[Bstrom]

Sorry guys late on getting back to this. This was a very fast and not well executed test. I was looking mainly at the chisel sharpness and how much pressure it would take to make the cut. I quickly made the 1st cut and followed with the others not checking square at all. Heck I didn't even check depth. I had this old piece of soft maple from a previous screw up on the bench so I just used it. I normally would have checked to make sure the bit was square to the wood, the fence was square, and the depth of cut set but as I was simply testing the bit I didn't do any of this. It was quick and simple.

I'll go back and do a proper test after finishing the sliding table. I've got a ton of work to get this thing done properly but should prove worthy in the end.

Makes sense now.

I forgot to mention that the plastic fence locks are a little squeamish and require some care in getting set firmly. The rollers aren’t an issue but you can’t have anything moving around once you start - just another consideration.

Also, the height limiter can move if you push hard down too hard against it. I watch as I approach the stop and halt as soon as I feel resistance. Another ‘skill’ needed on this tool.

You’ll get it sorted quickly enough and will be raving about your results.

 

[sreilly]

Thanks Brian for the tips. I've started acquiring the parts and pieces needed to build the sliding table and one item was a neoprene tip for the clamp. It appears to be a 5/8" bolt but as I looked and thought about it I got the feeling this wasn't the better solution. So I looked at some soft maple scraps I have from another project, yet to be finished, and thought of this instead. The neoprene tip had less surface than a dime and while the clamp is rated ate 1499 pounds I was thinking a bit more surface couldn't hurt so I decided to try the following. More surface (1.5" x 2-3/16") and the bolt head is below the surface of the block. I took the nut and tightened on the back side and then the bolt screws onto the clamp. Seems more clamping surface should be better at least in my mind and the additional cost was nothing.

 

[Bstrom]

Thanks Brian for the tips. I've started acquiring the parts and pieces needed to build the sliding table and one item was a neoprene tip for the clamp. It appears to be a 5/8" bolt but as I looked and thought about it I got the feeling this wasn't the better solution. So I looked at some soft maple scraps I have from another project, yet to be finished, and thought of this instead. The neoprene tip had less surface than a dime and while the clamp is rated ate 1499 pounds I was thinking a bit more surface couldn't hurt so I decided to try the following. More surface (1.5" x 2-3/16") and the bolt head is below the surface of the block. I took the nut and tightened on the back side and then the bolt screws onto the clamp. Seems more clamping surface should be better at least in my mind and the additional cost was nothing.

Where is this clamp being utilized - I'm not catching your purpose for it. Also, the medullary grain on those tiny parts is very pretty. Can't wait to see your application. Post some pix-in-use, OK?

 

[sreilly]

Well this table is still under construction as I learn a few new things. The plans called for the table top to be laminated on both top and bottom so I picked up a sheet of Formica laminate from Lowe's and a can of gel adhesive but was rather surprised when I read the safety section on this DAP adhesive. I decided it wasn't worth the fumes and issues using this stuff and took a piece of scrape laminate and used my Titebond II to glue it to a scrap piece of the maple. After a few hours I looked at it and it appears fine. Is there an issue with using Titebond II to laminate this plywood surface?

 

[Cherryville Chuck]

In order for the glue to set the water has to migrate away from the joint. In wood it eventually evaporates away but with laminate it has to gradually either work through to the other side or across the surface of the joint and out the edges. One of my uncles has used Weldbond successfully but he put glue on both surfaces and waited until the glue had dried some first.

It was a Franklin glue company rep that explained that to me when we were discussing their melamine glue. It will work well to glue small pieces but that was the issue with gluing larger pieces. That trapped water in the panel could cause warping since it is on one side only.

Personally I don't intend to ever use another DAP product as long as I live. Both their contact cement and their sink and tub caulking are crap. I have to replace a section of the backsplash behind my kitchen sink because the DAP I used broke the seal on the joint and water got into the mdf backer.

 

[Stick486]

personally i don't intend to ever use another dap product as long as i live. Both their contact cement and their sink and tub caulking are crap.

you got that right...

 

[sreilly]

Thanks guys. In case I haven't done this yet here is a link to the plans I'm using https://www.woodsmithplans.com/plan/precision-mortising-jig/

Tomorrow I go to a friends to use the milling machine and metal lathe to cut the rods, drill the holes, and reduce the Acme screw rod handle end down to a smooth 1/2" diameter to fit inside the collar of the handles. Chuck's metal tools (my buddy) will make life a bit easier for these parts including cutting the fence angle. Looking forward to getting this finished and start cutting accurate mortises. And yes, I realize this isn't totally necessary but I think seeing how I didn't go with the Powermatic standing model that has the sliding table this project makes it a good compromise. I'll post pictures soon of the parts and assembly.

