Mark Kosmowski
Member
- Messages
- 1,456
- Location
- Central (upstate) NY
I've had this idea tickling the back of my brain for awhile now. It's not implemented yet, so no pics, but I'll at least share the idea.
First some background in order to build suspense. My RAS table is two layers of MDF underneath a layer of melamine with a cherry fence. Why a cherry fence? Because it was $0.15 per board foot because it had a knot on each side at a local(ish) hardwood dealer that guaruntees 100% clear face. It was my first trip to buy a (for me) large bit of lumber so I splurged on my RAS (which is my first stationary tool and thus my pride and joy ). The frontmost section of the bottom layer of MDF is bolted to the frame (I bought the saw used and it didn't come with those silly table leveller thingees - I shimmed the bottom layer with some bits of 30 gauge stove pipe and some pieces of a feeler gauge that I sacrificed to the cause). This bottom layer is in three sections - two before and one behind the fence, with 1/4" dadoes routed into the bottom to hold the 1/4" - 20 threaded rod used as table tensioners. The middle layer are in three sections - two in front and one behind the fence. Sometimes I move the fence forward of the middle section for extreme angle miter cuts (i.e. 60 - 80 degree miters - some of the very extreme miter cuts require plunge cutting into 2 by materials). The frontmost bottom layer remains bolted to the frame throughout this movement process - the middle and top layers are bolted to the bottom layer only and not the frame.
The current melamine top is only one section, a big piece in front of the fence. I have a narrow section for extreme angle miters left over from my first table top that I have found again after (of course ) cutting some extreme angle miters for Ned's rafters.
Now, the problem is that I use both thin and full kerf blades. My idea is to flip over the top section and drill two new sets of mounting holes into the melamine top layer, each drilled with the table offset from the base layers by an inch or two in either direction. This way I can dedicate one kerf on the top table for thin kerf, the other for full kerf and I'll just filp the table back over to the original surface for miter cutting. How does this idea sound?
First some background in order to build suspense. My RAS table is two layers of MDF underneath a layer of melamine with a cherry fence. Why a cherry fence? Because it was $0.15 per board foot because it had a knot on each side at a local(ish) hardwood dealer that guaruntees 100% clear face. It was my first trip to buy a (for me) large bit of lumber so I splurged on my RAS (which is my first stationary tool and thus my pride and joy ). The frontmost section of the bottom layer of MDF is bolted to the frame (I bought the saw used and it didn't come with those silly table leveller thingees - I shimmed the bottom layer with some bits of 30 gauge stove pipe and some pieces of a feeler gauge that I sacrificed to the cause). This bottom layer is in three sections - two before and one behind the fence, with 1/4" dadoes routed into the bottom to hold the 1/4" - 20 threaded rod used as table tensioners. The middle layer are in three sections - two in front and one behind the fence. Sometimes I move the fence forward of the middle section for extreme angle miter cuts (i.e. 60 - 80 degree miters - some of the very extreme miter cuts require plunge cutting into 2 by materials). The frontmost bottom layer remains bolted to the frame throughout this movement process - the middle and top layers are bolted to the bottom layer only and not the frame.
The current melamine top is only one section, a big piece in front of the fence. I have a narrow section for extreme angle miters left over from my first table top that I have found again after (of course ) cutting some extreme angle miters for Ned's rafters.
Now, the problem is that I use both thin and full kerf blades. My idea is to flip over the top section and drill two new sets of mounting holes into the melamine top layer, each drilled with the table offset from the base layers by an inch or two in either direction. This way I can dedicate one kerf on the top table for thin kerf, the other for full kerf and I'll just filp the table back over to the original surface for miter cutting. How does this idea sound?