UHMW/Phenolic & other jig parts

[Shady]

Another article I've not tracked down a good source of. A number of questions here really:

a) Has anyone found a source of these types of plastic for use in jigs etc? I'm not talking the 're-sold' little bits that people like Axminster sell, but whatever the original material is sold as (eg, presumably, sheet and bar stock like metals) I'm assuming this will work out considerably cheaper.

b) What about 't slot' aluminium? I've found a couple of metal suppliers that do sheet and bar alu and steel - in what seems to be every configuration except the classic T shape to invert and use in jigs. Again, Axminster sells some, but I'm suspicious of the mark up on their quantities.

c) If the answer to (a) above is 'no', is it because I'm using 'transatlantic' english, and UHMW should be called something like 'polyprop' here in the UK?

All these appear to be economically available in the states/Canada, but I've not found anyone who appears to be selling them in reasonable quantities at reasonable prices over here: to make a good jig using them at the sort of prices I've found so far will cost more than most of the finished items I make :roll:

All comments gratefully received!

 

[Ian Dalziel]

Hi Shady,
T- Track is about to sold by Brimarc i beleive, they have taken on UK marketing for Kreg and i beleive that they do a version of the smaller T Track. Not sure if they have it in stock yet i,m sure Martin will be along to clarify.

Phenolic, UHMW etc i have tracked down a couple of times, remember the big explosion in the plastics factory in Glasgow a short while back, well they were great for getting these types of offcuts from there skip usually for free. try your yellow pages for plastic manufacturers and suppliers.
If this proves fruitless go to CNC router machinests they use a lot of this type of stuff for the marine industry i'm sure they will sell you small quantities or offcuts

hope this was of help
Ian

 

[Shady]

Ian - thanks for that. All helpful info: I'd still like to find a good, regular source for UHMW, but I'll look into your idea of 'other's offcuts'...

(I certainly won't be travelling to Glasgow to root around in a burnt out factory though :lol: )

 

[Noel]

(I certainly won't be travelling to Glasgow to root around in a burnt out factory though :lol: )

Obviously not from Scotland, then? Or Ireland....

Seriously, got to agree with you on the notion that various suppliers reckon that Aluminium extrusion and various types of plastic are regarded as specialist items and hence carry a specialist price. I'm pretty sure the T shaped track can be sourced for a sensible price and likewise UHMW and Phenolic plastic. Will let you know how I get on (and anybody else - please drop a post).
On a gloatish note, managed to pick up 12 bars of UHMW I found at the bottom of a cardboard box at an auction along with 2 dozen of those ball roller things for about 3 quid.

Noel

 

[Shady]

On a gloatish note, managed to pick up 12 bars of UHMW I found at the bottom of a cardboard box at an auction along with 2 dozen of those ball roller things for about 3 quid.

Oh I hate you.... Seriously though, Yup - we ought to do this as a group: if enough of us are interested, it becomes economical to put a bulk order in and divvy it up...

 

[tx2man]

Shady,

have you tried 'Ipswich Plastics'?

TX

 

[duncanh]

I've bought (mail order) phenolic paper in the past from http://www.attwater.co.uk/Pages/products.htm in Preston.
I don't think there are any prices on the site but I phoned them up and the bloke was very helpful. He was a bit confused when I said I wanted it to make boomerangs but went through various specs to come up with something suitable.
I think he said they had an offcut bin of smaller pieces. Otherwise you'll need to but large sheets.

If you get some make sure you wear a decent dust mask whilst working it as the dust is nasty.

Duncan

 

[Anonymous]

You can try this lot, it looks like they stock all sorts of T profile, and if their webpage is correct, they don't mind smaller orders.

Andy
http://www.alprofil.com/

 

[Shady]

Thanks to all of you guys: I'll try some of these and 'report back' on my experiences/costs etc...

 

[RoyS]

I went through this process recently when I made my new router table and was very reluctant to pay catalogue prices for the bits and pieces.

For the inserts, I used Yellow Pages to find my local plastic supplier - which turned out to be the same Ipswich Plastics as already recommended. The guy there had made his own router table so I got lots of free advice! The plan that I was using recommended melamine facing to top and bottom of the table but Ipswich Plastics recommended 3mm SRBP sheet (which is reinforced paper rather than fibre). I bought a 1220x1220 sheet for £22. The inserts were 6mm SRBP cut to size at £2.40 each (eat your heart out, Axminster and Trend) and the core is 25mm MDF. Oh- and they threw in for free a 3x1 ft offcut of the material used for kitchen unit jigs.

I had seen on an Aussie site that they buy their T-track from yacht chandlers - only useful if you live near the coast! I discovered that YACHT T-track is too chunky for what I wanted but that DINGHY T-track is fine; however, it is no cheaper than Axminster etc so in the end I bought from Lee Valley (much cheaper, got lots of other bits and pieces, and great service).

Finally, I wanted Perspex for jigs and for safety guards. Someone recommended a while back that your local signwriter is good for this; mine did not keep Perspex but recommended a local signmaker. He had a skip of offcuts - help yourself for a donation to the local hospice. So for a fiver I have an armful of different sizes, shapes and thicknesses to keep me going.

Roy