Thu, Sep 21, 2006, 4:39pm locutus snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com (Locutus) doth proclaimeth: If you're not spamming the group
Well, if you consider free plans spam, and don't like my posts, you are totally welcome to put me in your kill file, or skip over them totally. I suppose this means you will never use any of the plans I post. No prob.
JOAT I am not paranoid. I do not "think" people are after me. I "know" damn well they're after me.
replying to J T, Xgenei Lithson wrote: I'm going to put my solutions here because otherwise it's a long, long thread. So if you're lucky enough to have a magnesium bottom plate with the deep waffle x-pattern - you won't have a problem with that being flat. It will break - but not bend. Even thick aluminum will deform - so I'm trying to deal with my MILWALKEE TILT-LOK Right-hander that I forgot to check for flat-true before I laid down $50 for it from a craftsman. Sigh - my one before was the basic HF unit and it was downright DANGEROUS. This one, after much manual pushing, is about 1/32 out of flat - just along the thin rail on the outside of the blade - right where you would expect. So for that, I'm going to risk bending the front or back tab - whichever looks tweaked from a drop, OUT, to essentially STRETCH that thin piece. I expect this to work but I'll also do about the same thing - bend those nice thick tabs holding the plate on - if I need to bring the edge parallel with the blade. If I can't get flat within 1/64th - I will cut and "adhese" (maybe with sheet or spray - doesn't matter) a new plate that I will have to machine to fit. I will fill any curves or dents into petrified eternity. Point is, fellow wannabe craftsmen and women - accepting this much lack of precision in any tool is just suicidal to all the rest of your efforts. Would you tolerate a ruler / tape measure being 1/8" off? Anything that you can see with your eye - assuming a good eye - is unacceptable. And if it's your tool - that error is going to imprint itself in every single cut. So NO!! and HELL-NO!!
replying to Xgenei Lithson, Xgenei Lithson wrote: I concluded that for a flat aluminum plate, without curled edges - that's a design flaw plain and simple. I don't care if it is Milwalkee - the majority upscale are going for the reinforced waffle design, and at a minimum buy a saw that has both edges shaped with a nice round bend to 90-degrees. Anyway - I have a good cheat that doesn't involve much guesswork, time, money, or labor. Comparing the shoe-leather soft aluminum baseplate to a same-thickness 1/2" wide piece of steel - you literally can't bend the steel. Easily 6 to 1. This is the black weldable steel they sell in the big box hardware store bins. Just cut and glue to the TOP of the base plate - probably with the two-part putty, but maybe slow-cure J.B. Weld. Prep, clamp, cure. Nothing fancy - will do the job guarantee it.
6061T6 aluminum is just as stiff and half the weight. Get a hunk of 1/8" thick angle and rivet it on or screw it on with flush rivets or bolts. (countersunk)
A much more "sure bet" than epoxy or JB Weld - even if you use steel - or flat aluminum bar stock.
replying to Xgenei Lithson, Xgenei Lithson wrote: One more thing - if your saw has wimpy wimpy pivots / tabs / rivets holding the baseplate to the motor assembly? If you can bend those things? You're f'd 6 ways. That is a dangerous saw - won't cut straight - binds .. replace it ASAP. Get Beefy Beefy and lift weights.
replying to Clare Snyder, Xgenei Lithson wrote: Well, Ms. Snyder - Okay - but that "half" is 6 oz. total. AND - really - you want the flat - not the angle piece. AND - Steel is way way stronger - I think it's 3x best grade alum. Regarde'
Do you want steel and aluminum together? I don't.
Use double sided tape. ;-)
Look at any brand track saw. Their bases are designed to be and stay flat.
I'm sure some of the hacks on this list would figure out a way to damage even them.
My Dad always said if you take care of your tools they will take care of you. Abuse them and they WILL kick your ass!!
I'm sure you are right but most free hand circular saws are not built for accuracy so much as track saws are.
A properly set up quality hand circular saw will cut perfectly square if run along a straight edge. The cut will be at right angles to the surface. That's the only "fault" that can be caused by a bent shoe edge.
My old milweakee and my old Rockwell - both over 30 years old, will do that - as will my 55+ year old skill worm drive.
A "track saw" is just a circular saw mounted to a "gantry"
Well in theory, but most track saws are better built with more adjustments for accuracy than the old reliable non track saws. Basically the Festool track saw will rival the cuts on most any cabinet saw with a top notch blade. There are adjustments on the track saw bases to correct tracking if necessary. Think, is the blade running parallel to the guide so that tooth marks are not visible? Regular circular saws do not offer that as they were never designed to be guided by a track, although they can be.
Now with that said, the track saws are easy to adjust to make great cuts. You mention a properly set up quality circular saw will cut well too. No doubt but I do not recall adjustments on those saws to insure that the blade is running parallel to the edge of the base/shoe.
A "quality" saw has the base/shoe registered to the saw with precision located countersunk screws - it is straight from the factory. With cast parts, unless it is badly beaten on, it will STAY square.
An adjustable saw is more likely to be out of square than a good non-adjustable one because some hack is liable to be screwing around with the adjustment when it is not required.
replying to Clare Snyder, Xgenei Lithson wrote: Actually, I don't mind mixed marriages as long as there's a good bond. :) Point though that I don't give a pile of rat droppings if a clueless wonder can't figure out his cupcake baking machine and keeps turnout out biscuits .. but these machines can severely impact lives and proper instructions for close-to-perfect setup are basic-basic real-dude/tte training. Right-right? And junky pretzel saws have no proper niche. But -- more and better information is the only defense - so very happy this 'board' has convened to make it avail.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.