I'm back to woodworking now that I've got a basement shop, and I want
to make some jigs, fences, slots, etc. before I start on projects, to
help my ability to do precise work. I'm planning on lots of T-Track
to attach featherboards, stop blocks, hold-downs, etc.
I figure I'm better off buying a t-shape router bit and routing all
the slots I need instead of buying lots of aluminum T-Track. What
materials can support a routed t-slot - baltic birch ply? Hardwood?
Softwood? What's the most common size t-slot cutter? (I see 5/8 and
3/4 wide slot bits at Rockler). I know those flat-head "toilet" bolts
fit these, but will a standard hex 1/4-20? I presume the 3/4" wide
slot is stronger... what kinds of things require that extra strength?
I guess my ideal solution, if this makes sense, would be to buy the
5/8" t-slot cutter and using standard hex 1/4-20 bolts in baltic birch
and hardwood. Comments?
Thanks,
Michael
Michael,
I use these but do find hardwood to be quite demanding and the bit has
to work pretty hard although I have a very powerful router mounted on a
table. I will continue to do use it and depending on the bit size they
take both 1/4" and 5/16" standard bolt heads. I did manage to have one
of these break at the shaft but noticed the problem after I finished
using it and fortunately not during. This was a 1/4" shaft bit and it
may have been defective anyway but I know use 1/2" router bits pretty
well exclusively.
Good luck,
Glen Duff
-------------
Michael Press wrote:
> I'm back to woodworking now that I've got a basement shop, and I want
> to make some jigs, fences, slots, etc. before I start on projects, to
> help my ability to do precise work. I'm planning on lots of T-Track
> to attach featherboards, stop blocks, hold-downs, etc.
>
> I figure I'm better off buying a t-shape router bit and routing all
> the slots I need instead of buying lots of aluminum T-Track. What
> materials can support a routed t-slot - baltic birch ply? Hardwood?
> Softwood? What's the most common size t-slot cutter? (I see 5/8 and
> 3/4 wide slot bits at Rockler). I know those flat-head "toilet" bolts
> fit these, but will a standard hex 1/4-20? I presume the 3/4" wide
> slot is stronger... what kinds of things require that extra strength?
>
> I guess my ideal solution, if this makes sense, would be to buy the
> 5/8" t-slot cutter and using standard hex 1/4-20 bolts in baltic birch
> and hardwood. Comments?
>
> Thanks,
> Michael
>
On Mon, 16 Feb 2004 23:34:25 -0500, in rec.woodworking you wrote:
>
>I'm back to woodworking now that I've got a basement shop, and I want
>to make some jigs, fences, slots, etc. before I start on projects, to
>help my ability to do precise work. I'm planning on lots of T-Track
>to attach featherboards, stop blocks, hold-downs, etc.
>
>I figure I'm better off buying a t-shape router bit and routing all
>the slots I need instead of buying lots of aluminum T-Track.
[...snip...]
I don't know the answer about the best material to use (I'd suggest
starting with maple) but you might consider doing it with a table saw
instead.
Think about 2 identical boards with a dado groove along the narrow
edge. You could then take one of the edges of the grooved board and
trim it off. If you glued those edges face to face you'd have a T
slot. I don't know if the ASCII art will make any sense at all (make
sure you switch fixed pitch font ON), but consider something like
this:
---- ----
| |Trim| |
| -- -- |
| | Dadoed | |
| | Area | |
| ---| |--- |
| | G| |
|-----| l|-----|
u
e
I use 5/8" t-slot cutter in MDF on sacrificial fences for stop blocks and
feather boards. Also on my miter saw extension fences for stop blocks.
Work fines with toilet bolts, but not standard hex 1/4-20. They fences may
break from time to time, but the slots usually outlast the sacrificial
nature anyway.
"
Aluminum t-track is stronger than routed wood t-slots. Also can be
surface mounted OR recessed into the surface.
Bottom line, only advanrtage that routed t-slots have is they cost
less than buying tons of aluminum t-track. and in some light use
situations look better than the alum solution
John
On Mon, 16 Feb 2004 23:34:25 -0500, Michael Press
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
>I'm back to woodworking now that I've got a basement shop, and I want
>to make some jigs, fences, slots, etc. before I start on projects, to
>help my ability to do precise work. I'm planning on lots of T-Track
>to attach featherboards, stop blocks, hold-downs, etc.
>
>I figure I'm better off buying a t-shape router bit and routing all
>the slots I need instead of buying lots of aluminum T-Track. What
>materials can support a routed t-slot - baltic birch ply? Hardwood?
>Softwood? What's the most common size t-slot cutter? (I see 5/8 and
>3/4 wide slot bits at Rockler). I know those flat-head "toilet" bolts
>fit these, but will a standard hex 1/4-20? I presume the 3/4" wide
>slot is stronger... what kinds of things require that extra strength?
>
>I guess my ideal solution, if this makes sense, would be to buy the
>5/8" t-slot cutter and using standard hex 1/4-20 bolts in baltic birch
>and hardwood. Comments?
>
>Thanks,
>Michael