I need a sliding table for my router table, any ideas?

[johnelliott]

At the moment I cut the tongues on the ends of the rails (I make kitchen doors, maybe 20 a week) using a workshop-made tenonning carriage which slides across the router table, running against the fence. Usually the system works well, but every now and then the tongue is cut inaccurately, usually too low because the carriage has ridden up slightly or sometimes at a slight angle because the carriage isn't rigid enough to ensure that the wood is held absolutely flat.
I think I could solve these problems by constructing a router table that incorporated a proper sliding table, something that runs on proper bearings and slides that prevent the table moving in anything other than a straight line.
I could construct something using slides from a firm like www.hepco.co.uk , but before I go that far I though I would ask here and see if anyone knew of something readymade that could be adapted?
I know people have made stuff like this using drawer slides etc, trouble with those is that there is usually little control in the vertical plane, the system relying on gravity to keep the table moving in a straight line.
Any help would be much appreciated
John

 

[devonwoody]

TENONS
Why not cut the shoulders only first on a table saw using a sliding carriage or mitre guide.

Then switch over to your present router arrangements to clean of the cheeks, accuracy would be there at the shoulder line. You might save yourself the addition of another piece of equipment in the workshop as well.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

John

I posted this a little while ago. If you contact them in the uk you can get the free cd on the Legacy Ornamental Mill, which will show you exactly what they can do.

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1793&highlight=legacy

Once you've set up a pattern you can then copy it exactly as many times as you want. The cd/dvd is excellent to give you an understanding of what it can do.

The telephone number is 0118 972 2266 or local rate 0845 165 9244

Neil

 

[Anonymous]

John

Hepco stuff is quite expensive and probably over the top for your woodworking application. You could be better off going for the much cheaper but equally accurate method of self aligning linear bearings on ground round stock

see here for self aligning bearings and guide rails

First link

Second link

Good luck - I like the sound of your jigb and luck forward to hearing more

Edited to make the URLs short enough so we don't have to scroll across like maniacs :roll: Alf. :wink:

 

[Chris Knight]

John,

You can also run a sled against the front of your table instead of against the fence. That way you can make a very sturdy fence (for the right angle) and clamp system to hold your workpiece (using de Staco type toggle clamps) rigidly to the sled. I find this better on the whole than running stuff against the fence.

 

[SimonA]

What about one of these?

http://www.woodworkersworkshop.co.uk/vari-fence.htm

and scroll down to the bottom of the fence.......its called the Vari-Seld looks as it it might just be the thing......

SimonA

Cheers to Neil for the link.

 

[colinc]

Wouldn't good quality drawer runners provide sufficient accuracy? I'm sure I saw something in this style as the basis of a saw sliding table. It
regards
Colin

 

[Midnight]

John...

forgive me, but I canna help thinking that a sliding table is just a bit overkill for what you're intending it for. A while ago, FWW had a video clip of a couple of jigs that Pat Warner uses for that very thing, but it seems they've been removed for some reason.

Basically, the tenoning jig consisted of a large sheet of MDF, wide enough to support most of the rail, long enough to give a good solid register against the table fence (an alternative would be to use a mitre slot). The corner of the base board that would be nearest the cutter when in use was simply cut away to keep it clear of the cutter. A large block of hardwood was screwed to the MDF to act as fence, hand hold and location for a pair of toggle clamps; Pat made a point of saying that this block was some of the heaviest material he could lay his hands on as its mass played a large part in keeping the jig weighed down.
Some square, parallel scrap stock was used as a backer board, sitting between the jig fence and the rail, it's purpose being to serve as a sacrificial support, preventing the back of the shoulder from blowing out.

I'm making a meal of describing it; Pats jigs are deceptively simple, and surprisingly good at what they do...

If I remember right, either James or Charlie have made variant of the jig, posting instructions for its manufacture on their site.

Thought so... check this out...

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/jigs/tenon/

 

[Philly]

Pat Warners Web Site
http://www.patwarner.com/
(incidently, he is a Forum member!)
Cheers
Links Philly

 

[Anonymous]

John

Here is my jig for cutting tenons (bottom of page).

