It's not my design. I'll post the link to it here.
Collection of 3d printing files relevant for woodworking
- Thread starter Jarno
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There are several sites but my first port of call when looking for something pre-designed is Thangs . This acts like an aggregator for various other sites like Printables and Thingyverse as well as it's own collection of models.I'm a very new user of a 3D printer and to date have completed one print of a washer. Are there sites where one can download pre made image files (free/cheap) for common or garden workshop things?
Ah thanks, I'll have a look there, I've never heard of it.
I'll look at these as well. I got a Snapmaker A350T, mostly for the laser but going to try the 3d printing and routing as well. What software do you use to design your own projects?
Mainly Fusion 360 for ease of use but FreeCAD, OnShape, etc are all good in my opinion, just a bigger learning curve.
Many thanks, I think it may be the same one I tried printing but couldn't get it to seal properly. I always assumed I had done something wrong with how I printed it so I think I'll have another look as I do really like that design.
Sachakins
The most wasted of days is one without woodwork
Fusion 360, the free option.
Tinkercad for simple stuff.
Still working my way through some Fusion 360 tutorials, but need to focus on it bit more. Bit of a slog but gonna be worthwhile in the end, ( so I'm told
)MorrisWoodman12
Established Member
Strange how different people view things. I looked at one or two years ago when I started using CAD at home, decided none were more than toys for tinkering and ended up with Designspark Mechanical. I've used this for the last 8 or 9 years. Looked at Fusion 360 (the free version) and thought it far too difficult. I also have the first tutorial YouTube video and intend to try again.
Have fun.
Martin
I made one of these many years ago out of plywood. The original was for a 1/4 router which turned out to be too bulky and unstable. I remember spending a lot of time building and tweaking it as I didn't have the same router as the original plans I had the Bosch POF500 at the time. Palm/trim routers were yet to enter the common market and the internet was not a 'thing' at the time. Anyway, I watched Stewart Furini here using a similar, if not the same, jig. His is a bought one that looks much sturdier and is mainly aluminium by the looks of it and can accommodate a lathe with a larger capacity over the bed than my 12" Record Lathe. So I designed my own smaller version. It's much the same as all the other designs out there but of course, this one is plastic and I've not put it through any paces yet. It feels rock solid. I will post a finished one after a couple of adjustments - I had to turn the collar upside down and tap a new M8 hole because I didn't take into account the trailing lead and the holes to mount the holder for the Makita/Katsu are not all in line with each other.
MorrisWoodman12
Established Member
@kinverkid I may be being thick but I don't understand the purpose of this device other than holding a router and being able to adjust its height. You mention a lathe so is it to allow 'milling' a grove into a workpiece while it's rotating in the lathe?
Martin
Martin
A link to a video showing it in use is provided in the post above. Starts 3:45.
One thing noticable in that video is that the vibration from cutting moves the height adjuster, so a locknut or adjusting mechanism with more friction (something similar to a weak nylok nut) might be a useful modification.
That's what happened with the original wooden one as I remember (possibly 25 years ago). The vibration was terrible. I use the knob on the top to adjust the height then tighten the screws on the front which then locks the router lift in place. I did think of making those screws knobs too but they would stick out too far.
I hope Stewart doesn't mind but I'm thinking of copying his what looks to be a simple setup to slide the jig on across the bars on my lathe.
Dr Al
Established Member
I'd recommend giving OnShape a look too. I really, really don't rate Designspark Mechanical (mainly because they don't allow you to export as STEP without paying extra, which I consider to be an absolutely essential feature). When I'm asked about CAD, I always recommend OnShape first, then Solid Edge Community Edition, then finally Fusion (assuming free is a requirement). FreeCAD is amazing given that it's open source, but it's not as powerful or easy to use as the others.
With Fusion, Autodesk have done an incredible job at marketing, pushing it to the point that it has become a bit of a de facto standard. I see that as a bit of a shame, as it is nowhere near as good as some of the (also free) competition like OnShape or Solid Edge Community Edition. It also works just differently enough from other CAD software that it locks you in a bit: I can switch relatively quickly between OnShape, Solid Edge, Solidworks, NX, ZW3D and even FreeCAD without too much of a mental "shift", but Fusion is different enough to make the shift a little bit harder on the brain. I like the fact that all the others work relatively similarly and that's one of the reasons I reckon Fusion shouldn't be the first choice).
For not much money (about £40 a year) you can also get Solidworks Makers Edition, which (from what I've read) gives you access to the full Solidworks desktop CAD application. Solidworks is in a different league to any of the above (although Onshape comes quite close) in terms of power and usability, so it's worth the expense if you're doing a lot of CAD. Alibre ATOM 3D is another paid option, but it's a lot of money (£200 ish one-off if memory serves) for something that isn't much better than FreeCAD.
Regarding Designspark Mechanical... if you find that intuitive, it's worth trying (or at least watching a few tutorials of) Solid Edge Community Edition. It has a so-called "Synchronous Modelling" mode which has a slightly different "feel" to it to other professional CAD systems and can be a bit easier to pick up for someone who's used to tools like Designspark / Sketchup / Tinkercad etc. It also has an "Ordered" mode, which is much more akin to normal CAD systems, so you can choose what suits you. Like Solidworks / NX etc, it's (or at least the non-free normal version) is a widely used professional quality CAD system.
Whatever tool you use (except Designspark Mechanical, which I think should be avoided like the plague), get in the habit of exporting STEP files of your models regularly. If you lose access to the real model (e.g. because Autodesk decide to cut down the features of the free version of Fusion again), you'll be able to import the STEP file into another CAD system and edit it (albeit without the parametric history). If all you've got is the native file, that may be more difficult (although lots of CAD tools can read Solidworks, Solid Edge and NX files, so you're not in quite so much trouble if you're using one of them as you would be with Fusion or Onshape if you haven't exported a STEP file).
I wonder if they could be made operable from the rear (and just use the top two). That would seem to be quite ergonomic as the depth (router body sliding into router base) is also set from that side/position.
Another option might be an over-centre (cam) mechanism - like on a bicycle seatpost or QR wheels.
You might be able to design something that engages with one of the crenellations in the main adjustment knob. Basically a circle with a notch cut out of it on a pivot with enough friction to keep it where you put it.
Rotate so its notch is opposite the black knob, make the height adjustment, rotate so it locks the black knob.. It would limit you to 1/6 of a turm adjustments, but that is unlikely to be an issue.
I did think of going in from the back but I would have to redesign the left and right runner slots to something like a tee nut so I decided the four screws, which by the way only need one turn rach to loosen and takes seconds to adjust. But you have got me thinking about cutting it down to two screws by making the collar into one large tee nut by intruding the middle part between the left and right columns. This would increase its stability and reduce racking but it would also mean it would probably only need two screws. I'll draw it up in the morning and post it.
I've made these adjustments. The top right is more or less the same except for the two extra threaded M6 holes between the top and bottom ones because I didn't know how to delete them on a 'copy' in Fusion. The other change is the M8 thread for the rod goes through top and bottom so you can orientate your router how you wish (cable/battery up/down). The collar below is the ChaiLatte-inspired idea to use two screws. I extruded the middle of the face level to the left and right runners (5mm) to make it one large tee-nut. This meant I could also bring the router base forward the same distance gaining another 5mm on the cutter. Once the screws are tightened (one turn each) the height adjustment knob is temporarily redundant. The other idea would be to put the runner slots down the two (black) side columns instead of the front and use knobs instead of screws.
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