router slide for cutting perfect enclosed tracks

[jtkwest]

here is my router slide setup, it works perfect, i just clamp a barrel underneath and slide the router down the track. just takes a couple minutes to center it underneath, i am working on making that easier.

 

[settingsteel]

Nice work Jason, thx for sharing. Have you tried a router table?

 

[jtkwest]

Nice work Jason, thx for sharing. Have you tried a router table?

i am having problems getting the barrels truly straight. if you use a table, your track is only as straight as your barrels outside dimensions, that is why i came up with this. with this system, i can cut a perfectly straight track in a bent piece ,(not that they are all THAT bent, i just want it perfect). i only wish i had taken your advice and not used the graphite. that stuff dulls bits for REAL! probably not worth it for color.

 

[nigelr]

Well thought out Jason, great initiative! So what system are you using now, instead of graphite?
Cheers.

 

[pelcami]

Ei Jason. Mahalo for posting your pictures. Without having to buy heavy stationary tools, I've been thinking along the same lines. It is useful to see what others have done. To use as the guides, I am considering using some 8' pieces of 1.5" x 1.5" aluminum angle. It is 1/8" thick. However, another company called 80/20 sells extruded aluminum with t-slots in them. These aluminum pieces are a little pricey to use just once. In order to make it worthwhile, guess I'll have to make a few guns. :inlove 80/20 T-Slotted Framing - Fractional & Metric Profile Dimension Concept

 

[jtkwest]

Well thought out Jason, great initiative! So what system are you using now, instead of graphite?
Cheers.

thanks ! i actually have figured out how to do it with the graphite. what i did was cut 3/16" x 3/16" slot with the table saw, THEN cut a 1/4" x 1/4" slot with your router slide. ,(i do 4 passes at 1/16" deeper each time) , then change bits to the ball bit and run the track. i have done it 4 times so far and it is super easy! the key was to cut material away with the table saw and then the router bit is only removing minimal material.. they are SWEET!! super slick ! you can really feel the difference with the redution of friction. and also really seems to stiffen the barrel,(graphite used as a thickener is one of the strongest things you can use, so it is making the barrel stiffer, allowing me to keep minimal dimensions. when you look at my track , it looks perfect. you can really see how precise this set up is.

 

[jtkwest]

Ei Jason. Mahalo for posting your pictures. Without having to buy heavy stationary tools, I've been thinking along the same lines. It is useful to see what others have done. To use as the guides, I am considering using some 8' pieces of 1.5" x 1.5" aluminum angle. It is 1/8" thick. However, another company called 80/20 sells extruded aluminum with t-slots in them. These aluminum pieces are a little pricey to use just once. In order to make it worthwhile, guess I'll have to make a few guns. :inlove 80/20 T-Slotted Framing - Fractional & Metric Profile Dimension Concept

before you get your angle stuff, CHECK IT!!! i bet it isnt straight. most stuff isnt, what you can do is look on rockwell tools for actual straight edges, they even make them with grooves and slots for setting up router jigs. i am a trim carpenter for 16 yaers now and i can tell you that few things are straight enough for what you want.one thing that is straight is a BRAND NEW , quality,6' level.(a box shaped one, not an i beam.) if it is NEW, only !, old ones are always bent a little, it seems like. at home depot, you can get a 6' level for 50$, a cheaper way is an actual straight edge . i got two at sears for 26$ each, they are 8' long, you can cut them to 6.5 feet, and use them. what i got was: door jamb materal ,(aluminum) that was laying around in the yard at my job. they are 7 feet and are true. now that i have done this and if i was to do it over, i would suggest, buy a sheet of particle board from home depot,(the really dense type with white veneer on one side) (used for closet systems etc.) 3/4" thick is good, cut it down from 8' to 6'. then rip 2@ 12' with a GOOD table saw, then take the left over piece and cut 5 PERFECT rips at 5" wide. now you take 5' strips and glue and screw them perfectly together, making two ,double thick rails with one left over
then screw and glue one of the double thick 5" strips on edge to each side under one of your 12" rips, making it really stiff and true, (see pics) then screw second piece on top . now you have a perfectly flat surface to build your jig, (also to use as a bench to plane etc.) then get two straight edges from sears and put them vertical, 4 " apart down the center of the table, for the router to sit on and slide, and get levels or straight edges for the two sides and also 2 more to hold the router plate DOWN also. make your router plate square, just round the corners a little. i will post some pics later.

 

[jtkwest]

some pics of the revised slide, also a drawing of the plywood table that would work for a jig really well, (kindof a shitty picture, i will do better later

 

[JCooke]

Im looking for router "ball" bits at a good price the dive shops seem a little high. Would like a kit with all the sizes.

Thank Jason

 

[foxfish]

You can look here http://forums.deeperblue.com/diy-homemade/75864-ball-end-router-bits.html it might help?

 

[jtkwest]

Im looking for router "ball" bits at a good price the dive shops seem a little high. Would like a kit with all the sizes.

Thank Jason

you need to buy the ones specifically designed for spearguns. it will be oversized correctly. if not , the spear will either pinch or be loose while in the barrel. ball end bits only come in 1/4" or 3/8" or 1/2". if you buy a metric one, (harder to find than you might think) it comes in , 6mm 8mm,
so on and so on) now 8mm is eqal to a tiny bit over 5/16", but not enough for a 5/16 spear to fit smoothly. you could sand it, but it is far easier just to pony up the extra 20$ and go with the correct bit with no guesswork and no sanding. if you do want a metric one, check jamestown disributors.com, they got all that cool stuff, plus carbon fiber and kevlar and all kinds of high quality epoxies. check it out. if you wat to get the speargun variety, you should contact josh at neptonicsystems.com. he has em for 48$

 

[trinbagospearo]

you need to buy the ones specifically designed for spearguns. it will be oversized correctly. if not , the spear will either pinch or be loose while in the barrel. ball end bits only come in 1/4" or 3/8" or 1/2". if you buy a metric one, (harder to find than you might think) it comes in , 6mm 8mm,
so on and so on) now 8mm is eqal to a tiny bit over 5/16", but not enough for a 5/16 spear to fit smoothly. you could sand it, but it is far easier just to pony up the extra 20$ and go with the correct bit with no guesswork and no sanding.

I know this is a old post but tell me something jtkwest, if I were to use a 3/8 ball end bit a 3/8 shaft would not fit because it would be to close right? but would a 5/16 shaft fit nicely? I was wondering because I want to do a deep normal track (not enclosed) that would fit the entire shaft in with just the tabs (sharkfins) out and I havent bought a bit yet so looking for the advice. Has anyone in this thread tried this???

 

[jtkwest]

it will work. escpecially if you coat the gun with epoxy when you are finished,you can put a coat or two inside the track to tighten it up if necessary.