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Post by aas on Feb 8, 2020 15:27:31 GMT -5
Here's a quick 'How to' fit an Incra to the Mafell leaf. I have offset the LS positioner slightly towards the front, if you may wish this to double up for a router, it would be best to centralise.
To fit as I have, measure from the front of the leaf, not including the dovetail :
The holes are marked at 336mm and 476mm (140mm between the fixing grooves in the LS base). Ignore the parallax errors from the photo, I measured accurately - check from your LS base in any case before drilling.
I have fitted the leaf with the dovetail towards the outside. Not including the dovetail, measure 20.5mm and 203mm, once again ignore the parallax errors from the photo. Check your leaf to confirm the holes will miss the ribs underneath.
Drill the holes to 6.5mm (or ¼" if you're old fashioned!), lightly countersink each side. We will be using the short allen screws, washers and t-track adaptors from Incra, but anything that will fit the LS base will do. They supply hex bolts with nuts and washers, I found it neater with allen bolts from underneath.
Fit the allen bolts as shown.
You now need to slide the LS base onto the t-track adaptors.
Now fit the positioner into the LS base, fit whatever guide fence you wish to use, then line this up with the blade or grooves in the Erika top - then when you are happy, tighten up the allen bolts.
You are now done!.. the last step can be re-done to line up as you need for toe in, toe out or parallel.
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Post by aas on Feb 8, 2020 15:30:44 GMT -5
This mod has freed up the not-so-good Mafell rip fence. I've tried fitting it on the sliding table :
...has got me wondering about making a crosscut sled and fitting it direct :
Any thoughts?
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Post by aas on Feb 8, 2020 15:43:47 GMT -5
So next up is to make the table infill for the Erika between the Incra LS Positioner and the saw. I started off buying a new front dovetail profile, Mafell part number 202662. This was then cut into two lengths of 250mm, and fitted up-side-down in the 1000mm extension front and back rails. You can see it on the left here :
This will provide the support for the infill.
I used 22mm MDF covered in a 12.5mm piece of solid surface. The edge of the MDF has been grooved to tuck under the Mafell leaf where I have fitted the LS base, it adds a bit of stability, not that it is needed!
Depending on what material you use, you may need to groove slightly where it sits on the supports. I also grooved the underside of the solid surface for a flush finish.
I wanted to do gray or white solid surface, but I had this off-cut the right size, so it's not 'final'... I'm not sure if it will sag, or if I want to change it at some point, so I'll try this for a while, see if it needs reinforcing or not.
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Post by aas on Feb 8, 2020 15:49:19 GMT -5
Next job is to re-do the Incra router table - I purchased the Incra top, and despite being in a constant 16 degree workshop, it is already sagging. Full Incra lift setup with cleansweep box, maybe too much weight. I had the room to get this into the Erika extension leaf, but after following advice here, decided to go for two separate setups. I kept with Incra for both as it's one system to learn and remember. This will get re-done in white solid surface at some point, and I'll re-do the Erika table in white at the same time :
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ramin
New Member
Posts: 31
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Post by ramin on Feb 9, 2020 3:47:21 GMT -5
Thank you for all this excellent info!! I'll report back once I've installed my incra as well.
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Post by Knight Woodworks on Feb 9, 2020 13:57:31 GMT -5
Thanks for the photos and the tutorial.
John
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Post by aas on Feb 9, 2020 14:39:10 GMT -5
You're all welcome... very easy to do the mod, would recommend to any Erika owner, a fantastic upgrade.
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Post by Tom Gensmer on Feb 10, 2020 10:53:15 GMT -5
AAS this is more or less exactly how I was planning on how to mount the Incra positioner. I'm strapped for time, so I was planning on just getting an additional table extension, but I appreciate your home-made table surface.
As much as I want/hope to eventually get into a Felder KF saw, realistically that's 4-5 years away, and your project is a great reminder that the Incra positioner would be a great interim solution when working in the shop.
