"JBL" wrote in message
news
On 06/25/2017 03:35 PM, wrote:
On Sun, 25 Jun 2017 13:56:31 -0400, JBL wrote:

On 06/25/2017 01:45 PM, wrote:
On Sat, 24 Jun 2017 23:13:21 -0400, JBL wrote:

I am attempting to make a few "dovetails" which are brackets
used to
attach a telescope to a telescope mount. If purchased outright,
for the
kind of dovetails I need, the expense is beyond my budget. I
recently
acquired some 1/2" aluminum sheet/ bar. The dovetail needs to
be 1.75"
wide at the base, with the sides cut at a 15 degree angle.
Length can
vary a bit, but usually about 12-14". My plan was to make at
least 3
for the various telescopes I have.

I thought I'd be able to get away with an old circular table saw
I had.
Last week, I made some 1/4" thick dovetails of a slightly
different
design using my table saw fitted with a plywood blade. This
went well,
but when I tried to make these thicker 1/2" dovetails today, I
ended up
burning out my saw.

Ideas for a cheap way to make these dovetails would be welcome.
I've
been watching Craigslist for another circular to replace the
burned out
one, but I don't think it's the best tool for this job without a
$30
plus blade made to cut metal and even then I'm not sure it will
do it.

Thanks in advance for your help,
John
2 words. Band Saw.

Would you happen to know what size band saw? A neighbor has a 10"
saw
with 1/8 to 1/4" blades I could borrow.
How good does the finish need to be? You could use a vertical band
saw
but the finish won't be very good, not really good enough for a
sliding fit if that's what you're looking for. But if you just need
the angle for retaining then a bandsaw would be a fast and easy way
to
cut the aluminum. You will need to make some sort of fixturing to
hold
the aluminum at the correct angle and width. You could also use a
carbide router bit with a rub collar if you have a router. Carbide
router bits are great, they last a very long time compared to the
HSS
ones and are not very expensive.
Eric


I just recently picked up a Craftsman router table, but no router
yet. I've never seen a router in use or used one myself and I have
started checking videos on the topic. At some point, I'll pick up a
used router.

I suspected the band saw might be a bit problematic for the long
angled cuts I needed unless I added a fence maybe... I'm just going
to go with the carbide blade the others mentioned, go much more
slowly and add small amounts of cutting depth at a time using the
table saw. I managed to find a cheap Craig's List replacement over
the weekend. I tried to salvage the prior saw, but motor windings
tested open for continuity and a replacement motor was far more than
I paid for the saw, so just cheaper to get another used one.

If you go asking for a used motor, this is called a Resilient mount.
http://www.electricmotorwholesale.co...THON-A279.html
-jsw