# Routing Aluminum - DIY T-Slot Track



## white_sw (15 Jun 2010)

I've only ever routed aluminum in the past once when making a zero clearance insert for my table saw and it worked fine. Took lots of shallow passes. I was thinking about trying to make my own T-Slot and mitre track for making my new router table and jigs. I have one of these cutters from Wealded Tools.

http://www.wealdentool.com/acatalog/Onl ... im_21.html

Does anyone have more experience of routing aluminum ? I already have plenty of aluminum bar laying around that would be ideal for turning into t-slot. Your thoughts ??

Cheers,
Sam


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## Jake (15 Jun 2010)

It's very liable to snatch I believe, and a t-slot seems like the worst kind of cut from that perspective. Not something I would try, unlike a straight channel cut.


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## Benchwayze (15 Jun 2010)

At risk of starting a 'war'.. 

An overhead router with the right bit is not much different to a milling machine. Stick a cross-slide under it and in effect that's what you have. (Look at the Woodrat!) So, I have no problem with routing aluminium. However, Trend and Titan cutters used to supply special bits for use with ally. Mainly for the window-frame trade. 

I had success in the past using Engineers' end-mill cutters (HSS) They aren't shanked and are the same diameter right through, so you need a collet for each size. (Up to your router capacity.) 

You also need to pay attention to recommended speeds and take it steady with depth and speed of cuts. Apart from that, it's accepted practice I think. 

HTH 
John


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## Jake (15 Jun 2010)

An overhead router rather than handheld would obviously be better (but there was no indication that White-SW has one). You'd still have work-holding issues trying to make t-track of useful length.


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## TrimTheKing (15 Jun 2010)

Would it be viable to use the T-Track cutter in an inverted router (table) and use feather boards or other guides to force the ali both into the fence and down onto the table?

Then you would just need to concentrate on pushing it through with a push stick.

Please don't take my word for this as I have absolutely no experience of routing ali, and as Jake says it would be potentially hairy, I'm just putting out there as a potential solution to securing the workpiece as it was fed in.

Given the right supports/wedges and guarding, and providing your cutter speed was right, I would think that it should work in principle.


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## woodbloke (15 Jun 2010)

Casting in my two euros (not that they're worth much now  ) I'm going to be in the position of making a new table, or rather inserting one into the rhs extension of my table saw. Up to Tom's excellent YOKB I had been under the impression that a 'T' slot in a router table was essential, but according to the bloke there (forgotten his name but a nice fella) you don't need one. 
The reason for this is that the fence has always got to be lined up dead parallel with the slot in order for a feather board to be used, which again I thought was a 'must have' but Tom's blokie said not. 
The way round the problem is to make a decent fence (however you do it) and make a series of push boards with an angled tote which applies pressure forward and sideways at the same time: 







You can see that there are two that I've made in this pic and having tried them on my existing rt, they work very well - Rob


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## Racers (15 Jun 2010)

Hi, Sam

I think you will struggle, you won't be able to take shallow passes with that cutter, and I don't think a router table is strong enough to take the forces involved in cuting that profile. I have cut ally with a router and shallow cuts are possible.

Pete


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## RussianRouter (15 Jun 2010)

It would be cheaper to buy the ally extrusion rail and cut a slot in the table for the rail.


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## RobertMP (15 Jun 2010)

I wouldn't like to try it and certainly not without it swimming in lubricant. How hard your ali is can make a big difference. Try putting one end in an engineers vice and bending the bar to 90 deg. If it snaps it might be hard enough to machine. If it bends perfectly it is pretty soft and more likely to stick to the cutting tool even with lots of lubricant.

I don't have a T slot on my table and can't really think why I'd need one. I use feather boards but they are just screwed to ply offcuts that I clamp to the table edge. Easy to stack with more offcuts to vary the height too.


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## RussianRouter (15 Jun 2010)

> The reason for this is that the fence has always got to be lined up dead parallel with the slot in order for a feather board to be used



Simple answer to that is 2 metal rulers inserted flush with the table surface and aligned so the the rullers are spot on lined up with eachother.

I'll be putting a slot in my table alo for feather board as its much easier


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## CNC Paul (15 Jun 2010)

Benchwayze":2fneze96 said:


> At risk of starting a 'war'..
> 
> An overhead router with the right bit is not much different to a milling machine.
> 
> ...