 

[sreilly]

An update on this project. I got sidelined with an earlier project that needed to be finished.....literally finished. Seems I have this issue when it comes to sanding and putting a finish on a project. I always said the perfect wife likes to sand and apply finish.....mine is just super great ......but not perfect so it's up to me. So now I'm sanding and applying finish to the 3-in-1 stand and working on the sliding table in between coats which actually are going pretty fast.

The top coat finish says under ideal conditions you can wait 2-4 hours between coats and mine is dry within 45 minutes to an hour. The shop is at 45% RH and 69.8 degrees which seems to play very well with this finish so not as bad as I had thought. But it also means I'm jumping back and forth which the sciatica really doesn't care for after a few hours on this concrete floor. 30 years later and it's still a pain in my thigh.....

Anyway here are some pictures showing the bones of this sliding table. What I need to do it take the stationary rods out and drill through the centers so the #8 x 3" screw can go through the rod to hold in place. The stationary rods are the ones on the outside moving pieces. The base box in the center the rods and Acme screw pass through. In the Centering Close Up photo you can see there is a large hole and smaller hole where the bushing and Acme nuts passes through the wall. The larger hole is where the epoxy putty need to be applied to hold those centered and in place. I've never used epoxy putty so this should be fun.

I need to do a bit of sanding, clean the threads on the Acme rods but I don't think I'll put a finish on this. I don't really see a need as it will be a stationary setup. I've lifted that mortiser several times already and due to its shape it's too heavy to lift often as there aren't any real good places to grip it. And I'm getting old.....I still need to build the cabinet for it and it too will be on wheels. Now to see how to align these rods and use the epoxy.....

Almost forgot, not sure that wood end on the clamp is a good idea yet but at minimum I'll need to taper the wood contact side to meet it squarely and if that doesn't prove effective I'll get the rubber tip the plans call for. I wasn't able to find one that fit that M12 bolt pattern.
Back to the finish, I did put a coat on the fence and will add (3-5) several more as it will be in contact with the wood being worked on. What isn't shown in the pictures is the iron angle that is used as the old down. That's at my buddy's being cut and then I'll need to prime and paint that. Got a nice Hunter Green to contrast with the Powermatic yellow. OK it was on sale........

 

[Bstrom]

Extremely neat workmanship on your part. Mr. Reilly. I envy your attention to detail. Let us know how effective this design was for you, OK?

 

[Nickp]

Excellent table build...can't wait to "see" it in action...

 

[sreilly]

One thing I learned last night is that using the epoxy putty with an oral syringe is difficult at best. I cut the end to give a bit more of an opening but even still the design of the syringe wasn't intended for shooting thinker than peanut butter through it. One thing that did help was putting a 3/4" washer on the tube side to help give a larger area to have your fingers grip the syringe while the palm pushers the plunger. But you only have about 30 minutes to work with it before it becomes too thick and getting it into the tube is a bit tricky as well.

Now that last nights epoxy is set I took the rods out and can better get to the nuts and bushings to finish the epoxy part and clean it up a bit. That is a learning experience in itself.

Sunday I'll take the rods back to my friend and use the milling machine to drill the rods. The base is where the bushings and Acme nuts get epoxied in place. There are no bushings on the X/Y outer pieces and the rods simply are flush with the wood and drilled where the screws holds both the wood and bar. Uisng 3" #8 screws places the screw through the 3/4" top plate and through the drilled rod. Seems like overkill as I just don't think there's much pressure there at all. I guess better safe than sorry.

 

[sreilly]

So it appears I didn't answer Brian's question about the clamp and that's to hold the wood against the fence. As you are moving the entire top from right to left and the base back to forward the wood itself becomes stationary and the clamp ensures that along with the fence.

So these are the pre-finish pictures. I'm mixed on just what to use to finish the table or use anything at all. At minimum I'd probably use the General Top Coat I used on the 3-in-1 but not near as many coats. The table top is laminated on both sides and the fence and clamp block all have Top Coat on them. The base and other plywood have no finish. The base doesn't see much short of the front and back along with the side blocks holding the table. I still have some cleanup from the epoxy that the Dremel tool should make short work of with a sanding disk. That epoxy putty is some messy stuff but the sanding disk makes it into a very fine powder.

I also need to paint the metal fence part maybe after a small spot weld to make up for the too high hole that doesn't capture the head on the angle to prevent it from turning while tightening. I've got a can of Rust-Oleum paint and primer in one to give it a better finish in Hunter Green. So put any finish on the maple parts and leave the plywood alone or other suggestions.......I will be sanding the maple to clean up the marking marks.