This is my first foray in to the Maslow Community with a post about my efforts to convert a panel saw to a Maslow.
I picked up the panel saw at an auction at the old Kearney Pattern Works-Foundry in San Jose for $50.
I got a bug and decided to order the Maslow PCBs from OSHPark and the parts (now available) but then came across a posting here for a complete kit (thanks MHM!).
I then used steel I collected from the closing OSH stores a few months back to build two “arms” to hold the motors and mount points for the chain and cord.
I visited the Maslow at Noisebridge a couple of time for guidance. Since I was working off script I needed to see what the various offsets were which I couldn’t easily tell from what I found online.
I realized that the center anchor points for the cord will need to be extended out and I’ll use another piece of angle iron for this so I can add the pulleys and a guide over them.
Sooooo. I took my best shot at it and the pictures are below. I’ll hopefully have the electrical done next week so I can cut the final-sled.
There’s is still a lot more to do but I hope to post more next week
for the offsets of things in the Z axis (in and out of the workpiece)
take the chains off of the sled, move the router to about where it will be to
cut, and then find the balance of the sled (a piece of angle-iron under the top
bracket for the ring works well). move it to where the sled it at right angles
to the ground
move the ring to be at this balance point.
you want to have the motors and the center chain tension support to be
positioned so that the chain will be parallel to the workpiece with the sled
resting on the material size you intend to cut (this doesn’t need to be exact,
± 1/2" is trivial, ± 1 inch is probably ok)
if you can get it so that the center of the sprockets are 12’ apart, and about
18-30" above the top of the work area that would be much better than ‘stock’
(but will need a little extra chain). see the spreadsheet to figure out exact
tweaks.
Thank you! I am going to extend the anchor points for the tension cord and the chain out about 3-3-1/2" which should get the chain pretty even with the work piece surface.
Ran my first calibration tonight but had to stop when I realized I should use a full sheet for my first test cuts - in the calibration tool. I’ll try that tomorrow I hope. I’m using a small DeWalt for the temp sled but I have the Rigid router for the final.
