I am just getting things setup and I am planning to use the Metal maslow sled with a Router I already had (a Rigid 2402 trim router) which has similar specs as the recommended Makita from MetalMaslow. One drawback is I have to 3d Print a custom brace for the Rigid 2402 and fit it on the upgraded Z-axis. I am concerned about getting dead center of the sled with this custom attachment so wondering if that will be an issue with accuracy or if it can be adjusted for in calibration (it may sit slightly to the right or left of center). Thanks for any input!
maybe helpful- this is the mount I plan to work into the MetalMaslow sled if anyone has one for reference:
I don’t remember there being any adjustments in the calibration for the router being off-center - I think it’s one of the assumptions that are made during the calibration process.
As long as you’re not terribly off center, I don’t think it’s a big impact to precision or accuracy. I know that I’m a millimeter-ish off on mine - everything was centered fine until I tightened all the screws. 
I know that people have 3d printed router bit guides that fit in the center sled hole to align the router bit to the center of the hole in the sled. Another option is to print out some polar graph paper (with concentric circles on it) and use that to make sure your router bit aligns correctly.
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The issue with being off center is that as the sled rotates (which it will a little bit from drag from the dust collector or wires…etc) the bit will move out of the center. Basically there isn’t a way to compensate for the router being off center in the calibration without knowing exactly how the sled is rotated which we don’t know
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There are no settings to handle off-center routers in calibration, and there
really can’t be because if the router is off center relative to the linkage,
then the position of the router will vary depending on the rotation of the sled,
and we have no way to know what that is.
David Lang
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thanks all, what I gather is then being centered in the sled is pretty important so I will need to get that sorted
thanks for all the feedback
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That makes sense.
I was considering the geometry calculations, and how instead of one triangle, an off-center router would essentially give you two linked triangles, and how that would expand the number of variables that you had to solve for. I think it’s the same net effect, but I’d have to draw it out on paper before I’d be willing to argue the point.
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