Kirby’s Shed: 9a. TS Xcut sled

[RodKirby]

Anyone know where you can get the UHMWPE runners? I haven't dealt with the material before. How easy is to drill through? Any special bits needed? I'm assuming you used a DP?

Loring has already answered the important stuff - I would add:

Because UHMWPE is naturally friction resistant - that's its purpose; when routing it (in my experience), you have to really PUSH the work/router to make the bit "bite" - it simply wants to skate instead of cut. And, don't stop - keep the bit moving/cutting otherwise it will overheat and melt the UHMW DAMHIKT!

[LCHIEN]

Loring has already answered the important stuff - I would add:

Because UHMWPE is naturally friction resistant - that's its purpose; when routing it (in my experience), you have to really PUSH the work/router to make the bit "bite" - it simply wants to skate instead of cut. And, don't stop - keep the bit moving/cutting otherwise it will overheat and melt the UHMW DAMHIKT!

Oh Yeah - last point is an excellent one! Keep it moving at a fairly fast feed!


ANd here's a source for UHMW bars 3/4" x 3/8" (perfect size for miter track runners) in 48" lengths for $7 that caters to woodworking hobbiests. Al you have to do is cut to length. Don't even have to worry about ripping it to correct perfect .750+0.000/-0.003 width and the dust collection issue.
http://www.ttrackusa.com/UHMW.htm
TTrackusa is also a good supplier of extruded aluminum T-tracks and miter track guides/bars of all different sizes and shapes.

You can google UHMW 3/4 3/8 bar and get a lot of retail and industrial suppliers of the material, too.

[LinuxRandal]

Stupid question Rod,

When you first got your saw, you seemed disappointed in this ones sliding miter table. I am assuming (I know, never safe to assume), that you never got happy with it, and that is why you use the sled.
Or did you get it going, and just find the sled more accurate?

Thanks

[RodKirby]

Stupid question Rod,

When you first got your saw, you seemed disappointed in this ones sliding miter table. I am assuming (I know, never safe to assume), that you never got happy with it, and that is why you use the sled.
Or did you get it going, and just find the sled more accurate?

Thanks

I was disappointed in the lack of "easy" adjustment to get it coplanar with the main table. Also (relative to the BT3x), it is a "long" way from the saw blade. Having said that, it works beautifully - made cutting the "wings" on the miter fence very easy (see pic above with the weights shown).

In this case, sled is just easier to use with the day-to-day stuff

[cgallery]

You can google UHMW 3/4 3/8 bar and get a lot of retail and industrial suppliers of the material, too.

Was at Rockler today and took a piece of the 3/4" thick UHMW stock over to a few different tools with miter slots and checked the fit. I found that the stock would require adding the "grub" or set screws Rod used to get a good fit. It seemed somewhere around .01" too small for the slot, which resulted in too much play.