Chain Saw Mortising Attachment

[scottcox]

Why? - 'Because it's there!

Link (http://www.woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPRES.exe?PARTNUM=889-372&LARGEVIEW=ON)

I'll have to think about this one.

[david_white]

what do you think 18k rpm. ok well, only if the blade is sharp.

[Brady Watson]

Hey Scott,
Rather than getting crazy with a chainsaw, you can install a small rotary table in between the Z axis T-rail and the router that would function as a router/head-tilting mechanism. Then, create a config file that swaps the axes so that your Z axis is now the Y axis & your Y axis is now the Z. If you visualize the movement of your machine as a cube (planar faces) then you can route out tenions like the chainsaw deal does. You will need to make provisions for the router to make sure that it doesn't smack into the spoilboard at it's lowest spot, which may mean propping up your work on stand-offs, just like they would on a 5-axis CNC. Just a thought...

-B

[terryd]

The chain saw does give square corner though. The router will leave round corners which is a small detail when due consideration is given to running a chain saw on your bot

[Gary Campbell]

There are chain mortise add ons for circular and worm drive saws also. We used them in Northern MI for timber frame and log mortising. They are also useful for slotting the ends of logs in window and door openings to allow vertical slip for shrinkage. I would like to say they are not as dangerous as they look, but I cant! They are neccessary though.
Gary

[scottcox]

It caught my eye because I've considered adding an electric chainsaw to rough cut logs for the indexer. Right now I have to area clear each knot and limb with the bit to get it semi-even and avoid air cutting. I do this to avoid running my gas chainsaw in the shop while standing on my shopbot. Been there.

Also, as far as mortises go, with my open indexer "trough," I can stand a 30 inch+ workpiece on the floor through the steel supports and route the top. So I can do a rounded tenon to match my rounded mortise. I thought about cutting a hole in the floor so I could do longer pieces. I'll wait on that one too.

Brady, I really like the idea of a rotary table for that purpose. I just went and measured and "yup". that's an option, too!

Gary, I've also considered a 16" circular "beam saw" and a three wheel portable bandsaw for cutting thick slabs now and being able to do timber frame later.