WIP Table Saw build

[tool-me-up]

Started making myself a little table saw - forgot to take any pics so far - but I havnt done much so it should be too much of a problem.

I built it (so far) from scrap. Now bearing in mind Im not a woodwork fanatic - nor a tradesman so what I call scrap, and half of you lot call scrap ( oak planks you lucky lucky b******s ) are two totally different things!

The top is a piece of 50mm kitchen worktop, one side is two pieces of white contiplas and two smaller pieces of smaller width maple / beech effect contiplas and the other side is a crappy old shelving unit thingy.....

Sounds like a right monstrosity doesnt it? - It is so far its all patchwork and different colours....

So,I got a piece of MDF - an old shelve that been glossed blue on one side - drew round my circular base and routed it out until there was about 5 mm left in the rebate.
then I screwed the whole sheet to the underside of the worktop and ran router over both them , set to cut about 2mm into the worktop - why did i do this?
In my moment of wisdom I thought that this would do two things at once - cut the mdf to finished size by routing the outer edges away totally and put a shallow groove the exact shape of the mdf into the bottom of the worktop for further routing.
Why was it a waste of time? I could have drew round it with a pencil..... #-o MISTAKE NUMBER 1

Anyways I removed the mdf from the worktop and screwed down some off cuts for the router to follow - exactly round the groove that been left and whizzed the router round taking 10mm out with a 3/4" bit. MISTAKE NUMBER 2.

Now I have a 12mm - ish deep rebate in the worktop about 1/2" bigger on all sides than needed.

Good job this is a 50mm worktop and I get another crack at it.

SO i moved all my scrap wood in closer to the centre of the hole and then set the cutter depth to leave about 5mm of worktop before breaking through and ran round the outside and then started going back and forth to remove the inner wood. MISTAKE NUMBER 3!

Because of the 1st f*** up I now have a rebate within a rebate and I cant route out the centre of the second rebate because of the stepped effect round the edges.
I eventually figured a way round by setting the plunge depth deeper again and putting steel bars across the rebates I was creating - taking a small section of worktop out moving the bar, taking another small section and moving the bar - it took forever but eventually I ended up with a rebate deep enough.

SO - the old saw base plate was drilled a few times - the base plates given a good serving of pinkgrip and screwed down to the mdf - using only two of the holes in the base plate ( 6 total)
then the MDF was coated in pink grip and screws go through the baseplate, mdf and into ( and the points just broke the surface of ) the worktop with the remaining 4 holes. MISTAKE NUMBER 4

SO eventually I have a saw mounted in the worktop. Screw points where filed and sanded and I cant feel them with my hand and a square and a spirit level dont catch on them so should wood should glide over them okay.

After leaning my earlier lessons with a router ( first use by the way ) I managed to get a pretty accurate U shaped rebate or channel about 15mm deep in one side of the worktop ( underneath) for the contiplas to fit into.
SO the conti was cut to size and all glued and screwed into the rebate and I turned my attention to the other side - what was I going to use for the other support - or leg if you wish.

All I had layed about was a daft shelving unit that happened to be about the right height so that was used and then I knew the length for the contiplas on the other side so I could trim that to final size ( after I had glued and screwed it which was more of a faff than I originally thought).

My initial plan was to get one leg installed, root round for something to make other, then mark round first leg with a square and fly over with circular saw - oh!....s**t.....erm....my saw is glued and screwed to the piece I need to cut #-o

Anyways as of now Ive got a piece of kitchen worktop supported at both sides with bits of rubbish and a saw blade poking out the top.

Ive started to route out for the fence guides - Im waiting for some aluminum U channel to arrive so i can finalize the size of the channel i need to cut.

Then ill start on fences and making this thing look something like usable - it really does look a pile of junk at present.

Oh and I lined up the fence guide with the blade by using a spirit level clamped to the blade making sure that it was touching teeth on both ends of the blade ( if i rotate the blade slightly it pushed one end of the level away slightly with the teeth) Then i slid a piece of uncut contiplas ( nice and parallel from factory) against the level, added some g-clamps to stop me pushing against the blade and level and used it as a guide for the router.

