Post by kraftt on Jun 5, 2017 17:05:35 GMT -5
©
When I first decided on the MT55 as a possible purchase I watched all the videos I could find to help finalize my decision.
But one rather humorous thing kept popping up in these videos that were made by different users.
They would demonstrate a 45º cut except, in the middle or end of cut, you would clearly see the saw lift off the rail and f-up the cut they were so proud of. This of course is easily solved with common sense by keeping moderate pressure, with your other hand, on the base. However I decided that if I got the saw I would take advantage of the mafell rail groove and make a washer based anti-tip device just like Makita.
When the saw came though I saw a simpler solution that offered additional benefits.
At first I was going to just use the rail connector that came with the kit and mount it to the base of the saw by drilling two holes in it. I decided against this because the steel would only wear down the aluminum rail quickly, from all the sliding back and forth, and that wouldn’t do when it came time to join two rails if it threw alignment. Plus the steel plate is very rigid, longer than necessary, and the aluminum rail is designed to flex & form somewhat to material.
Instead I used a piece of 3mm Polycarbonate. Worked great & did everything I wanted.
Since it was floppy & attached to the bottom of the saw I inverted the ‘m’ in Mafell and called it a Wafell.
(Attachment is made using the two existing M6 threaded holes in saw base intended for accessory guide).
Here’s some possible uses for the Wafell:
Leave saw on track when lifting MFT 3 rail.
Increase stability, safety and accuracy on critical top heavy angled cuts (cutting 45º’s).
Stops saw from tipping over after completing long reach angled cuts when rail is used with *clamps. *(holds fine without clamps but you would guarantee it won’t tip over if rail is clamped). *(Attention to continue suction should be given when used with Aerofix).
Reduces risk of saw being knocked off table when adjusting materials or working around shop.
Provides a degree of kickback protection in situations warranting a riving knife.
Use MT55 as a sudo KSS saw when mated to F rail for versatility. (Consider attaching one rail stop at back end).
Keeps saw from skipping off rail guide ‘tracking’ in possible rail-flex conditions when cutting floppy material or on make shift job site surfaces/tables.
Lift & place saw & rail together in one movement on/off material with one hand.
———————————
Unbreakable polycarbonate. Light weight & thin - stores in rail bag or box - slips in back pocket.
———————————
Some things to consider:
The wafell bolts on first to saw base requiring you slide assembly onto / into rail from one of the ends.
The wafell will not pass a Mafell / Bosch rail connector so is best used on full length unjoined rails.
I wouldn’t use it to hold saw on rail by itself without operator support when performing vertical cuts using Aerofix, though the saw would hold to a clamped rail just fine the weight of saw on a vertical mounted rail, held only by suction, could pull rail off.
———————————
Is it a needed accessory? I don’t know, I was just messing around and it works for me. But it’s nice to have if/when the use arises like all accessories.
———————————
You attach the wafell with two M6 nylon screws. Why not brass or steel? Nylon works fine and I haven’t been able to violently shake off a 160 rail yet. (you would use the wafell on shorter rails if you intend to use it as a sudo-KSS). You can use brass screws if you sand the heads flatter to recess into the countersunk holes, but nylon is plenty strong.
In either case the screws should be ‘slotted’ on the thread ends to allow adjustment from the top once the saw, with Wafell, are mated to rail.
I’ve tried iterations where an 8/32 passes through the wider M6 holes and two mini thumb knobs do the tightening from top (photo), as well as considered *screwing down from the top by threading steel etc. but always come back to fixing from the bottom to mate the wafell using nylon screws. It is what it is.
*(if you try threading from the top add heat shrink around upper threads so they don’t mess up alloy saw base threads)
Anyways, you attach the wafell to the MT55, leave the screws a bit loose, slide the assembly onto rail, then adjust slotted screw ends to taste.
3mm thick Polycarbonate varies greatly from one mfg. to another but is almost always thinner than 3mm. I’ve found that shimming, by applying thick masking tape to the top of the polycarbonate (2 or 3 layers between poly and saw base), is my preference. The ploycarb plate will still be left somewhat loose in order to slide freely but I like that gap between base almost filled.
If you make one be sure and juice my PayPal account $300 in mafell money. If you just look at the pictures it’s only $45 (per view) and if you think about it for a moment but decide not to it’s $35 - Britts to pay VAT and Australians pay triple.
(nylon screws colored for photo):
(ocd storage / countersunk screws should have some slop to align with saw base holes):
(view of end of slotted nylon screws, for adjusting snugness, with polycarb plate mounted underneath):
(type of thumbscrew you might consider if attempting a top fastening system to a mafell steel rail coupler):
(one idea I had to control rail from sliding off of saw if mafell steel rail was used. The wrench stays put for tightening or loosening):
(polycarb wafell doesn't have this quick sliding problem but in some cases a rail stop attached to end of rail could be warranted)
fwiw - that magnet's strength is legit and a pain to remove
When I first decided on the MT55 as a possible purchase I watched all the videos I could find to help finalize my decision.
