Cary Falk
03-26-2013, 3:42 AM
I haven't seen one posted yet so I though I would post one. I looked pictures at of the Festool ones and they appear to ride the side of the plywood. I like the ones from Seneca Woodworking because thy ride on top of the plywood. The DeWalt track does not have the channel to make this happen. Attaching anything to the track eliminates the use of the 2nd cutting side. I decided to use 1/2" 80/20 because it is ridgid and I can't see cutting anything thinner than 1/2. You could probably use 1/4 " 80/20 if they make a wide piece. I didn't see any but didn't look too hard.
This is a pretty easy build. It took me Sat. morning to throw together. It is made with two pieces of 50mmx12.5 mm x36" 80/20.
Start with a piece of 5/8" thick aluminum about 7/8" wide and 2" long. Mill the groves to fit in the slot under the DeWalt track. I cut this on the table saw with a standard blade and a 7 1/4" circular saw blade for the thin grove since I don't have a mill. The cuts aren't perfect. The blade looks like it wandered a little bit. Dispite the flaws they work really good. I had to do some file work to get an acceptable fit.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_1152_zps0f3af8a1.jpg
The 80/20 has 2 holes in the lower corners so I tapped them with a 10-24 tap and secured the block with two 1 1/4" bolts. I drilled and tapped a 1/4-20 hole through the top of the block to secure block to the track from the bottom of the block with a 1/2" set screw if needed. I used 1/4-20 because it used the same allen wrench as the track connector does.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_1150_zps865e850d.jpg
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_1151_zps70401e61.jpg
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_1149_zps0277b34f.jpg
The stop blocks are made from a 3" square piece of hickory 1 1/2" thick. I cut dado's in the block to ride the 80/20 and another one slightly deeper then the 1/4" piece of acrylic. It is slightly deeper so it doesn't rub on the tape.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_1147_zpsbbe6ee05.jpg
I scribed a line in the acrylic to for the cursor.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_1148_zps0bb39cde.jpg
The cursor is adjustable to fine tune the tape. The stop block is attached to the 80/20 with a cam clamp.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_1146_zps6d73eddd.jpg
The 80/20 is secured to the edge of the track with another clamp.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_1145_zps1583795b.jpg
And there you have it.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_1144_zps62b015a4.jpg
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_1143_zpsf655035e.jpg
I hope this is useful to somebody.
This is a pretty easy build. It took me Sat. morning to throw together. It is made with two pieces of 50mmx12.5 mm x36" 80/20.
Start with a piece of 5/8" thick aluminum about 7/8" wide and 2" long. Mill the groves to fit in the slot under the DeWalt track. I cut this on the table saw with a standard blade and a 7 1/4" circular saw blade for the thin grove since I don't have a mill. The cuts aren't perfect. The blade looks like it wandered a little bit. Dispite the flaws they work really good. I had to do some file work to get an acceptable fit.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_1152_zps0f3af8a1.jpg
The 80/20 has 2 holes in the lower corners so I tapped them with a 10-24 tap and secured the block with two 1 1/4" bolts. I drilled and tapped a 1/4-20 hole through the top of the block to secure block to the track from the bottom of the block with a 1/2" set screw if needed. I used 1/4-20 because it used the same allen wrench as the track connector does.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_1150_zps865e850d.jpg
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_1151_zps70401e61.jpg
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_1149_zps0277b34f.jpg
The stop blocks are made from a 3" square piece of hickory 1 1/2" thick. I cut dado's in the block to ride the 80/20 and another one slightly deeper then the 1/4" piece of acrylic. It is slightly deeper so it doesn't rub on the tape.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_1147_zpsbbe6ee05.jpg
I scribed a line in the acrylic to for the cursor.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_1148_zps0bb39cde.jpg
The cursor is adjustable to fine tune the tape. The stop block is attached to the 80/20 with a cam clamp.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_1146_zps6d73eddd.jpg
The 80/20 is secured to the edge of the track with another clamp.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_1145_zps1583795b.jpg
And there you have it.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_1144_zps62b015a4.jpg
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_1143_zpsf655035e.jpg
I hope this is useful to somebody.