Spoke to this company a few times and they seem pretty helpfull
http://www.simmal.co.uk/
http://www.simmal.co.uk/
Where to find aluminium profile for rip fence?
- Thread starter DennisCA
- Start date
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Aluminium is very soft and will wear extensively. Anodising only creates a hard shell that once worn through will allow the aluminium to be worn away very quickly. The old machines only ever used cast iron for their fences one of the considerations being wear. For a circular saw you are far better having a sacrificial fence piece to protect the blade from the inivatible instance where the blade makes contact with the fence. Birch ply is an excellent sacrificial fence, alternatively a hard wood such as beech is a very stable alternative. Relatively cheap, simple to produce and to any profile that you want.
My fence is cast iron as well, it's a good old quality machine. What I want is a sliding subfence that allows me to just loosen 2-3 bolts on the right side of the fence and then sliding it back and forth for a full length or short fence configuration. Likewise a short configuration should be as quick as sliding the profile off the bolts and back on.
Don't have any good pictures of the current subfence, one can see a little of it here, it's 3 pieces of plywood that slides over the fence, there's a bolt going through it on the rear end to help it keep it's box shape, but it still wants to move a bit over time:
If I could bolt it straight to the cast iron fence it's obviously hold it's shape a lot better, but I am not keen on drilling holes and I don't see a good way to make a durable track to slide the plywood piece on either. Perhaps a t-track, though the ones I ordered from axminster never arrived and never will (incompetent delivery).
Replacing the fence on the sliding table with a piece of aluminum is another idea I've been toying with.
Don't have any good pictures of the current subfence, one can see a little of it here, it's 3 pieces of plywood that slides over the fence, there's a bolt going through it on the rear end to help it keep it's box shape, but it still wants to move a bit over time:
If I could bolt it straight to the cast iron fence it's obviously hold it's shape a lot better, but I am not keen on drilling holes and I don't see a good way to make a durable track to slide the plywood piece on either. Perhaps a t-track, though the ones I ordered from axminster never arrived and never will (incompetent delivery).
Replacing the fence on the sliding table with a piece of aluminum is another idea I've been toying with.
Generally speaking, accuracy and usability cost money, the more you pay, the more of them you get. It's difficult to advise without knowing how much you are prepared to spend, and how much accuracy you need.
Is this a hobby machine? If it is, don't worry about the comments made earlier about aluminium wearing, it isn't going to be an issue.
Did you look to the Felder link I posted earlier?
Is this a hobby machine? If it is, don't worry about the comments made earlier about aluminium wearing, it isn't going to be an issue.
Did you look to the Felder link I posted earlier?
So presumably you want the 1200mm version, the 500mm is much cheaper, and will be long enough in most situations.
No thoughts on accuracy, budget or the hobby aspect then?
No thoughts on accuracy, budget or the hobby aspect then?
I would have preferred 800mm as a suitable length for my saw, but it's not available. I don't believe the felder is worth the extra money either, even if its likely somewhat better in quality. No I don't think I'll be going that way. As for hobby or professional, the saw is a vintage professional model, I am using it for hobby purposes.
My budget for this....well it's shrinking all the time. I've in fact put this in the back of mind for now and only this thread popping back up repeatedly made me think I should make some reply... I was content to let the issue settle and mull it over some months before making a decision. I just use the full length fence for accurate cuts, it's OK I think as the pieces of wood I use in projects like that don't tend be the kind that are at risk for binding.
My budget for this....well it's shrinking all the time. I've in fact put this in the back of mind for now and only this thread popping back up repeatedly made me think I should make some reply... I was content to let the issue settle and mull it over some months before making a decision. I just use the full length fence for accurate cuts, it's OK I think as the pieces of wood I use in projects like that don't tend be the kind that are at risk for binding.
Droogs
Not the Sharpest Moderator in the box
May I suggest that you possibly have a look here
http://www.minitecframing.com/Products/ ... ducts.html
They may have something that you can adapt or use from the various different profiles they have
http://www.minitecframing.com/Products/ ... ducts.html
They may have something that you can adapt or use from the various different profiles they have
Eric The Viking
Established Member
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Thanks, Droogs!
That's probably just solved a different problem for me - depending on price, naturally.
This is the page with the profiles on it...
That's probably just solved a different problem for me - depending on price, naturally.
This is the page with the profiles on it...
graduate_owner
Established Member
When I had solar panels fitted, the installers used an aluminium extrusion rail to bolt the panels on to. They were about 40mm square with a 10mm slot along each face. I don't know if that would be suitable or accurately machined but it may be worth investigating. I have seen other rails used which look less substantial than mine. A 2m length on one web site was about £25.
K
K