They are totally different ...A router is hand fed a milling machine is either fed with a hand or powered rack or ballscrew.

Hand feeding a T slot in ali is Highly dangerous, I would not attempt it with my CNC. By the time you bought the ali and the cutter it would be cheaper to buy the mini-Kreg from Axminster.


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## RussianRouter (15 Jun 2010)

Cutting the ally the way you want to do it is dangerous,however if we were to buy boxed ally and just route a cutout along the boxed rail in the middle with a fine router cutte then we get the same product you are after without the expense of buying the router bit you shown. 

This is the cheapest but also look on ebay for offcuts.
http://www.aluminiumwarehouse.co.uk/Alu ... be_(6063T6)_1/2_in_x_1/2_in_x_16_swg/product_info.html

http://www.metals4u.co.uk/detail.asp?ca ... prd_id=225


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## CNC Paul (15 Jun 2010)

This comes fully drilled and anodized

http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.asp? ... e=1&jump=0


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## RussianRouter (15 Jun 2010)

Does not say what material though,Paul

I suspect plastic at their price?


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## woodbloke (15 Jun 2010)

RussianRouter":1zwdz9pa said:


> I'll be putting a slot in my table alo for feather board as its much easier


I thought so too at one time, but it's actually easier to use the rt without a feather board. IMHO, of course - Rob


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## Chems (15 Jun 2010)

I wouldn't bother with T-track, it just stuff for the work piece to catch on. If you can make a nice flat surface and then clamp feather boards to the edge and have the fence run on the edges like shultyzs I think thats superior. 

As for the ally question, the bit will break long before you make anything resembling a T-Track.


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## RussianRouter (15 Jun 2010)

Chems":1r2jen4u said:


> I wouldn't bother with T-track, it just stuff for the work piece to catch on.



To each their own way of working,Chems.

But a T-track can also be used or other jigs to be held on the table ie Mitre gauge,clamps ect,ect and if its getting in the way then it has not been seated flush with the tables surface.


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## Chems (15 Jun 2010)

Yes each to his own, and lately ........

My t-track is flush, but just by the pure nature of wood not been clinically flat corners and bits get stuck. I like it for feather boards, but other than that you just don't need it. I've done every operation I can think of on the RT and none of them have benefited from having a T-track. I've had tables both ways and I prefer without. As obviously do some others here.


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## ByronBlack (15 Jun 2010)

Instead of t-track holding a featherboard, why not sink some strong rare earth magnets into the top - and the featherboard, and attach them that way.


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## OPJ (15 Jun 2010)

ByronBlack":3h7hbeey said:


> Instead of t-track holding a featherboard, why not sink some strong rare earth magnets into the top - and the featherboard, and attach them that way.



I think they'd have to be pretty large magnets, to have any effect without sliding away as you pass the timber through... :?

Steve M, though, used some (from a pair of speakers, I think?) for one of his table saw guards and, from the videos I've seen, it locks down very well.

My only solution, when I built my current table eighteen-months ago, was to drill a couple of holes with T-nuts undnerneath. Then, by routing a couple of slots in the featherboard, I can secure it to the table with a pair of Bristol levers or knobs fixed to a length of studding (I think I used M8).


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## ByronBlack (15 Jun 2010)

OPJ":1g9019i9 said:


> (I think I used M8).


 Is that the 'cool' size of threads?


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## Benchwayze (15 Jun 2010)

CNC Paul":l86r6p9p said:


> Benchwayze":l86r6p9p said:
> 
> 
> > At risk of starting a 'war'..
> ...



I was comparing the principles of how each machine functions. Not how they are fed. And I wasn't envisaging making a 'T' slot with an end-mill. 

Having been put in my place, I will now shut up. 
:lol: 

John


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## Finial (15 Jun 2010)

Better make sure the conductive aluminium chips don't get inside the router through ventilation slots, specially if using it upside down in a table.


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## OPJ (15 Jun 2010)

ByronBlack":2wece45c said:


> OPJ":2wece45c said:
> 
> 
> > (I think I used M8).
> ...





In case you haven't figured it out, that should have read *M8* (damn brackets!). :wink:


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## CNC Paul (15 Jun 2010)

RussianRouter":1hvv26m7 said:


> Does not say what material though,Paul
> 
> I suspect plastic at their price?