For the Mafell rip fence, it's important to note that there are apparently two versions, an older and a newer, but they share the same part #. As I understand it, the older rip fence is perfectly perpendicular to the dovetail, which means it pinches the back of the blade slightly. Or maybe it's parallel with the blade. Either way, the old rip fence didn't have a toe-in to the blade. Apparently Mafell remedied this and the new rip fences were tweaked slightly so there's a very slight toe-in.
The above is a long-winded way of saying, it may be worth validating if using it on the sliding table will achieve a square cut or not. If not, it should be a simple matter of shimming the fence slightly, so no big deal, but I thought it was worth mentioning.
Thanks again for the pics and write-up, another reminder of just how versatile and modular the Erika platform is!
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Post by aas on Feb 10, 2020 15:26:56 GMT -5
There is of course the adjuster on the rip fence - I've tried it and managed to get it perfectly square to the blade when fitted to the sliding table.
I will probably make a crosscut sled that fits to this fence to try out - the zero clearance of a sled appeals - the Erika is a powerful saw to be trimming small items, the sled would add utility to an already great tool.
I would defintitely recommend fitting the Incra. I've messed around trying to find a satisfactory way to rip on the Erika since I got it. MFA is good, but I rip to the right, crosscut to the left - so constant moving of the MFA; tried the rip fence, I did have it setup OK at one point, but it's fiddly to move and adjust, and going back to an existing setting is trial and error; I've also tried using the 1000mm fence with dovetail clamps front and rear - it works but is time consuming. The Incra is a real pleasure to use...
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brice
Junior Member
Posts: 56
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Post by brice on Feb 23, 2020 9:02:29 GMT -5
This mod has freed up the not-so-good Mafell rip fence. I've tried fitting it on the sliding table :
...has got me wondering about making a crosscut sled and fitting it direct :
Any thoughts?
Have you done anything with this? It seams an interesting idea.....and should be solidly square....how would you design a crosscut sled?
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Post by aas on Feb 23, 2020 10:03:15 GMT -5
Not yet... plywood delivery coming tomorrow, got a new van to rack out... this might get done with leftovers!
I was thinking pretty standard crosscut sled that screws into the holes in the rip fence, that way it can be taken on and off very easily, complete with rip fence.
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ramin
New Member
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Post by ramin on Mar 11, 2020 18:26:50 GMT -5
I managed to install my Incra fence today. I'm surprised at how smooth it went. And I have to say that adjusting the fence parallel to the blade is pretty straightforward. When the saw is the furthest position I move the fence to have it just touch the blade. Then I pull the saw to the front and move the other end of the fence and make sure it touches the blade as well. Then I just tighten the screws of the base. As rigid as the incra fence and base are, I do have to clamp the fence down with an extra clamp to get the super accurate rip cuts I want. Otherwise the cut is of by about 0.2 to 0.3mm. With the fence clamped it's less than 0.1mm. I'll see if I can create a notch in the fence so i can use the mafell clamping piece.
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Post by aas on Mar 12, 2020 8:06:40 GMT -5
Good stuff!... weird that it moves though, mine doesn't.
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ramin
New Member
Posts: 31
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Post by ramin on Mar 15, 2020 14:11:56 GMT -5
Good stuff!... weird that it moves though, mine doesn't. yeah this has more to do with the fact that I have a (bad) habit of putting too much sideways pressure when doing rip cuts. and on the ends of the fence that give a little flex which is enough to throw it of a bit. But I have to say so far I'm really happy with it. It's a joy to work with and I don't have to switch fences anymore. I might fill up the hole between the leaf and the table, but so far it hasn't given me any problems. EDIT: actually, now that I think of it, I might build a router table in the space that's open now. My leaf came without the mounting holes for a router.
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Post by aas on Mar 15, 2020 15:14:33 GMT -5
EDIT: actually, now that I think of it, I might build a router table in the space that's open now. r a router. Be careful about how much weight goes on the dovetail extension arms, mine are now slightly curved, I will have to look into additional support...
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