Get on track! Making a 3D printed track saw adapter
Workshop 88 had a Makita track saw rail without a saw to go with it so I thought I’d try designing a 3D printed sled for the saw. Workshop 88 has a few circular saws so I was looking for a way to make a “universal” sled. Luckily, I found that a surplus steel bar originally for hanging file folders was a good fit for the tool mount slot at the front of the saws. I learned a couple of interesting things in the process, like somehow the Ryobi battery operated saw magically had a base that perfectly fit against the side guide in the rail, so it could be used directly without an adapter. The other thing I learned from Jim is that circular saws can be either left-handed or right-handed. The corded Menards Tool Shop circular saw is right handed and the battery operated Ryobi is left handed. I sketched the profile of the track in FreeCAD and iterated 3D printing profiles that fit snugly but moved freely with the slot, then modeled the slot holes and bosses needed to securely install the steel mounting bar using M3 socket head cap screws. When happy with the fit I extended the model to a length that would extend under the saw past the blade that would also fit comfortably on the Qidi X-Plus 3 printer. Finally I added a Workshop 88 logo for decoration. Thanks again Canuck Creator for donating the 3D printer to Workshop 88 at the Midwest RepRap Festival (MRRF) ! It really has been a great upgrade for the Makerspace. I cleaned the bed, used a little Aqua Net hairspray for added adhesion security, and loaded up a spool of Polymaker red PLA to match the saw. Thanks Polymaker for the sponsorship! It fit together beautifully! Only the very astute reader may notice that the picture of the one on the 3D printer is a mirror image of the working one below. After printing for nearly 3 hours I excitedly removed it from the bed to discover that I had extended the wrong end of the thin prototype and the tool mounting bar slot was at the wrong end! I was so confused at the time, but when I realized the mistake at open house, we all laughed. I’ve since corrected the CAD and printed the working non-Bizarro version depicted below. It turned out great. The bar allows lateral adjustment of the saw to really dial in the clearance between the track and the blade. The broad PLA bottom rides smoothly on the low friction strips, and the tolerances are tight enough for high accuracy cutting without binding. I’m super happy with this design. It’s a very niche design for a particular saw and track, and the CAD file is a little hackish, but if you are interested, here are the CAD and step files for download: The new addition to the wood shop lives on the shelf with the circular saws. We all can’t get over how well the Polymaker red PLA matches the color of the saw, too. What will you make next at your local makerspace? Workshop 88 makerspace is sponsored by Comparion Insurance . Local agents who know insurance inside and out, able to easily guide clients through the complex process of finding policies to match their unique needs. Benefits: The right coverage at the right price Insurance options from a wide variety of carriers A local expert looking out for their exact needs Use the QR code or this link get a no-commitment insurance quote and save money today: https://www.comparioninsurance.com/workshop-88… The post Get on track! Making a 3D printed track saw adapter first appeared on Workshop88 .