George,

It is ali, I have some on a few jigs, I use Steve Maskery's nuts with it.


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## CNC Paul (15 Jun 2010)

Benchwayze":1o3li441 said:


> CNC Paul":1o3li441 said:
> 
> 
> > Benchwayze":1o3li441 said:
> ...



John,

My intention was not to put anyone in their place, I just wanted to highlight the danger of hand fed maching of ali.


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## ByronBlack (15 Jun 2010)

CNC Paul":19o3xz7m said:


> , I use Steve Maskery's nuts with it.


 I know Steve is a friendly guy, but that is really going the extra mile ;-)


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## RussianRouter (15 Jun 2010)

CNC Paul":3unbacro said:


> I just wanted to highlight the danger of hand fed maching of ali.



Yeah,you can't trust those foreigners.


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## ondablade (15 Jun 2010)

There are in my experience two very major differences between a router and a decent machine tool - precision, and the strength/stiffness/ability to resist cutting forces.

I wouldn't mind having €100 for every time a piece of aluminium that i didn't fixture strongly/firmly enough on a Bridgeport milling machine moved because of cutting forces and was ruined.

It may be just about possible to rout aluminium using normal set ups, but i can't help thinking it'd necesarily involve only the lightest of skimming and even then that getting a straight set up that wouldn't deflect too much would present some real problems.

Here comes the old sliding table saw again. It's possible with care to very effectively cut aluminium sheet on one, especially using a metal cutting blade. It'd even probably be possible to more or less screw a router to the saw table, or to a magnetic drill stand. But bear in mind that a T track requires a T section cutter which swings a decent diameter.

Not to be rude. There might be reason to do it this way e.g. you need some very odd dimension, but why do it when you can buy the stuff so cheaply? Even if you wanted odd dimensions it'd probably make sense to start with some extruded section and go from there.

The other issue to watch out for is that the stuff is normally anodised, and for good reason - untreated alloy will wear like mad. It'd probably cost you more to drive to the anodisers than to buy a strip.

It might be worth thinking of something like cast acrylic (perspex) or maybe better still polycarbonate sheet if the aim to make something like a home made guide rail - it's easy enough to glue the stuff together.

UHMW is used for friction pads/guide rails quite a lot in assembly machines too, it might even be possible to buy the section you wanted although it wouldn't be all that rigid....


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## CNC Paul (16 Jun 2010)

ByronBlack":1o8nlbvb said:


> CNC Paul":1o8nlbvb said:
> 
> 
> > , I use Steve Maskery's nuts with it.
> ...




Steve's nuts....... here

http://www.workshopessentials.com/index.php


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## knappers (16 Jun 2010)

Speaking as someone who works for a milling machine tool manufacturer (that may have been mentioned earlier in this thread..) I wouldn't even attempt to do what you are suggesting - unlikely to work at best, very dangerous at worst. For the cost of buying the cutters etc. you would be better off paying a few quid to a small subby machine shop to do it.

Si.


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## Benchwayze (16 Jun 2010)

CNC Paul":28sch2kg said:


> Benchwayze":28sch2kg said:
> 
> 
> > CNC Paul":28sch2kg said:
> ...



Hi Paul, 

No problems Paul.

However, I don't think I suggested using the router free-hand on aluminium. I was trying to point out that a fixed overhed router, in principle, worked in the same way as an overhead miller. (I.e it spins a cutter working on material below.) 

A router can be used to cut aluminium. Speed, rate of feed of the work and depth of cut are all-inportant though, and certainly I wouldn't want to cut a 'T' slot in one cut! 

John


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## white_sw (16 Jun 2010)

wow, wasn't expecting so many replies. thanks guys. oh, i'll not be trying to make my own after all. :roll: 
just they way i am, if i can make it myself, why buy it. in this case looks like axminster will be getting yet another order from me.

cheers,
sam


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## studders (16 Jun 2010)

If your table thickness allows you could always rout the slot directly into it, you already have the cutter.


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## RussianRouter (18 Jun 2010)

white_sw":2jj39s4k said:


> wow, wasn't expecting so many replies. thanks guys. oh, i'll not be trying to make my own after all. :roll:
> just they way i am, if i can make it myself, why buy it. in this case looks like axminster will be getting yet another order from me.
> 
> cheers,
> sam



Miine came this morning and the rail is machined well but the countersunk securing holes need a bit more depth to recess the screwheads,it is Aluminium.

