That’s a good point! Thanks for the input! I have no way to test it but I bet you’re right. There are other things to consider too that I didn’t really get into (like ring diameter, roller diameter, roller number, and chain length (i.e. machine size)). That hypothesis is a bit of a generalization, and adding bearings to the joints of a linkage system certainly wouldn’t make things worse!
I made a sled drilling template! You can download the PDF here. Just print it and follow the instructions!
If anyone tries it please let me know what you think! I will improve it with feedback!
Once I get a Ridgid router I will update the template with accurate router mounting holes too.
-Logan
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If @bdillahu’s OnShape file is correct, the mounting holes for the Ridgid router are 0.188" (3/16") dia. in an equilateral triangle pattern, with centers 4" apart. Of course he notes that he hasn’t built or tested it. Can anyone with a Ridgid confirm?
Thanks!
The other thing I want to check is the rotation of those holes… basically where in the router frame they are and where that puts the handles and z-axis bracket (which should be avoided with the linkages)
Again from @bdillahu’s file, he’s got a hole at bottom-dead-center. We’ve got a Ridgid router…but it’s at the school and I’m home and not due to visit the school again until Wednesday evening.
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That was based on my measurements and the spec’s on the router… as you say, I haven’t tried it 
That’s the layout I have on my setup currently (one hole dead center bottom, which aligns with the vacuum port on the router coming straight down. To @pillageTHENburn’s point, it may actually fit around everything better to be rotated a little, not sure.
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Well If nobody has cut one from @bdillahu file by this weekend I will give it a shot. I have a rigid router and can also give feed back for @pillageTHENburn since I need to assemble my linkage kit as well!!!. I have 4 kids and make no promises in advance if life gets in the way and takes priority. But I will add it to honey do list before my wife rewrites it.
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I finally have the metal from the shop.
I’ll double check the fit and buy the bolts tomorrow. If I’ve measured correctly the chain master links will ‘just work’ in the small holes. If I got things wrong, I may have to touch each one up with a hand grinder.
but I should be ready to ship them out over the weekend if I buy the bolts locally. I’m really thinking that 1/4" bolts with nylock nuts are going to be better than the sex bolts, but I need to double check what’s available (they will stick out a lot to get bolts with a long enough shoulder, but I’m not sure I can get the other bolts short enough, but washers may make up the difference). Once i know what the bolts are, I can set the final kit price (looking at somewhere in the $30-40 range at this point)
I need to have someone test paypal with me to make sure there isn’t something odd I need to do, please PM me if you are willing to test.
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Those look purdy, I can’t wait to see them in action! What kind of metal is that?
they are 3/16" thick 304 stainless steel
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David, have you ever used Venmo?
Free to send and receive payments with pretty quick processing.
That’s nice and beefy!
Yep, I need to tweak the model a little bit.
I can make the horizontal arms a little smaller. I can make the large holes a
little smaller (I made them .26"/6.6mm to clear the 1/4"bolts, but they turn out
to be .245"/6.25mm, so just a little sloppier than I intended). and I need to
make the small holes just a smidge larger (they are 2.3mm, but so are the pins,
so I need to run a slightly larger drill through them)
But I now have everything together for the kits.
each kit will contain:
2 vertical arms
2 #25 roller chain master links
4 horizontal arms
4 1/4" x 1.5" bolts
4 1/4" nylock nuts
2 1/4" x 3" lag screws
25 1/4" washers
I will be shipping priority mail.
$40 for the US
$55 for Canada/Mexico
$35+shipping elsewhere.
pay me via paypal at firstname@lastname.hm (replace with my name) and don’t
forget to send me the address to ship to, either as a comment with the payment,
or in a PM.
I’m starting to stuff envelopes now (and will drill out the vertical arms over
the weekend and add them in)
Logan, just send me a PM with your address, you get one for free.
David Lang
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For what it’s worth, I ran a quick “test” on some scrap MDF I had around… it seems to measure out about right, but my z-axis depths are off somewhere, so be careful with that. Not sure if it was my setup, or the file itself.
But anyhow, I still don’t guarantee it
This might be related to this issue.
I’ve been testing a workaround that you could try, here. If you try it, will you let me know what you see?
[Edit] changed link to point to firmware download for PR#322.
Just an update fwiw, I wont be able to do much testing experimenting this weekend at all. Yesterday my wife and I decided to adopt a couple of puppies for our 4 boys. The 2 puppies are brother and sister Heeler/Corgi/Chihuahua mix and are adorable of course. Needless to say our weekend plans are totally revolving around our new family members. Sorry I wasn’t much help so if anyone else wants to test feel free!
Regards,
Raphael
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I’m somewhat new to this entire topic, but got a little intro from what was mentioned in the latest Maslow youtube vid. I had a question.
If the desire is for a simple triangle made by the chains, can they not meet at one pivot point at the top of the sled? The software could then account for the vertical drop to the router bit? Just curious. Thanks.
Keeping the bit exactly aligned below that meeting point as the sled moves sideways would take some figuring out. The various parallelogram approaches and the circle/roller one don’t have to deal with that.
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Makes sense. You need some pull towards the sides.
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The problem is that the sled would swing like a pendulaum as it started and
stopped moving.
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