T Slots

[chopnhack]

I have need of some t-track for holding down a toggle clamp for one project and to support sacrificial 2x4's that slide in the track to extend out for a cutting table.

Should I spend the money and buy the t-track or buy the bit to make my own out of syp that I have on hand?

I don't have a router table at the moment which has me leaning towards buying as well as the time savings.

What say you all?

T-track totals to about $80 about 20' and the t-slot bit around $17

[LCHIEN]

if you had a router table it sounds like it would be worth trying the make your own approach. but, lack of a router table would lean me towards buying.

Timewise, if I knew the wood parts would be satisfactory, making 20 feet of t-slot should go fast with a router table, you need to make a straight pass (or maybe 2 passes to final depth) to remove most material and, without moving the fence, then the T-slot pass. Worth setting up for to do 20 feet and any simple fence will work.

[chopnhack]

I had thought of initially running it through the ts to create at least a kerf for the bit to pass through with less resistance than if starting from scratch. I was looking at this bit : http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shops.../bt_keyhl.html

Still on the fence, of course saving ~60 bones is nice, I am a little concerned of wood movement causing friction. These items won't get alot of use, and I can coat them with wax, but I don't want to waste the time making them if they wont work right either.

Hahaha, just realized the bit is a 1/4" collet size.... that's a no go for me. Gonna keep searching comparable 1/2" sizes.

[LCHIEN]

sure multiple passes of a TS kerf to sufficient width (~5/16") would be as good as a way of removing material from the slot.

also, if you need a lot of strength, the aluminum t-track is the way to go.
I'm not sure how thick the wood lip has to be to carry how much weight concentrated at the head of the bolt or T-nut, but the thicker the better so a strong wood t-track will be a thick T-track!

You'll be hard pressed to find a 1/2" shank T-slot cutter since the neck that goes through the pre-cut will only be about 1/4" in diameter... hardly any use making a shank stouter than the thinnest part of the bit.

[chopnhack]

True, I will have to look into what area I have to work with. Thanks for the thoughts! Maybe plywood glued to form a t-track...

[mpc]

What about "making" a T-track by gluing up a few layers:
* base of your project has a dado/groove slot cut in it, as wide as the widest part of the T-slot
* top layer is made of thinner material (hardboard, Masonite, plastic, laminates, etc) glued on in several pieces... with the piece edges overlapping the dado/groove to form the lips of the T-slot opening.

similar to what you'll see on router table fences posted elsewhere on this site and other sites.

mpc

[greenacres2]

I ran across this company on e-bay recently:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/80-20-Inc-1-...item3373df49a9

Full catalog with dimensional drawings is at www.8020.net,

I drive past their plant a few times a year to pick up my son at the Fort Wayne, IN airport, and the business name had me wondering what they did. I've not bought anything yet, kind of holding out until i'm driving that direction so i can save the shipping. But...it looks like an interesting variety of stuff for creativity. The "10" series seems like the ticket, the "15" series dimensions looked too big to me.

Glad you asked the question, i've been wondering about these extrusions for a while and keep forgetting to ask.

earl

[JSUPreston]

We've got a bunch of the 8020 stuff in the warehouse at work. Holds our scanners for the conveyor system as well as the marqees for scan confirmation. Really nice stuff.

[leehljp]

I tried making T-slots in wood and MDF. It wasn't too hard to do. The main things are:
1. Make sure the guide is straight and clamped well.
2. Use a steady pressure
3. Make a slot with the straight bit first. (Two or three passes)
4. Last - cut T-Slot at the RIGHT height.

Having said that, to me 5 to 8 years ago, that (above) was the easy part.

You need to pay CLOSE attention to the T-bolts that you have or intend to use, and find a T-slot cutter that matches that. Finding the T-slot cutter that will make the size of a normal T-slot channel that you can buy from different sources - used to be hard. Even now, do your homework to make sure that you get what you want.

T-Slot cutters come in 1/16 kerfs and 1/8 kerfs and maybe others, they come in different widths and the vertical slot size needs to be checked also. I do not know what is available now, but I checked with LeeValley, MLCS, Rockler, Woodcraft and more. There did not seem to be a standard size back then - 5 to 8 years ago.

It is probably easier to find what you want in T-slots today.

For me, it is just easier to buy the T-Tracks. I bought two sets of the T-tracks and knobs when Rockler used to have them on sale regularly. Much easier to use.

[cabinetman]

You need to pay CLOSE attention to the T-bolts that you have or intend to use, and find a T-slot cutter that matches that. Finding the T-slot cutter that will make the size of a normal T-slot channel that you can buy from different sources - used to be hard. Even now, do your homework to make sure that you get what you want.

For me, it is just easier to buy the T-Tracks. I bought two sets of the T-tracks and knobs when Rockler used to have them on sale regularly. Much easier to use.

The difference IMO would be that the metal would be the right size, and not as easily worn or damaged as one machined in a substrate.

.

[pelligrini]

I use a rockler T-slot bit. http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...2&site=ROCKLER Sometimes I'll use a 3/8" straight bit on the router table to cut the slot. If I have a lot to do I'll put my freud box joint blade in the saw and flip it for a 3/8" slot, then cut the T with a handheld router.

[LCHIEN]

What about "making" a T-track by gluing up a few layers:
* base of your project has a dado/groove slot cut in it, as wide as the widest part of the T-slot
* top layer is made of thinner material (hardboard, Masonite, plastic, laminates, etc) glued on in several pieces... with the piece edges overlapping the dado/groove to form the lips of the T-slot opening.

similar to what you'll see on router table fences posted elsewhere on this site and other sites.

mpc

that works!

I think the hardest thing about wood T-tracks is finding a suitable bit. None of the MLCS "T-slot" cutters is suitable in my mind for replacing common T-track which will take hex head 1/4" bolts which have a 7/16" across hex. THe MLCS available sizes are 3/4" and 1", both of which would allow a 1/4" hex head to spin without capturing it. There are some out there, though.

Ah, a previous discussion: http://www.bt3central.com/showthread...lot+router+bit

Making the slots as MPC suggests allows perfect customization.

[greenacres2]

We've got a bunch of the 8020 stuff in the warehouse at work. Holds our scanners for the conveyor system as well as the marqees for scan confirmation. Really nice stuff.

Glad to hear it. After posting that this morning, i put a bid in on 2 1x3 at not quite 4' each. With shipping i should be able to get them at about $40, and i'll do a buy it now on a few shorter 1/2" x 1" single slots for about $10 or so, Doesn't change shipping hardly at all. Getting ready to build my router table and i'm thinking that those will work as fence tracks. I'll have to drill/countersink to screw them down, but should be okay. I'll let you know in a month or two!!

earl

[chopnhack]

One of the uses I had for the t tracks is to make a cutting table for sheet goods/assembly table that folds up when not in use. It's essential the same as the nice design by Dino at Eurekazone:

So far I found a scrap piece of plywood and put on the home depot folding legs, which aren't all that bad, but certainly not as good as the legs listed on Dino's site.

[IMG][/IMG]

My next move was to attach aluminum t-track through the table on one end so that it pivots like the original and then use 1/4" lag bolts through a 2x or plywood piece and slide those heads through the t-track.

I don't think making a t track out of wood would work in this application - not rigid enough. What do you think?