Interesting design for a panel saw/router - the Swap Saw
I wonder if any seasoned woodworkers would comment on this thing.
I was thinking of going down the route of table saw and router table. Then I discovered track saws like the Festool stuff. Boy does that gear get expensive.
The Swap Saw looks like it can take on quite a few tasks.
Just realising that you could do take on this thing with conduit and skate bearings.
How about the MPPS (Mostly Printed Panel Saw) anyone?
Edit: Here is a similar DIY take on the concept
He uses extrusion for rails, but his design is based on a Shop Notes design that is based on…conduit and bearings!
Pages from the shop notes design found here. Pages 16-25.
Thinking this through some more, if you made a massive MPCNC and turned it on it’s edge, you would have something close to a panel saw already.
Being on it’s long edge, mounting a circular saw or router on the z assembly would have a different set of deflection problems.
Having the tool on the z-mount would give you a mechanism for control over cut depth, which would be handy for routing applications.
Someone with more design skill than me must have thought about this stuff already.
Interesting. I have found the panel saws at Lowes and Home Depot very handy lately. The only problem is getting someone willing to take 20 extra seconds to make the cut accurate.
If I had my own house and shop I would probably build this in a heartbeat.
I am not sure if you can get enough torque through the GT2 belt to lift an entire axis. Would almost have to go ball screw to get the speed and strength.
I think the right counter weight mechanism would help with that wouldn’t it?
I use a festool track saw when I need clean edges with no tear out. Otherwise I just use my table saw.