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1886&highlight=jig

Works a treat :wink: and won the Jig making competitioin for me

I think it may be a good idea to look at this type of solution before spending loads

 

[johnelliott]

Yes, an interesting and varied bunch of replies, thanks to all of you.
I am already using a tenonning jig, quite a good one, so simply making another isn't really going to hit the spot. The problem is in the variability. In what amounts to a commercial application I'm looking to remove all the variables and this is usually best done with rigidity and total control of the moving parts.
The cutter I am using (from Wealden) is, I know, capable of producing a virtually perfect tongue, the problem is to guide the wood onto it in a perfectly straight line, each and every time, even when I am working quite quickly.
I remain convinced that a proper sliding table is the way to go, this is what is used on spindle moulders when cutting end grain, with a clamp quite close to the end being cut
Tony, any chance you could have another go at the links you provided earlier, the RS site isn't cooperating?
John

 

[Aragorn]

Well how about going for the spindle moulder? It wouldn't seem out of place in a professional kitchen making workshop.
Gives you the added advantage of being able to do an enormous variety... well :roll: you know what a spindle moulder does :wink:

 

[johnelliott]

Well how about going for the spindle moulder?

I have thought long and hard about this option, and I may yet do it. Thing is, tongue and groove are the only things I would ever need to do, as I only do plain, Shaker style doors, and the Wealden cutters, approx £75 a set, are very much a fit and forget solution.

Naturally I have two router tables, one set up for tongues, and the other (you've guessed it) for the grooves. These remain as set until the cutters need sharpening

So, anyway, spindle moulder (unless I get two) would still mean a fair bit of cutter changing and setting.

John

 

[Steve Maskery]

John
Do you have Router Magic by Bill Hylton? In it he has a horizontal router which he has mounted permanently to the end of his bench. I have built it into the end of my Norm-style router table.

Briefly, a wertical ply carriage runs on linear bearings, a steel plate slides up and down on that to give you height adjustment. The router is fixed to the steel plate. It works very well, and you can either fix the router and move the workpiece using a mitre fence in a track, or clamp the workpiece and slide the router.

Could be the versatility you are looking for.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Anonymous]

Here you go John

http://rswww.com/

In the panel on the left type in the searches: -

linear+bearings


stockNo=3113519


stockNo=3411510


catoid=-101199211

Edited by Moderator. :roll:

 

[Alf]

Okay, does anyone else get anything from those links except "Session timeout"?
As far as I'm aware that's all you ever get trying to link to a page on that site
and irritating it is too. :evil: Any chance of a section by section guide on what to
look for instead Tony?

Cheers, Alf

Hitting return to counter-effect the dreaded long url/side scrolling problem. :roll:

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Tony

I hope you don't mind but I've edited your post so that everyone can see the site properly. There's obviously a problem with long url's.

Hi Alf

Have a look at Tony's post now.

Cheers
Neil

 

[Alf]

Nice one, Neil. I did edit the first lot into named links (albeit duff ones) instead, but I left this lot in the hope that Tony'd take the hint :wink: The RSW site is so annoying in not being able to link directly to a page; I've been caught on it before myself. :roll:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry worked from here

Some advice

I would buy chepish linear bearings (the application is low load) with self correction (most have) and a ground steel guide rail. Do not be afradi of the bearings with plastic cages, these will be fine for the application you have in mid. Mounting of the bearings is the most important factor. Look for ones with mounting lugs or holes.

The self alignment only works over a few degrees and so accuracy during assembly is importat as is using a straight guide bar.

Finally, use THREE bearings, one on one shaft and two on the other - space the one on it's own equidistant from the other two (but on a second rail of course :wink: )


If you go to WWW.RSWWW.co.uk and entre linear bearings into the search facility you get loads to choose from.

Similar for guide rails.

I

 

[Anonymous]

Hi John,

A couple of thoughts occurred to me while thinking about your needs...

Firstly, could you use one of the off-the-peg high quality mitre guides to satisfy your accuracy needs? I don't know if any of them have a hold-down included, but it might just fit the need via a different route.

The second option is to take advantage of a sliding table on one of your existing bits of kit. My table saw has a sliding table (Scheppach TS2500) and it would be pretty easy to make up an outfeed table that takes a router. This would then allow the sliding table arrangement to be used with the router as well.

Cheers,

Lee