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MicroFence base. Improvement?
http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=5901		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Pwoolson [ Thu Mar 30, 2006 10:43 pm ]
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If I may be so bold, I think I've improved on the existing base of the MicroFence. I looked at Sylvan's design and while just about perfect, it didn't allow me to make the small circles that I wanted. So I went to the drawing board and this is what I came up with. Those of you with this jig might seriously consider something like this as those little feet they give you are worthless. When working on small pieces, they would fall off the edge, giving a little divot in the cut.
Hope this helps someone.
Author:  crazymanmichael [ Thu Mar 30, 2006 11:04 pm ]
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very nice adaptor! did you machine it yourself of send it out?
Author:  Pwoolson [ Thu Mar 30, 2006 11:26 pm ]
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Yeah, I did it myself. Aluminum can be machined with wood tools if you keep it lubed so things don't get too hot. Everything was pretty straight forward except the big hole. I had to use a forestner bit and that thing got very hot no matter how much I lube I was spraying. It took a long time to get the hole because I had to stop and let it cool. Though now, I can use the new and improved micro fence to make holes like this.
Author:  Robbie O'Brien [ Fri Mar 31, 2006 12:59 am ]
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Great improvement Brock!! Have you sent pictures to Microfence?
Author:  Bruce Dickey [ Fri Mar 31, 2006 1:00 am ]
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Paul, nice addition to Microfence product. Did you show it to them? The Woolson Luthier Adapter for Microfence. Great Job.
Author:  Sylvan [ Fri Mar 31, 2006 1:01 am ]
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Paul -
That looks terrific! I have got to have one!Sylvan38807.4186226852
Author:  Pwoolson [ Fri Mar 31, 2006 2:59 am ]
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Yeah guys, I sent it to them. Once figured out, the machining will be much easier and cheaper than the existing base with the little feet.
I haven't heard from them yet.
Author:  CarltonM [ Fri Mar 31, 2006 6:02 am ]
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[QUOTE=Pwoolson]
I haven't heard from them yet. [/QUOTE]
They're probably busy putting together a salary/benefit offer for when they try to hire you! Good job!
Author:  Tim McKnight [ Fri Mar 31, 2006 9:16 am ]
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Hey Paul, nice job. If I were to make one I think I may opt for plexi instead of aluminum only so that visibility could be improved. That's my beef with the terrific little StewMac circle cutter is that I have trouble seeing what I am doing. Howeva', I am blind as a bat anywhoooo.
Author:  Pwoolson [ Fri Mar 31, 2006 10:22 am ]
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Tim, good point. AL is what I had laying around and 3/4" plastic would have been hard to find around here.
Author:  Serge Poirier [ Fri Mar 31, 2006 2:48 pm ]
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Great job Paul, WTG!
Author:  Sylvan [ Thu Apr 06, 2006 1:56 am ]
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Paul, thanks for the inspiration! Works great!
Author:  Serge Poirier [ Thu Apr 06, 2006 4:00 am ]
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Great job Sylvan!
Author:  KevinA [ Fri Apr 07, 2006 7:37 am ]
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Sylvan,

Started to make a new base last night out of acrylic as well. Had some 3/4" material laying around, but it isn't quite thick enough. If my eyes aren't failing me, it looks like you lamninated two pieces together. What total thickness did you need to achieve to make everything work on the same plane?

Kevin
Author:  Pwoolson [ Fri Apr 07, 2006 7:47 am ]
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Kevin, 3/4 isn't a critical number. The only thing critical on this is that the little "lip" is exactly the same thickness as the base of the factory made unit. Otherwise it will tip one way or the other. I was playing around last night and welded two pieces of 3/8" lexan together but they were slightly thinner than the base.
If I were you, I'd use the 3/4 material you have and mill the ledge to exact thickness.
Sylvan, great job on that. Makes me wish I had some acrylic laying around.
Author:  KevinA [ Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:24 am ]
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Paul,

Maybe I'm just dense, but here's the problem I thought I was having last night. When I set my PC 310 on the 3/4" acrylic on a flat surface and put the micro fence unit next to it, the bars on the micro fence are higher than the holes in the cylinders you attach to the acrylic base to connect the two. This is why I thought the acrylic wasn't thick enough. I can put a washer under the cylinders to raise them up, but figured I must be missing something and it should be easier than that. Hopefully you can clue me in.

Kevin
Author:  Sylvan [ Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:58 am ]
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When I made my base (above) my total thickness was derived by supergluing
two pieces of acrylic together. As it worked out it was slightly too thick
making the holes in the cylinders to high. So I just used a 1/2" forstner and
drilled the top portion of the acrylic until the cylinder holes matched up with
the micro fence. The important part, as Paul has pointed out, is that the
micro fence must slide under the acrylic base and be at the same height as
the base so it will be very sturdy and won't tip. Sylvan38814.777962963
Author:  Pwoolson [ Fri Apr 07, 2006 9:43 am ]
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Kevin, yes you can shim it a bit. I assume you aren't talking about much space. I think a washer would be fine.
Sylvan: good fix. I probably would have gotten way too complicated and milled out a ledge.
Author:  KevinA [ Fri Apr 07, 2006 2:27 pm ]
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Thanks guys. At least I haven't completely lost my mind (although my wife would probably take issue with that assessment!). I will get back to working on the base this weekend and see how it goes.

Kevin
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