But one rather humorous thing kept popping up in these videos that were made by different users.
They would demonstrate a 45º cut except, in the middle or end of cut, you would clearly see the saw lift off the rail and f-up the cut they were so proud of. This of course is easily solved with common sense by keeping moderate pressure, with your other hand, on the base. However I decided that if I got the saw I would take advantage of the mafell rail groove and make a washer based anti-tip device just like Makita.
When the saw came though I saw a simpler solution that offered additional benefits.
At first I was going to just use the rail connector that came with the kit and mount it to the base of the saw by drilling two holes in it. I decided against this because the steel would only wear down the aluminum rail quickly, from all the sliding back and forth, and that wouldn’t do when it came time to join two rails if it threw alignment. Plus the steel plate is very rigid, longer than necessary, and the aluminum rail is designed to flex & form somewhat to material.
Instead I used a piece of 3mm Polycarbonate. Worked great & did everything I wanted.
Since it was floppy & attached to the bottom of the saw I inverted the ‘m’ in Mafell and called it a Wafell.
(Attachment is made using the two existing M6 threaded holes in saw base intended for accessory guide).
Here’s some possible uses for the Wafell:
Leave saw on track when lifting MFT 3 rail.
Increase stability, safety and accuracy on critical top heavy angled cuts (cutting 45º’s).
Stops saw from tipping over after completing long reach angled cuts when rail is used with *clamps. *(holds fine without clamps but you would guarantee it won’t tip over if rail is clamped). *(Attention to continue suction should be given when used with Aerofix).
Reduces risk of saw being knocked off table when adjusting materials or working around shop.
Provides a degree of kickback protection in situations warranting a riving knife.
Use MT55 as a sudo KSS saw when mated to F rail for versatility. (Consider attaching one rail stop at back end).
Keeps saw from skipping off rail guide ‘tracking’ in possible rail-flex conditions when cutting floppy material or on make shift job site surfaces/tables.
Lift & place saw & rail together in one movement on/off material with one hand.
———————————
Unbreakable polycarbonate. Light weight & thin - stores in rail bag or box - slips in back pocket.
———————————
Some things to consider:
The wafell bolts on first to saw base requiring you slide assembly onto / into rail from one of the ends.
The wafell will not pass a Mafell / Bosch rail connector so is best used on full length unjoined rails.
I wouldn’t use it to hold saw on rail by itself without operator support when performing vertical cuts using Aerofix, though the saw would hold to a clamped rail just fine the weight of saw on a vertical mounted rail, held only by suction, could pull rail off.
———————————
Is it a needed accessory? I don’t know, I was just messing around and it works for me. But it’s nice to have if/when the use arises like all accessories.
———————————
You attach the wafell with two M6 nylon screws. Why not brass or steel? Nylon works fine and I haven’t been able to violently shake off a 160 rail yet. (you would use the wafell on shorter rails if you intend to use it as a sudo-KSS). You can use brass screws if you sand the heads flatter to recess into the countersunk holes, but nylon is plenty strong.
In either case the screws should be ‘slotted’ on the thread ends to allow adjustment from the top once the saw, with Wafell, are mated to rail.
I’ve tried iterations where an 8/32 passes through the wider M6 holes and two mini thumb knobs do the tightening from top (photo), as well as considered *screwing down from the top by threading steel etc. but always come back to fixing from the bottom to mate the wafell using nylon screws. It is what it is.
*(if you try threading from the top add heat shrink around upper threads so they don’t mess up alloy saw base threads)
Anyways, you attach the wafell to the MT55, leave the screws a bit loose, slide the assembly onto rail, then adjust slotted screw ends to taste.
3mm thick Polycarbonate varies greatly from one mfg. to another but is almost always thinner than 3mm. I’ve found that shimming, by applying thick masking tape to the top of the polycarbonate (2 or 3 layers between poly and saw base), is my preference. The ploycarb plate will still be left somewhat loose in order to slide freely but I like that gap between base almost filled.
If you make one be sure and juice my PayPal account $300 in mafell money. If you just look at the pictures it’s only $45 (per view) and if you think about it for a moment but decide not to it’s $35 - Britts to pay VAT and Australians pay triple.
(nylon screws colored for photo):
(ocd storage / countersunk screws should have some slop to align with saw base holes):
(view of end of slotted nylon screws, for adjusting snugness, with polycarb plate mounted underneath):
(type of thumbscrew you might consider if attempting a top fastening system to a mafell steel rail coupler):
(one idea I had to control rail from sliding off of saw if mafell steel rail was used. The wrench stays put for tightening or loosening):
(polycarb wafell doesn't have this quick sliding problem but in some cases a rail stop attached to end of rail could be warranted)
fwiw - that magnet's strength is legit and a pain to remove
and handy for those that do not like computers.