I'll not be having the convential rail going along the length of the table,instead I'll be having two rails going up the width of the table reaon for this I won't be using feather boards(too dea for what they are)as I have a clamping system that will be better to guide the wood though the cutter with the use of small spring and ball bearing rail guard.


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## newt (18 Jun 2010)

Paraffin is a good lubricant for machining aluminum


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## white_sw (21 Jun 2010)

Ah, just what I was looking for and cheapest I have seen so far unless anyone can show me some cheaper. Only down side is I have to buy if from Rutlands :twisted: 

http://www.rutlands.co.uk/cgi-bin/psPro ... i?promo=22

16 feet is a lot of track though. Anyone in the Bristol area need any track ? I'd buy a pack of both 1/2 and 3/4 (16 feet of each) but would not need all of it. Anyone want to split it 50/50 ?

Cheers,
Sam


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## wobblycogs (21 Jun 2010)

I'd probably be interested in taking half of each pack off your hands Sam. I'm just up the road in Gloucester so meeting up shouldn't be a problem. 

Will need to quickly measure up first and make sure it will fit the table I'm planning on making for the router. Should be able to give you a definite answer tonight if that's ok.


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## Teejay (29 Aug 2015)

white_sw":36seg8os said:


> Ah, just what I was looking for and cheapest I have seen so far unless anyone can show me some cheaper. Only down side is I have to buy if from Rutlands :twisted:
> 
> http://www.rutlands.co.uk/cgi-bin/psPro ... i?promo=22
> 
> ...



I can't see 16 feet of t slot track on Rutlands any more, I need a couple of pieces which are about a metre long.

I also don't know what gauge size to get (1/2 or 3/4), which is more useful for a table saw?


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## Eric The Viking (29 Aug 2015)

Sheepdisease":27qq6zav said:


> I can't see 16 feet of t slot track on Rutlands any more, I need a couple of pieces which are about a metre long.
> 
> I also don't know what gauge size to get (1/2 or 3/4), which is more useful for a table saw?


The first might be because retailers do tend to change their product offerings over a five year time interval.

The second, slightly more serious, answer (from me) would be that very few people have ever made a "homebrew" table saw bench that's safe, reliable and accurate. If you _do_ have the skills to do that, you probably don't need to buy aluminium extrusion T-track!

Bigger table saws use 3/4" slots; smaller saws tend to be non-standard (not 1/2"). I can't think of a reason, nor an easy way, to add a T-track to a saw table that doesn't already have one. 

Anyway, you'd be better off with a sled: Do some Googling or use the search function on the forum for "table saw sled". It's an easy-to-make option that will give most of the function of a T-slot for accurate square cuts and mitres. Apart from holding down a guard, I can't think of other uses for a slot on a table saw (than a mitre fence). 

E.


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## marcros (29 Aug 2015)

There was some 3/4 for sale on the forum the other day. 
Alternatively I have some 1/2" which I could sell you. Mine is the rutlands stuff which I bought a pack of when it was on offer.


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## Teejay (30 Aug 2015)

Eric The Viking":27j0w4ig said:


> Sheepdisease":27j0w4ig said:
> 
> 
> > I can't see 16 feet of t slot track on Rutlands any more, I need a couple of pieces which are about a metre long.
> ...



I have the following table saw which I really like:






The problems I have encountered are that 1. The fence does not travel far enough to the right to be useful and 2. I want the fence to span the entire length from front to back for accuracy 3. I have made a large plywood top for the saw with zero clearance so that there is more support for large wood cutting projects.

Thank you for your reply. I thought that aluminium t-track would be better (easier, cheaper and stronger) than buying a router bit and cutting out a track from the 1/2" plywood sheet I have put on top of my table saw for doing larger ripping projects like large sheet goods and the likes.

I would use the track for a mitre fence, featherboards and I was already wanting to make a table saw sled but this also requires t-track or some other slot to run along.

It sounds like 3/4" would be my best option?


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## Eric The Viking (30 Aug 2015)

You don't need track. A sled can run on the sides of the table. 

