Gerald,
Interesting you brought up just a simple screw for the vertical adjustment - I was toying with that last night instead of using the bearing w/lever due to the "one off" nature of the skate usage. This also allows for a much smaller form factor and less salvage. But what's a couple of bucks for angle iron? I was playing with a UHMW/delrin treaded screw, but I like the idea of brass even more due to the heat exposure. I did find my screw was to small of a diameter if I shifted the eccentrics all the way to one side....the screw falls off centerline. Time to try a 1/2-20 tomorrow or larger to ensure a good contact surface.
Sean

I agree that as a tool, it is not required one uses all the angle iron, and it is easy enough to buy longer and cut off the ends, but...

there was talk about renting or passing around a skate so anyone could use it, so the investment in time to make a "better?" unit might be worth it.

the second application is a production shop that would be making rails all day long. After a while, the scrap pile will get to be pretty big.

Dave

In a production shop the concentration lapses after a while and somebody is going to push down on the wrong end of that long skate (or actually is going to support the weight incorrectly as the car runs off the rail) . . . .

If I were to seriously do production, that skate would be motorised and run on its own permanent rails - ala the knife grinders.

Guys just keep that brain storm process. It is a pleasure to see how a project grows and develop with good and smart craftsman.
I am just waiting to make my first order.:)