Rockwell Bladerunner As Benchtop Die Filer

[j ferguson]

Hah Hah,
I know you guys are only interested in heavy Rockwell iron, but this thing does say Rockwell on it. Too bad it isn't a Turbo Commander.

I added a variable speed control to my new Rockwell blade runner and I'm very happy with it. It looks a bit like a very old Doall benchtop die filing machine which used to live next to the WPB SouthBend I ran in 1959. Is it possible to get T-Shank files? it looks like closest thing is abrasive coated blades, but best would be blades with abrasive coating and no teeth.

I should point out that although I'm still pretty abrasive I do have teeth; mine.

 

[rrjohnso2000]

You made me google it, no pics.

I'm curious how you like it and what you are cutting. I just realized I needed something like this and was going to add speed control as well. Please let us know if you find a file can be made to work

 

[j ferguson]

I bolted it down to a 17x24x3/4 MDF top screwed to a harborfreight folding workbench (the $20 one). I'll post a couple of photos. the speed control is a 2kw board which included a nice knob and cost $5.95 on ebay. It fit nicely in the left front leg of the saw - on/off E-Stop type switch is in the right leg. So far, I've cut the mdf and some 1/16 3 ply birch. I'm making a new vacuum table for my cnc router so I'll be cutting some 3/4 HDPE.

My saw will be used mostly for cutting aluminum, thin birch ply, carbon fiber tubes and sheet, and (gasp) balsa for tooling and parts for my R/C Airplane projects. I'd been using a power jig-saw clamped upside down in a vise for a lot of this, but it was dangerous and the saw didn't like it.

Apparently the $99 iteration of this saw is Rockwell's second shot at the idea. The first one had a speed control and a stainless steel work table. I tried to find one but pricing on Ebay seemed nuts to me. I think Rockwell's price point was $199. Apparently the market wouldn't support it.

I've found that it is possible to get the blades locked in a bit cocked, but if I'm careful they lock in straight. So far, other than discovering that it's possible to install the blade at a small angle (easily rectified) all of my experience has been good. I left the Delta table saw with the boat when we sold it and had not bought another one because I didn't intend to do a lot of large wood work and was getting a real mill to do the aluminum projects I used to "mill" on the table saw.

If your work will fit on this thing, i couldn't recommend it too highly. I added an led work light from Ikea. BTW, their led work-lights are much less expensive than official ones ($14) and are easily adapted to this use.

And yes, i finally found a T-Shank file, it was a half-round and I'll probably buy one. I was hoping for a 1/16th inch thick mill file cutting down. I suppose I can grind a t-shank into one and make my own, but ...