suppliers of imperial 1/4" plastic knobs for t-track/jigs?

[scubadoo]

Hello,

I'm building a few jigs and a drill press table using incra t-track. From what I gather the tracks take 1/4" bolts and nuts.

But I'm struggling to find parts suppliers for the threaded knobs. I know I can buy the incra build-it knobs set of 8, but i would prefer some different knob options.

Also are there any reasonably priced hold down clamps for use on a drill press table? The Incra ones are a tenner each!

Cheers
Dave

 

[JSW]

Make your own?

Very easy, inch and a half or bigger hole saw in a bit of 3/4 timber, round the edges, enlarge the centre hole to 9mm, wind in the insert nut (£2.35 for 50, Screwfix) attach to a M6 bolt, job done.

Or if you want the 3 pronged type, again a couple of hole saws will achieve that type also, just a bit more work, though TBH I tried those and the circular ones are far easier to make, and give plenty to grip onto.

The clamps again, easy peasy with a bit of thought, just tool up with a load of insert nuts, t-nuts, M6 bolts, penny washers, and away you go.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Dave,

Have a look at WDS.

Neil

 

[Steve Maskery]

If you are still looking for ideas, you might find some inspiration here:

good-drill-press-table-idea-t92603.html

 

[scubadoo]

Thanks guys. Excellent pointers.

Steve, can you give me some ideas as to how you make the excellent looking clamp? Mainly wondering how, and at what stage, you made the slot that the bolt fits through?

Cheers
Dave

 

[Steve Maskery]

There are two ways of making it.
When I did those I had a nice long slot mortiser bit. I clamped the banana blank in my mortising jig that fits to my vice and simply routed a slot.
If you don't have such a long cutter, you can simply laminate up the blank - cheek, two separate spacers and another cheek - then cut to shape.
Both work well.

 

[Steve Maskery]

BTW
You can buy a plastic version of that that has little half-round cutouts along the top curve. They stop the knob from slipping. It's not that much of a problem, but it can slip at some angles. I'm sure that a mating pad between the knob and the clamp would cure that completely.

And if you can't find the sort of bolts that slide in the T-track, I have some flange nuts that work nicely. They spread the force better than a bolt head and the inside lip of the track does not get chewed up. The only slight inconvenience is that I have to fettle them with a file so that they slide nicely, but it is a 2-minute job that has to be done just once, so I don't mind.

 

[lurker]

These are metric but maybe what you need.

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Screws+ ... olt/p28983

Hacksaw & file plus a few moments in a vice

 

[scubadoo]

Just to update how I got on - In the end I figured out that the square washers from M6 roofing bolts fit in the Incra slot - I think i saw it on the Dieter Schmidt website, and 'lurker' also posted it today - so i can either cut the head off the bolt or use threaded bar.

I was about to order some star knobs from RS but i would have had to spend over £40 to get both types i wanted as the minimum order was 10 packs of 10 in each - can't see me ever using 100 of each!

I had already looked at WDS as suggested by 'Newbie_Neil' but got a bit confused by the options. In the end i did get some from them which arrived today. So a combination of the M6 bolts square washers and the M6 knobs will sort me out and i can avoid the 1/4" bolts. I also ordered some of the bid red woodpecker ones which i fancied having on the drill press fence.

And I ordered two of the UKJ hold downs from Axminster. I'm guessing the bolt won't fit my Incra track without modification but hopefully I can grind the tee bolt down or just use an M6 square washer and bolt.

Thanks for the input everyone. I'll try post a pic of the finished table if i remember.

Cheers
Dave

 

[scubadoo]

Just thought I'd confirm that the UKJ hold downs will fit the infra track if you slightly grind down each side of the bolts. They're quite large and seem to be of good quality for the money. Very pleased with them.