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For the last 12 years, I have enjoyed the use of a sliding table. First, I had
the 52" Excalibur and more recently the 26" Exaktor. These units were great, but
they also were expensive — $500 and up.
So last week, when I was looking through the new Rockler catalog, I saw their
new sliding table for $250. I had to see it first hand. If it worked, I thought that
many of my readers would like to know that.
[The photo at the left is from Rockler's website.]
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I ordered last week and 5
days later, the 2 box unit arrived at my shop. The instructions were on 6 pages —
simple but that was all the unit required. Compared to the previous sliding tables that I
had used, this one was designed much simpler. Simpler to install; simpler to align.
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I mean, you can't
get simpler than this.
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I had read in the catalog
description that this sliding table used UHMW plastic bushings instead of the steel
bearings used in the expensive tables.
UHMW is not new to me, but I wasn't sure whether it would really be
"friction free." At right is a view of the entire table bottom and an inset
showing a close-up of one of the UHMW plastic bushings.
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The first job was to remove the
protective coating that encased the heavy steel shafts. The instructions are very specific
what can be used and not used. I used Naphtha which after several soakings got rid of the
sticky stuff, or so I thought.
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The next step called for
removing the left wing of the saw. Since I had removed it years ago for the other tables,
I moved to the next step which was to screw the sliding table frame in position on the
table saw using the saw's bolts. So far this is easy.
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Next, I started adding the
support brackets. On both of the previous sliding tables, several support legs were
installed. I like this design — it will be easier to move the saw and not worry about
"dragging" the legs.
As the catalog picture showed, the support arms are really designed to attach
to the open frame stand of contractor's saws. The instructions suggest that "you may
have to drill" holes to attach these brackets.
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This is a view of my
cabinet saw. It has two brackets to hold the fence. I do not use them since I have
the Incra TS-III fence system. Maybe I will get lucky and be able to use these brackets
and not drill new holes. They are definitely sturdy enough.
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Well, lucky I am. I am
using small C-clamps to temporarily hold the supports in place. I will have to drill
through these brackets, but I want to be sure that this will work — so on with the
installation.
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The instructions call
these "washers" but they were packaged separately and are really used as
spacers. They are about double the thickness of the other washers. The arrow points to the
spacers under one of the rail's holddown screws.
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Here,
both rails are mounted in place and I have placed a level on the frame. I have tightened
the support brackets and they seem to be level and very sturdy.
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I now slide the table onto
the rails. They match up quite easily.
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With the table on fully, I
use a larger level to adjust the sliding table top to be aligned with the saw table.
It was all coming together very well, BUT the table wasn't sliding
smoothly. The instructions caution you to "only use dry silicone spray."
Definitely, it needed help, so I decided to quit for the night and find some dry silicone
spray the next day.
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