T track? What sizes / standards

[pe2dave]

Looking at T track for a drill press table, hold downs etc.
Caught once with extrusions, more cautious now.
Are there standard sizes please? If so what are they?
Then what are the common sizes for clamps and other T track fixings?

Any references appreciated.

 

[Spectric]

Dave

Look at this website, it is what I am now using on jigs, fences and all sorts because you can just easily make a quick jig out of scrap MDF and then throw it out which you would not do with Ali track and it is versatile for quick tall fences and many other uses.





https://www.microjig.com/
and buy here Micro Jig

 

[pe2dave]

Tks @Spectric - I would like to use T track though.

 

[LBCarpentry]

I’ve just today taken the plunge in an eBay jobbie today

 

[bp122]

Look at woodworkers workshop website for t tracks. Good standard and not a lot more money than The cheap and nasty eBay jobbies.

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

19mm is the standard size for jig making. As said above Woodworkers workshop are not much more than the cheap ones on eBay. All T tracks look the same but the cheap ones are made of an aluminium alloy , what you want is the solid aluminium as sold on Peter Sefton's site.

 

[LBCarpentry]

Look at woodworkers workshop website for t tracks. Good standard and not a lot more money than The cheap and nasty eBay jobbies.

Oh goody!

 

[Peter Sefton]

Thanks for the recommendations, we have a range of tracks and clamps. I am afraid they are not all interchangeable May I suggest taking a look at our clamps, once you know what sort you would like to use Jim in my shop will be able to advice which track is best, or he could just advice you on your needs.

Email [email protected]

Cheers

Peter

 

[pe2dave]

19mm is the standard size for jig making. As said above Woodworkers workshop are not much more than the cheap ones on eBay. All T tracks look the same but the cheap ones are made of an aluminium alloy , what you want is the solid aluminium as sold on Peter Sefton's site.

Is the vertical inside space set for the head of an M5/M6 bolt? Or do they normally need grinding down?
Point taken about 'better' makes. Thanks.

 

[Nelly111s]

I generally use the purpose made track inserts which have two threaded holes (M6 and M8 if I remember) rather than a nut head. They seem to slide better.

 

[pe2dave]

I generally use the purpose made track inserts which have two threaded holes (M6 and M8 if I remember) rather than a nut head. They seem to slide better.

Any references please Neil? Agree about 'matched' items. Incra obviously do theirs as a matching set. Nice to be able to bodge though.
When you say threaded holes... Not clear how that replaces a hex nut head?

 

[Lonsdale73]

Like mitre slots on machinery, there's no standard! The Incra track from Woodworkers Workshop is definitely the best available and the most widely compatible ime. Maybe because it's imperial so offers some leeway. Naturally, works well with Incra jig bits but also with M6 bolts. Mine has worked equally well with clamps from Festool and Bessey. The UKJ universal stuff looks similar but wouldn't accept either Festool or Bessey clamps nor Incra fittings. Save time and money, buy Incra from Woodworkers Workshop.

 

[pe2dave]

Like mitre slots on machinery, there's no standard! The Incra track from Woodworkers Workshop is definitely the best available and the most widely compatible ime. Maybe because it's imperial so offers some leeway. Naturally, works well with Incra jig bits but also with M6 bolts. Mine has worked equally well with clamps from Festool and Bessey. The UKJ universal stuff looks similar but wouldn't accept either Festool or Bessey clamps nor Incra fittings. Save time and money, buy Incra from Woodworkers Workshop.

Lots of similar info on searches, accept imperial and the choices go up.
Perhaps that's the idea? Buy company X track and you've got lock in to their fittings?

 

[Spectric]

If fitting T track into a slot in say MDF, make sure you keep it flush with the surface and not resessed at all. I made this mistake when I used to use T track thinking it is better out the way but found that when clamping that gap allowed it to pull the fixings out, yes it used to end up flush anyway!

 

[pe2dave]

If fitting T track into a slot in say MDF, make sure you keep it flush with the surface and not resessed at all. I made this mistake when I used to use T track thinking it is better out the way but found that when clamping that gap allowed it to pull the fixings out, yes it used to end up flush anyway!

So it pulled up to 'meet' the surface of what you were clamping to the track?
Sheeesh! Thanks Roy, worth knowing. And sods law says none of 'em are just right to fit in 12,15, 18mm board

 

[Spectric]

Hi Dave

Yes thats what it did, even using 3/4 board because just not enough meat for the screws to get a good bite. My last solution was to back the board with strips of MDF and then use captive nuts in this so I could screw the track down with M5 countersunk machine screws. That stopped it mis behaving.

 

[Nelly111s]

Any references please Neil? Agree about 'matched' items. Incra obviously do theirs as a matching set. Nice to be able to bodge though.
When you say threaded holes... Not clear how that replaces a hex nut head?

eBay - click here

 

[marcros]

be careful when you buy things like knobs. There are both M6 and 1/4", and presumably m8 and 3/8" out there in the marketplace. It probably doesn't make a huge difference to the track but it stops interchangeability between the knittings if you have both.

 

[Spectric]

A lot of these fittings and parts for jigs etc are from the states and they use 1/4 UNC, the same when dealing with things like Kreg router table fences and M6 nuts do not fit the extrusions and you need the 1/4 nuts.

 

[pe2dave]

@Spectric - sadly yes. I'm sure lots in .eu have been caught like that.
I've found (so far) 5 different sets of dimensions, and that excludes the "mitre" shaped fixings, as found on
other extrusions.
Yet another area ripe for standardisation?