Whole lot probably sounds quite stupid in places but there we go - thats what happens when you go "what can we build today" and dive into something with no fore-thought at all - not to mention I am working round a big black Labrador who thinks kneeling on the floor with a router means i want sloppy kisses and having to run in and out the house all day attending to my son ( 9 weeks old ) - the mrs was in by the way I didn't leave him inside on his own haha! I just had to run in and see to him while she was doing a huuuge sunday dinner

Rubbish excuses I know but i'm sure many of you understand how difficult it can be to concentrate when other things are going on round the house.

Next post will be less talky more piccy I promise

 

[MickCheese]

Interesting. What are you using for the blade? A circular saw? Or did I miss that bit?

Mick

 

[mseries]

We need pictures ! This sounds like my sort of project actually especially as I am going to mount my circular saw on a board, invert it and call it a table saw !!! My prototype works and I think I have figured out the remaining 'design', I just need to find time to do it. This is true with lots of things, I have been trying to make a router M+T jig for the last 6 months, done loads of sketeches, even bought a few materials that I couldn't find kicking around ! So please take some pictures and tell us how you are doing with it, I'll save it and it may inspire me !!

 

[tool-me-up]

Ok few pictures of where im at so far - still loads of work to do on it - I want to make a door for the shelve end, I need to figure out some sort of insert for the top when the blade is upright as it leaves a big hole around the blade. Make fences and a mitre guide, gauge - thingy - possibly. Definitely making a panel cutter as this jut looks easier to use then fence if stock isnt too long.

Pics are a bit rubbish because they are just off my mobile.

Also need to figure a way of quickly and easily leveling this ( repeatedly ) as my yard floor is all over the place and Ill be dragging it in and out to use them put away.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I have been trying to make a router M+T jig for the last 6 months

Check this sucker out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDPrFJaz ... FF4FF10854

 

[tool-me-up]

Today I started ripping up some chipboard to make some small drawers for the shelving unit that supports the right side of my table saw. I got the sides back and front cut - using a spirit level g-clamped to the top as a fence. Then the postie brought me some metal so I threw them at the back of my work bench for a later date.

Today was spent precariously clamping a 250mm block of aluminum bar in a press drill vice, padded with chip board scraps and some pine bed slats to act as runners for the router. Forgot to take pics while I was busy but I got the bar machined down to a snug - sliding fit to the U channel that came, and mounted a couple of glued + screwed bed slats to it- as close to 90deg as I can get with a framing square.

I also managed to get two steel rulers cut into little sections ( design fault - you will spot it in pics) route out four little channels for them and then countersunk and screwed to the top to give me something to measure my fence against ( when its installed)

Again its just quick pics off my mobile - still loads to do.

I want to change the timber fence for aluminum box 3" x 1" - the timber is just on for now to see how well it was going to work - and so I can start to cut drawers and dust collection if i get chance before I order the rest of the ally I need.
Then I need to make an ally rip fence
Create some storage spaces in it some where
Get a metal plate sorted to surround the blade - ill have a close fitting one for 90 degrees blade and a not so close fitting one for mitre cuts.
I was thinking of using 2mm aluminum plate with a slot for the blade to pass through, fitted on a drop in - lift out basis
I want to build some sort of box or shroud on the underside to catch all the saw dust and give me something to plug the hoover into.
Then ill paint the bloody thing so it doesn't look so much like a collection of scrap screwed together :roll:

 

[carlb40]

Will you be putting dust extraction in your box enclosing the saw?

 

[tool-me-up]

Will you be putting dust extraction in your box enclosing the saw?

I was going to cut a hole in the box for a hoover pipe to squeeze into - thats all the dust extraction I have at present a good ol' henry hoover lol.

I am on the look out for a cheap leaf blower vacuum though to see if i can rig something up.

 

[Woodmonkey]

Some sort of guard for the blade might be a good idea, and a riving knife... Like the idea though

 

[carlb40]

Sounds like you will be doing something like this then.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khJAP-6Wo9g

 

[tool-me-up]

Some sort of guard for the blade might be a good idea, and a riving knife... Like the idea though

Riving knife is missing, that why the saw was useless as a circular - it was too hard to support sheets and cut them with out nipping the blade.

