The Rail Gage is a template in which the circular saw has cut a kerf, which defines the cut line for precisely locating the rail on the work piece. For instructions on how to make a rail gage click on the Download menu tab. |
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The Rail Gage uses a Universal Bearing and a clear piece of Lexan that is attached to the bottom of the bearing to create a cutting template that clearly defines the cut-line of a circular saw attached to the Universal Trolley.
The Rail Stabilizer uses the same approach but uses a 1/8" piece of hardboard (Masonite) or other similar material. |
| Make two Rail Gages and place one at each end of the guide rail when setting up the cut. Tighten the Rail Gage onto the rail using the 2" L-bolt. Position the rail on the work piece using the Rail Gage to set the distance to the cut-line. Attach a Rail Clamp and a Rail Stop as appropriate. Proceed with the cut. |
Rail Stabilizer attached near the midpoint of the Rail.
The Stabilizer is used on extended rails to restrict any sideways deflection of the Duplex Rail. Go to Rail Flex to see the results of the Duplex Rail flex testing. |
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Use the Lever & Fulcrum method of clamping in the mid region of the rail when it is necessary to hold down the work piece(s), such as when cutting multiple pieces at one time.
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This picture shows 10 door rails clamped across their width using a bar clamp and a lever and fulcrum clamping method to keep each piece firmly in place on the work surface (Tool Trolley Workbench). This view shows the clamping side of the rail that has had the tenon cheek cut completed. The set-up is in place for cutting the cheeks and routing the tenons, which takes place on the business side of the rail. Go to the Videos web page and select Cutting Multiples Tenons to see live action of this operation
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The Rail Stabilizer and Lever & Fulcrum are two techniques for attaching a Rail Clamp mid-way on a rail as in the picture above. A Rail Stabilizer is made exactly like the Rail Gage but the length of the attached stretcher is long enough to reach across the work piece to the rail. The stabilizer acts to restrict any sideways movement of an extended length rail and is used when close tolerance (i.e., 0.010") is desired. The Rail Stabilizer does not apply any clamping force.
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Using the Slideable Rail Clamp to Extend the Length of the Cut
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| The Lever & Fulcrum extends the clamping force to the Rail Clamp. It is the preferred method of applying a clamp on a rail that does not reach across the width of the work piece. In such a case, a Rail Clamp is applied to the rail at the front edge of the work piece (entry point of the saw) and a lever & fulcrum clamp is applied at an intermediate point on the rail. The lever & fulcrum holds the rail in place and a cut is made approaching the end of the rail. The saw is stopped and kept in place. The front clamp is removed and the 2" L-bolt in the lever and fulcrum clamp is loosened to al;low the rail to slide through the mid point clamp and trolley bearings to extend the rail to the end of the work piece to finish the cut |
Lets examine this fact a little closer. Any rail shape other than round will distort if an opposing twisting force is applied to each end of the rail. The result is an effective widening of an outer dimension and the narrowing of an inner dimension. If a tool guide is tracking within a grooved or atop of a raised square or other non-round profile and the rail is clamped to a bent or warped work piece, the tool guide is likely to bind as the effective width of the rail has changed. Our tubular shaped rail will twist along the shape of the bent or warped work piece but the profile of the round edge stays round and the Universal Tool Trolley stays on line for a straight, non-binding cut every time.
