Post by ramin on Oct 6, 2022 16:06:25 GMT -5
I did a little mod/experiment on my Erika sliding table this weekend.
It's been sitting unused in my basement since I was using the in2tools rail with a custom made sled.
link to previous thread I started
However the custom sled I made was ultimately too big. I never used/needed its full capacity.
It was a bit cumbersome to get in and out of the in2tools rail.
But my biggest annoyance was that the sliding action wasn't smooth enough for my liking with the in2tools track.
So I thought maybe I should give the stock sliding table another chance.
- Modelled a bracket in fusion 360 that fits over the dovetails of the table.
some bolts with washers squeeze the brackets and clamp it to the dovetails. (it's very secure).
- Melted some m5 insert nuts in the brackets to attach an incra channel on to. I know I could route a channel in the plywood top instead. But since it's 18mm ply,the screws for the incra channel are too long and don't always stay secure since the material that is left after routing is a bit thin.
- Screwed and tapped 4 holes in the sliding table and secured the plywood top to it with m6 countersunk bolts.
- Routed a channel for the hongdui mitre gauge in the top..
- removed the end stop at the front to easily slide the table in and out of the rail.
not possible to remove it because of the size of the plywood top otherwise.
(I could shorten the plywood top by 10cm instead of removing the stop)
So basically I recreated the incra mitre gauge 5000
I haven't properly tested it just yet, but I thought it was worth sharing already.
I did an initial squaring and it seems to be working pretty good.
There is still the small issue of the play between the bearings on the sliding table.
But it hasn't affected the cuts so far, since the play is only problematic at the very beginning of the mafell sliding rail.
picture of my whole setup, but with the previously installed in2tools rail. In the background you see the old sled
It's been sitting unused in my basement since I was using the in2tools rail with a custom made sled.
link to previous thread I started
However the custom sled I made was ultimately too big. I never used/needed its full capacity.
It was a bit cumbersome to get in and out of the in2tools rail.
But my biggest annoyance was that the sliding action wasn't smooth enough for my liking with the in2tools track.
So I thought maybe I should give the stock sliding table another chance.
- Modelled a bracket in fusion 360 that fits over the dovetails of the table.
some bolts with washers squeeze the brackets and clamp it to the dovetails. (it's very secure).
- Melted some m5 insert nuts in the brackets to attach an incra channel on to. I know I could route a channel in the plywood top instead. But since it's 18mm ply,the screws for the incra channel are too long and don't always stay secure since the material that is left after routing is a bit thin.
- Screwed and tapped 4 holes in the sliding table and secured the plywood top to it with m6 countersunk bolts.
- Routed a channel for the hongdui mitre gauge in the top..
- removed the end stop at the front to easily slide the table in and out of the rail.
not possible to remove it because of the size of the plywood top otherwise.
(I could shorten the plywood top by 10cm instead of removing the stop)
So basically I recreated the incra mitre gauge 5000
I haven't properly tested it just yet, but I thought it was worth sharing already.
I did an initial squaring and it seems to be working pretty good.
There is still the small issue of the play between the bearings on the sliding table.
But it hasn't affected the cuts so far, since the play is only problematic at the very beginning of the mafell sliding rail.
picture of my whole setup, but with the previously installed in2tools rail. In the background you see the old sled