail bearing blocks. My idea is that the two angles touching each other, creating a "Z" are attached via bolts with one of the extrusions having a slot so the router carriage can move down, below the linear rail supports. The extrusions are 2" across. My problem is where do I put the bolts?
Those bearing blocks are themselves about 2" square. To provide access to these new adjustment bolts, I either need to move them in towards each other (along the rails) and then I can have the bolts outside. However, that plate is only 7.5" deep so the bearing blocks would be getting even closer to each other. Do you think that would be a problem?
Another option is to remake the angle extrusions, but longer. That cuts down my width capacity by however how much they stick out, and on each side.
Another option is to use a thicker extrusion (¼") on the outside and tap the holes, so I just bolt through and can place the holes where the bearing blocks are if the bolts are exactly the right length (or use washers to fill).
Other thoughts?
Crazyraceguy
Member
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2015
- Messages
- 5,511
I wouldn't want WD-40 in the air, anywhere near the place I do woodworking (or storage) It is nasty stuff, as far as finishing. We always used Isopropyl Alcohol, in my machine shop class. It was long ago, before there were any real commercially available alternatives. All it really needs is something to help with chip welding, which a lot of modern coatings handle pretty well. A light mist of alcohol will do the trick, though you can usually get by with just blasting air, right at the point of contact. Some home shops aren't really equipped for that though. It can be rather draining.
So you’re intending to do height adjustment on the sled instead of using the plunge of your router?
I don’t know anything about aluminium or the thicknesses you’ve used, so can’t really help, but the photo made me wonder whether you were going to put threads in the aluminium and use grub screws to attach the pieces (and do height adjustment on the router itself).
I don’t know anything about aluminium or the thicknesses you’ve used, so can’t really help, but the photo made me wonder whether you were going to put threads in the aluminium and use grub screws to attach the pieces (and do height adjustment on the router itself).
luvmytoolz
Member
I'd assemble them exactly as you have shown, but depending on the amount of travel with the router, I'd consider milling slots on the vertical walls of the angle attached to the router plate, and fix that alu angle with lever handle bolts to the angle bolted to the bearing blocks, so you have some height adjustability in the router plate to give more range.
luvmytoolz
Member
Yeah WD40 when milling is a PITA, not at all nice, but seems to work far better than other lubes I've found for some grades of gummy aluminium. I did try alcohol once but it pretty much vaporised due to the heat and the alu gummed up almost instantly. What I really need is a misting solution, but the thought of reworking the CNC to cope with that is just a horrible idea. I've bought a bunch of new cutters that are supposed to be great for aluminium, so I'll see how they go next time. Maybe try misting alcohol again with them.
Metal on the CNC is just such a horrible messy affair.
smorgasbord
Member
Yes, for two reasons:
1) Although I have a collet extension, I'm not super comfortable using it with a big heavy bit, even at just 10k rpm.
2) I suspect the built-in dust collection of the DeWalt depends on the base plate being close to the working being cut.
My thinking is I can do up to 4-5mm (around 3/16") of adjustment via the router, and then if I still need to remove more, lower the base plate and raise the router bit back up. If I do holes, they'd be space about ¼" apart (although not all in line since that doesn't work).
The base plate is 6mm (just under ¼") thick.
The current angle extrusions are ⅛" thick.
I do have a ¼" thick angle extrusion, which I may use anyway since it'll reach all for holes or the bearing blocks with room to spare, and I can cut the vertical side down to be just a hair above the bottoms of the cross rails (which is what limits the max height of the stock). With this thicker extrusion I could tap threaded holes and then either epoxy a stud or just bolt from the inside of the other extrusion.
Does that make sense?
