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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Bentleigh East
    Age
    50
    Posts
    423

    Default My version of a track saw table

    So when I bought my Makita tracksaw about a year ago, I didn't know that Festool even existed (I'm pretty new to all this)

    Then months later I saw their MFT and I thought "oh ****, I should've bought this". Then I saw the price and I thought "oh ****, maybe not"


    But I kept coming back to it and I was actually about to buy one but the more I looked at it the more I realised that it's not exactly what I need, the shape was not ideal for my small space and it didn't really do what I wanted.

    So I decided to try and design something different, which is the whole reason I started woodworking anyway.


    For the top I chose formply because I like that nothing sticks to it, and I can replace the top sheet easily if it gets too worn.

    I made a collapsible flap with a simple sliding mechanism under the table:








    This is just to support long pieces about to get cut, but if I ever need it to support more weight I can slide a sawhorse under it.

    Then I bolted the whole fence on the wall, level it on my dodgy floor and that's what it looks like:






    next I went looking for hinges with no play left to right, and after a long search I found those:



    So then I had all the parts for the next step:



    This is the side of the fence with the track screwed on:



    and this is the hinged part that moves up and down and bolts on the T-track with the blue bolts:




    and it hinges like that:




    The track for saw fits on like this, and secures with two bolts that fit in the track's T-track, same as the clamp that came with it:



    Now it's critical that this is always square to the bench, and for this purpose the rear black bolt moves left to right.

    I find the square, tighten and forget, I only have to do that again if I need to remove the track.

    Finishing touch:



    I also added a wire on the ceiling to keep the hose out of the way




    The next step was a fence. I went for the threaded rod type, with a brake on the other side lined with a piece of rubber.







    And that's what the mechanism looks like, opened and closed (that circle on the brake is just a giant knot in the wood)



    These kinds of levers don't have the best action as you have to twist them around, but when it locks it really clamps down at both ends.

    And that's what the whole thing looks like assembled. It doesn't need too many cross supports, it's a small fence (about 630mm long)

    You'll notice I can't have fence extensions on the sides of the bench because of the track saw assembly on the left, so I made the extensions on one side of the fence only to help the fence ride parallel.






    (I haven't glued on the black tape yet)


    Overall, it works. It needs some small adjustments still but nothing structural that I can see so far.

    What do you think?

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Sydney
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    Default

    Pretty nice setup. And a very clean shop. Is the white tape for how thick of stock thickness your cutting?

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Bentleigh East
    Age
    50
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    423

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by shanesmith80 View Post
    Pretty nice setup. And a very clean shop. Is the white tape for how thick of stock thickness your cutting?
    Thanks

    Yes exactly, that's what it is. Ιt's just for information purposes, In practice I just let the track slide on whatever it is I'm cutting and it takes care of itself.

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