Mac McAtee
03-02-2004, 6:45 PM
Inspired by Jim Kountz, I started building an horizontal router. I took some of Jim's suggestions about improvments and other options for the ways that the sliding tables move on. They are made from Incra "T" tracks and Nylon "T" Track slides that Woodpecker's sells.
I went a little further than Jim did by using the "T" Track with the measuring rule attached. That part of the system is not complete yet, I haven't put a stop with adjustable locators on the tracks yet.
I did add a curser on each table so you can set it on an inch mark and then measure the movement of the tables. These don't show up too well in the pictures in that they are clear plastic. But they are located where you see the little black plastic knobs. I made the clear plastic curser plates out of a clear napkin holder I found in the local grocery store. It was fairly heavy plastic and had two upright parts that formed a nice right angle once I cut them out of the rest of the holder. I put a long slot in the upright part of the plastic and scratched a index mark in the horizontal part. Now you just loosen the black knob and slide the plastic curser till it lines up with an inch mark. Then when you move the tables you can read the movement very accurately.
This is still a work in progress but it is too the point now that it can be used. I intend to disassemble it, varnish the bare wood and put it back together. Right now I am not happy with the handles that operate the tables. The eye bolts that I used for operating rods perhaps should be 5/16" instead of 1/4", the would be a little more sturdy.
I am going to post pictures with this but don't know if I can put all three of them on here at one time or if I have to post them one at a time.
Thanks again to Jim!
I went a little further than Jim did by using the "T" Track with the measuring rule attached. That part of the system is not complete yet, I haven't put a stop with adjustable locators on the tracks yet.
I did add a curser on each table so you can set it on an inch mark and then measure the movement of the tables. These don't show up too well in the pictures in that they are clear plastic. But they are located where you see the little black plastic knobs. I made the clear plastic curser plates out of a clear napkin holder I found in the local grocery store. It was fairly heavy plastic and had two upright parts that formed a nice right angle once I cut them out of the rest of the holder. I put a long slot in the upright part of the plastic and scratched a index mark in the horizontal part. Now you just loosen the black knob and slide the plastic curser till it lines up with an inch mark. Then when you move the tables you can read the movement very accurately.
This is still a work in progress but it is too the point now that it can be used. I intend to disassemble it, varnish the bare wood and put it back together. Right now I am not happy with the handles that operate the tables. The eye bolts that I used for operating rods perhaps should be 5/16" instead of 1/4", the would be a little more sturdy.
I am going to post pictures with this but don't know if I can put all three of them on here at one time or if I have to post them one at a time.
Thanks again to Jim!