I might fit a guard - i prefer with out so I can see what doing - especially when i just free handing down a scribed line.

I hadnt seen that video - nice one - It was actually the axminster hobby dust collector that gave me the idea as its literally a blower motor and a bag on a little stand.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-hobby-series-awde5002-extractor

 

[carlb40]

Yeah all that type are just blower motors.

This is what i want to do when i get a HVLP extractor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cKouDIQS7A

 

[tool-me-up]

Haha I cant blow the dust outside - as im already outside

Im positive I have an old dyson hoover somewhere ( not an upright ) Im thinking the body and cyclone bit could be quite useful If I can find a decent motor to pull the air through.

 

[carlb40]

I can - just to annoy my annoying neighbour :lol:

 

[andersonec]

Some sort of guard for the blade might be a good idea, and a riving knife... Like the idea though

Riving knife is missing, that why the saw was useless as a circular - it was too hard to support sheets and cut them with out nipping the blade.
I might fit a guard - i prefer with out so I can see what doing - especially when i just free handing down a scribed line.

You must at least fit a riving knife, the time when the timber pinches onto the rising section of the blade is when the fireworks start

Andy

 

[rafezetter]

.. I need to figure out some sort of insert for the top when the blade is upright as it leaves a big hole around the blade ...

you need a zero clearance insert:

Buy a sheet of plastic of some sort a few mm thick.

If there's any meat left in the worktop move the blade so it's under the worktop surface (if the CS had a depth system) and route a rebate with a couple of inches extra on each side the same thickness as the plastic you bought. buy 8 rare earth magnets and glue 4 to the underside of the plastic, then CAREFULLY route 4 holes in the same spots (or do the holes first and glue the magnets on after) deep enough to take the magnet plus another one to attach it to, that will glue to the bottom of the hole.

they don't have to be big or thick - some R/e magnets are only a few mm thick and look like watch batteries but have enough hold to themselves to stop the zero clearance insert from moving.

make it removable so you can still do 45deg cuts that will need much more clearance.

make sure the plastic top is absolutely level with the worktop surface or you'll have problems.

put it all in place, and turn on the CS with the blade retracted and very slowly mm by mm bring up the blade until it just cuts through - you could put some timbers either side of the blade over the sides of the insert to help hold it down as you bring the blade up.

again you might wish to buy a couple of sheets and maybe do the blade bit before finalising and gluing the magnets on.

edit: I do actually have some 3mm thick offcuts of white pvc 8 inches wide, you could have for a nominal fee (jiffy bag) plus postage I was going to use for a similar purpose on my next franken-tablesaw (see my photos below for my old version of homemade TS mk 2). I've got more than I need as it's a long strip about a metre long.

 

[tool-me-up]

.. I need to figure out some sort of insert for the top when the blade is upright as it leaves a big hole around the blade ...

edit: I do actually have some 3mm thick offcuts of white pvc 8 inches wide, you could have for a nominal fee (jiffy bag) plus postage I was going to use for a similar purpose on my next franken-tablesaw (see my photos below for my old version of homemade TS mk 2). I've got more than I need as it's a long strip about a metre long.

Thanks for the offer mate, If I had seen this before last week I would have took you up on that - My ally plate arrived a few days so today I got my insert done!

Not exactly a zero - tolerance fit but close enough for my uses - i should have bought a sheet twice the size what I did as I had to squeeze two plates out of it - one for 90 cuts and one for 45's .

The routing isnt the neatest as you will see there is little gaps round the egdes - that just me needing practice lining my cutters up with the pencil marks - I forgot to set the cutter side ways so it cut wider than i thought it would.

Also go a dust box built and installed - Its just a rather badly flung together box made form offcuts ( some are even too short in reality) and sealed round the inside with a huge bead of exterior framing sealant ( or UURRRRGGHH!! DADDY POO!!! as my 3 yr old calls it :lol: )

Front view - hole is for henry you can just make out the two blocks it sits on

back view - rear of tray is supported by this trellis looking framework - it just pulls out allowing back of tray to drop down and you slide the box backwards until it drop off the blocks and you can access the circular to change depth, angle etc etc