I would like to make this offer. I setup this website about a year ago, http://www.msnusers.com/ncmechmate/documents.msnw
I wanted an off site location to store files.
If anyone has lists of materials, "how to" document files, or whatever ..... in a format that can be uploaded as a file (no pictures please), we can upload them here, tag them so folks can come back to your "personal thread" in the mechmate forum and see how it relates. This can be anything that relates to the MechMate.
This idea could be fantastic or a complete disaster............time will tell.

I have put up a test post as an example. Go try it out.


Click the website link above, after you arrive on that site click the "3 to 1 Belt Drive" file.

JR,

I applaud your desire to want to set up a location for files but I personally hope it does not happen. I signed up but I found that it was too much trouble to go there to just get your BOM.

To have two locations for files for me is just too confusing. I would rather find every thing is one spot.

Just my personal feelings about it.

Regards,

Hi Marc / J.R.

Any progress on the .dxf files of the reduction pulley assembly?

Sent file to Alan in a PM.

Does anyone know where to find instructions on how to install a new lower bearing (part 11a) in a model 7519 Porter Cable router? Thanks

Did you look on Paco's site? He had all that stuff. Anybody remember that URL?

Just a personal advisement on bearings replacement.
 

I suggest to anyone who plans to replace bearings on their router to consider replacing those with SKF bearings.
SKF is German hi-quality bearing and most likely the factory replacement ones you wish to replace are some cheep Chinese type !
You can imagine what a surprise-irony :eek: it was when I open my Bosch 1619evs( German brand, made in …somewhere else in the world !!) and see most parts tagged/stamp “CHINA” !!
Anyway, replacing my Bosch bearing with those SKF resulted in a smoother and much quieter router than ever I would thought off / imagine :).
I know now I will not hesitate to pay this extra for some SKF bearings when the next time comes around to change bearings on some of my other Porter-Cable routers !
Amicalement, Robert ;)

Robert, SKF is a Swedish company with factories throughout the world. The bearings in that size typically come from their French factories.

I agree that SKF is my first choice in bearings, but I would not hesitate to accept genuine SKF made in China. Their excellent international quality control is what makes them strong.

Doops….No offence & I should know better and DBL checked before saying GERMAN made ! :o
Swedish German maybe…. Naa…:p
At any rate, as you pointed Gerald, the point here is not much on where there made but their Q.C. strength, tolerances & specs is what SKF is world renowned for !
Just can’t go wrong with those !!!

This is good information about how to take apart and reassemble the 7519 Porter Cable router. I came real close to wrecking mine before I fount it.:o

http://www.acetoolrepair.com/7519-p-1292.html


Thanks all for the help and recommendations.:)

I found these motors for $55 new but they only have 49. Send me a pm if interested.

http://store.kysanelectronics.com/servlet/Detail?no=68897

Hi JR,
I’m not in to this yet so excuse me lack of knowledge and what I do remember from what I’ve read on motors to date!! ?
Are those motors at those specs desirable for a typical belt drive MechMate set up ?
I was planning / aiming to try the Motor King ones with a type of belt drive as you did and be part of the eventual “ Motor King test guys”.
What’s your thought on those ??

Thanks in advance, Robert

Robert let's see if we can get Mike Richards to give his opinion on these motors. I am not sure if they are what is needed or not. The price was right so I posted.

I'm trying to find an easier way to change bits in the middle of a job. One of the most time consuming things for me is trying to re-zero the new bit :(. There are probably a dozen ways to do it, this is what I came up with. I really don't know how well it's going to work, I'll report back with results in a week or so. All of the bits are 1 3/4" from the tip to where the shoulder touches the collet. I think after the first bit is zeroed the rest will just kinda fall into place ;). Here are a few pics to better explain. Oh almost forgot ....the bit holders have 2 set screws. The bits are only 1 1/4" out of the tool holder, some look a lot more than that don't they. If they work good I'll make one for each bit. The other benefit is no more fiddling with 1/4" to 1/2" collet adapters, that alone might be worth it.:cool:

J R

Did you make the tool holders or buy them?

Nils, I used my trusty little manual metal lathe. I wish it was CNC, sure would make it easy. Maybe we can find someone with a CNC lathe sure would make it easy ........hint.......hint.......anyone???

very cool JR, only problem I have with tool holders like the hightechsystems one is the tool extension from the spindle. The farther you get the worse, but yours don't seem too bad! And not bad for a manual lathe. Rezeroing is a pain, can't wait for someone to come up with an affordable tool changing system.

Everyone needs a good laugh now and again, this is your opportunity to have one at my expense.:D

This is what I have learned (I think). All of my bits and cutters do not need to be the same length (see post #375). However, individually I need to be able to insert them back into the router collet to the exact same length every time, hence the purpose of the bit holders. I was trying to make all of them protrude from the collect 1 3/4". This is not necessary, they can be any length, tool one (T1) 1 3/4", tool 2 (T2) 1 3/8", tool 3 (T3) 2 1/8" etc. Regardless of the length of the bit I can setup a "tool length offset" for each one, I use Sheet Cam and when defining a tool's parameters I specify the "tool length offset".

It can be a negative or positive number.