The reason for a short fence is avoiding kickback. If all you ever do is cut man-made sheet materials on the saw, kickback is unlikely, but otherwise it's a real danger. 

A short fence stops just after the leading teeth of the blade. The piece of stock between the fence and the blade is the main suspect for kickback, which happens when the rear or top teeth catch it and throw it with considerable force in unpredictable directions, but almost always towards vulnerable parts of the operator! It's not a neat trick - on small saws you can get quite serious injury, and on larger saws it can be a killer.

Three things minimsie the risk: (1) a good crown guard, (2) a properly set riving knife, (3) a short fence. 

The short fence allows the stock to move sideways, away from the blade once the cut has been completed. It doesn't have to move far, just safely out of contact with the blade, so you can achieve the effect of a short fence with a thick facing (say 1-2cm) on the front part of a long fence, as long as it's well secured to the fence and can't itself move.

Get Steve Maskery's tablesaw DVD, which covers all this stuff (http://www.workshopessentials.com). He demonstrates kickback on it, ironically with man made board, and the example is somewhat shocking (well, it scared me!).

Even on a small saw, there is a surprising amount of kinetic energy available to be 'given' to a piece of stock in kickback, which is why it's so dangerous. You can calculate how much based on the diameter and mass of the blade and its rotational speed. 

A few years ago I was trying to add an electrical brake to my SCMS, a project I haven't completed because it's more of a technical challenge than I expected. I did some experiments, dumping the energy of the blade into a mains electric lightbulb. It did work, but the first time I tried it the bulb just blew in one bright flash. And the second time too, using a much larger bulb (I'm not that dumb!). 

In a table saw, a lot of that kinetic energy is available to create kickback, to which you can add energy from the motor (power in Watts multiplied by how long the kickback acceleration takes in seconds). Generally, the bigger the blade diameter the faster the exit velocity, too. 

Regarding your own saw: the biggest single obstacles to accuracy are probably the alignment and rigidity of the fence. It must stay exactly parallel to the blade at all times (and that goes for the movement of a sled, too). Alignment will affect safety, how clean the cut is, and accuracy too. 

If you can adjust the saw, align the blade to be parallel to one edge of the table (probably the left one) and then use that edge as your reference for the fence. We're talking about it being parallel to within 1/100ths of a millimetre ideally. If you can't adjust the saw, you will need to align the fence to it, and a sled is probably impractical. Truthfully, you may find it hard with the saw you have, as it's really intended for construction sites, where portability is important, and nobody needs accuracy to 1/2mm in OSB.

As mentioned earlier, Steve M. has a really good fence design, which, IIRC, uses a piece of angle as the rail to run it along. The rail can be as long as you like.


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## Teejay (30 Aug 2015)

Wow, thank you for the detailed reply. I would happily fork out for the DVD set which everyone raves about and Steve is a good guy who knows what he is talking about. My problem is that I am of the mindset that I actually would rather spend the money on components to complete the project, rather than buy the DVDs AND have to buy the materials as well unless by buying the DVDs I end up spending the same amount using cheaper materials to construct a better finished end product with the knowledge instilled by Steve. I expected this to be a challenge but it is becoming onerous. If I could see a picture of what you have described that would be a great help.

My plan was the build a bigger surface area for the reasons I listed before which would be used for cutting larger (heavier) materials down. I will use a sled for cutting smaller parts, particularly for the cabinets I plan on construction.

I constructed a frame out of CLS which I connected to the inner edge of the metal table supports using bolts to make the surface level and for added rigidity. When I checked the table for true in relation to the actual blade, it was out of true enough to be noticeable. I think that building a sled which runs along the existing edges is a bad idea, I was going to make someone similar to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=36&v=grl-4G0qzuU once I got the track issue sorted out.

What type of rail were you describing and how is this incorporated?


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## Teejay (31 Aug 2015)

Is Steve's design like this one/the one you had in mind? http://vsctools.com/diy-table-saw-guide-rail-steps/


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## Eric The Viking (31 Aug 2015)

Not sure I see the point of the tube. 

A fence would run on the angle iron alone just as well, and it's out of the way. I think he's trying to fit a pre-existing fence to the table.

Steve's only needs angle for the guide rail, IIRC.


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## Teejay (31 Aug 2015)

Are there any pictures of ones that people have made using Steve's DVD?


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