I will base this offset number on lets say 2". Now when I setup the tool offset for T1 (1 3/4") I will use an offset of -.25 (this tells sheet cam that my bit is .25 short so it adds .25 to the Gcode [1 3/4 + 1/4 = 2]), for T2 (1 3/8) I use -0.625 (this tells sheet cam that my bit is 0.625 short so it adds 0.625 to the Gcode [1 3/8 + 5/8 = 2]), and for T3 (2 1/8) I use 0.125 (this tells sheet cam that my bit is 0.125 long so it subtracts 0.125 from the Gcode [2 1/8 - 1/8 = 2]) etc.

I am now ready to use my machine. I run the Z down until the collet touches the material (0) and manually type 2 in the Z dro. Now all bits and cutters will locate to 0 when inserted :) :cool:. I think I somewhat have a handle on this, it is a little confusing.

Discussions and corrections are welcome.

Hey, you promised a laugh, but there wasn't anything funny ;)

(Some "CAM" programs do not allow you to set up "length of bit" in the toolbox - you are lucky that Sheetcam handles it)

"I am now ready to use my machine. I run the Z down until the collet touches the material (0) and manually type 2 in the Z dro. Now all bits and cutters will locate to 0 when inserted :) :cool:. I think I somewhat have a handle on this, it is a little confusing."


I should have said ... and manually type -2 in the Z dro. I also would like to change the "it is a little confusing" to ... it is a lot confusing.:o

To make sure more people could take advantage of this system I changed the style and used only the drill press to make these new bit holders.

First thing was to cut the 1/2" cold roll rod to 1 5/8" long. To do this I chucked the rod in the drill press, turned it on and used the horizontal skate to cut it (1.5 mm disc). Next, I put a 1/4" drill bit vertical in the drill press vice (point up), slide it under the rod (still in the chuck) until it was near the center. Turned on the drill press and slowly moved it down. Believe it or not it will automatically pull the bit to the exact center of the rod :cool:. It dose look a little strange to have the material turning in the chuck and the drill bit not turning :eek:. The rest is self explanatory (I hope). The perpendicular hole in the rod is not threaded, it's just a hole so the set (grub) screw can reach the bit shaft. Almost forgot, you'll need to pick up some longer set screws for the 1/2" shaft collars. The shine you see between the rod and the collar looking from the bottom shot, is Loctite.

This new design works just as good as the other ones and they are a lot easier to make.

I'm ready to go. I have entered all the offset information into Sheet Cam's tool set. No more zeroing in the middle of the job, that will be sooooo nice. :cool:

Nice selection, my postal address is ...........;) Christmas is comming you know.

What is the angle of the V-cutter top left... I only managed to find 90 and 60 degrees in my area !

JR,
That looks like a sweet setup. Sounds like you have been putting your machine to good use. Maybe you could post some pictures of your latest projects? :)

Kobus T14 is a 45 degree V-bit. How can you even call it Christmas when it happens in the middle of summer. :D

Heath only doing very boring stuff. Pic 1 is the dowels (made on CNC wood lathe) for the doors, pic 2 is one of the doors 1 of 4, and pic 3 is a counter top for a pass through.

JR thats a nice setup, but I would dump all of those straight cutters and get some solid carbide upspirals/compression spirals to replace them. The difference in cut is amazing, plus they last much longer.

Brian where do you buy your cutters? Only 2 are straight cutters, well 3 if you count the 1" I use to surface the table. Just came across a company that sells a 1/4" X 2 1/2" solid carbide up cut spiral for $13.50, I may try some. Tell me what you think? http://www.bamcarbide.com/socaupcutspr.html

I like Whiteside tool company's bits. Very high quality for very affordable prices. Woodcraft sells them here locally but online too. Vortex apparently is good too but haven't used them.

I like see www.rs-online.com it is a good online catalog like mcmaster.

A few pictures of my most recent job. I'm not the builder, I just cut it out. This is a .25 scale of a 32' long and 12' beam Carolina style boat. The model is 8' long. The real thing (full size) is in the sheets stacked under the scale model.

Interesting lines, big flare at the bow and a little tumble home at the stern.

I remember that first warehouse you showed pictures of .......... it's plenty big enough for you to build one of these in? The process is called "cold mold". With 2 of the largest Yamaha 4 cycle I was told it will do around 60 mph. It's also made for 1 or 2 inboards.

JR,
Looks like you are really working your machine lately. :) Are you going to cut one for yourself? :cool:

Heath the plan is to cut and sell frame kits. I'm doing the cutting for Gene, he's doing the selling.
The boat is built on these frames then turned right side up and they are removed.
Not sure about building one, if I did it would be with a few other folks and we would for sure 'sell it'. Any idea what it cost to dock and fuel one of these things. :o I'm told completely finished the price can be up to $300,000.00 US depending on how it is equipped. :cool:

J.R. since this design has the same name as my wife where can I google to see what the finished product looks like, would like to show her something that is related to her name.Must tell you, had a 18 foot cabin boat nice for fishing but not cheap to run with the fuel prices and eventually became a white elephant.it ended up funding some parts for my MM and some tools.

Hennie try these

http://www.shearlineboatworks.com/in_the_shop.asp
http://www.islandstyleyachts.com/yachts.cfm
http://www.marlinmag.com/article_print.jsp?ID=54610
http://www.yachtworld.com/hutchinsyachtsales/

Thanks!

Nice! boats