Aluminum T-track

[Adam Adolph]

I am wondering where the most reasonable place is to buy t-track for mu workbench.  I have a budget and it seems the the prices vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and web site to web site.  I do not have any wood working stores in the area I live and usually have to rely on local lumber yards and hardware stores or I can drive a short distance (still considered local) and go to a big box store (Menards, Home Depot, Lowes) for my project supplies and tools so I would have to buy online and have it shipped.  Any help would be great.

Thank you in advance for your help.

[Ken Darga]

I like the Bench-Dog ''dual-track, available from Rockler---a 3ft section is about $30.

I find the dual-track very useful.

It features a 3/8x3/4 miter slot and a t-track.

The t-track will accept 1/4 and 5/16 bolts---''T'' style and hex head.

This dual feature is very handy, for many uses and accessories, from clamping to miter bars.

Very useful in my router table top, portable work stand, work tops, drill press table, etc.

 

I was hesitant on purchasing it for a long time, but, after purchasing and making several other versions,

I finally bought the double-track unit.

I milled slots in the work surfaces and bolted the double-track in place.

It's the best and the handiest I've found to date.

 

 

 

 

 

[steve kidd]

hi adam, check out eagle american, they used to have some good deals on package sets, i got several from there. good quality and standard size. hope this helps. price was good too, i awlays shop for the best deal i can find.

[John Schaben]

I have the combo track on my table, it came with the Woodpecker top. It is handy but don't think I would pay a large premium for one. 

 Just a caution for anyone considering one. It is a LARGE extrusion, 1-13/16" wide by 1/2" thick. You must have a table top thick enough and well enough supported to take one of these things without weakening the top significantly.

Ken Darga said:

I like the Bench-Dog ''dual-track, available from Rockler---a 3ft section is about $30.

I find the dual-track very useful.

It features a 3/8x3/4 miter slot and a t-track.

The t-track will accept 1/4 and 5/16 bolts---''T'' style and hex head.

This dual feature is very handy, for many uses and accessories, from clamping to miter bars.

Very useful in my router table top, portable work stand, work tops, drill press table, etc.

 

I was hesitant on purchasing it for a long time, but, after purchasing and making several other versions,

I finally bought the double-track unit.

I milled slots in the work surfaces and bolted the double-track in place.

It's the best and the handiest I've found to date.

 

 

 

 

 

[Adam Adolph]

I recently found a great price on t-track at a local tool supply store.  Thank you to everyone who replied to my post.  Now I am having trouble with finding hardware (nuts and bolts) that fit my track.

[John Schaben]

Hi Adam - Like I pointed out in an earlier post, there are multiple sizes of track out there. Most are sized for either 5/16" or 1/4" hardware but some will take 3/8"  and I have some, from Peachtree I think, that I still haven't figured out. Some non-standard hardware that needs to be ordered from Peachtree :(.  About all you can do is measure it and go from there. Also check toilet bolts in the hardware store. The hold down bolts and the lid bolts generally have a flat oval head that may fit.

[Rick]

Ken, that Bench-Dog dual-track you have -- what is the spacing of the c'snk holes?   It does not look like my c'snk bit would fit in the T-Track to add more holes if needed. 

Ken Darga said:

I like the Bench-Dog ''dual-track, available from Rockler---a 3ft section is about $30.

I find the dual-track very useful.

It features a 3/8x3/4 miter slot and a t-track.

The t-track will accept 1/4 and 5/16 bolts---''T'' style and hex head.

This dual feature is very handy, for many uses and accessories, from clamping to miter bars.

Very useful in my router table top, portable work stand, work tops, drill press table, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ken Darga]

Hi Rick,

The hole spacing, in the Bench-Dog dual-track is on 6'' BC, in the miter track portion---not in the ''t-track portion.

  A 1/2'' dia ctr sink bit will fit in the 3/4'' track---

use a bit that is suitable for metal---

cutting speed of 500-600 rpm, in aluminum. 

  Some woodworking ctr'sink bits feature courser cutting teeth, which I only use in wood materials---

cutting speed of 1500-2000rpm, so as to result in a smoother finished cut in wood products.

  There are hand ctr'sink tools, available in 3/8'' dia and larger sizes, that are nice to have, for anyone making a few holes in wood or soft metals.  Rockler offers one that features 3 cutter sizes, and with a separate handle.  The ctrsink cutters, feature a 1/4'' dia shank that fits nicely in a drill chuck also.  These type bits only feature 2 -3 cutting surfaces---okay for slow speed cutting only---by hand or drill/driver.  

Rick said:

Ken, that Bench-Dog dual-track you have -- what is the spacing of the c'snk holes?   It does not look like my c'snk bit would fit in the T-Track to add more holes if needed. 

[Rick]

Thanks much Ken,

I'm assuming then that mounting screws cannot be added to the T-Track side, where all the hold down force is needed. 

Do you find the Bench Dog Dual Track tends to lift out when being used for clamping??

I noticed on the assembly benches posted on this website, that most used "Multi-Track" for their bench clamps, which have T-Tracks on the bottom side also, and are thru-bolted to the bench.

I'm just trying to get a feel for what point the T-track style, including the Dual Track, is maxed out, and the Multi-Track style is needed.

Ken Darga said:

Hi Rick,

The hole spacing, in the Bench-Dog dual-track is on 6'' BC, in the miter track portion---not in the ''t-track portion.

A 1/2'' dia ctr sink bit will fit in the 3/4'' track---

[Ken Darga]

Rick,

I haven't experienced any issues with the track lifting, during clamping.

I only apply enough force, as necessary, to keep the clamped object in place,

so as to prevent movement, during the wood machining operation. 

I don't try to squeeze all the moisture out of the wood ;-)

  During clamping, the object is ''clamped'' between the track and the clamp.

  Tracks are a handy object that is placed on, or machined into a working surface, such as a work bench, router table top, router table fence, or the like---

 as a means to secure the work-piece, using a clamp.

A clamp is merely a ''tool'', to hold objects.

========(divider)============

Rick said:

Thanks much Ken,

I'm assuming then that mounting screws cannot be added to the T-Track side, where all the hold down force is needed. 

Do you find the Bench Dog Dual Track tends to lift out when being used for clamping??

I noticed on the assembly benches posted on this website, that most used "Multi-Track" for their bench clamps, which have T-Tracks on the bottom side also, and are thru-bolted to the bench.

I'm just trying to get a feel for what point the T-track style, including the Dual Track, is maxed out, and the Multi-Track style is needed.

[Ken Darga]

Rick,

If your looking for a track to suffice for some heavy duty clamping,

the way to go is with Kreg's bench track

 

http://www.kregtool.com/Klamp-Trak-Prodview.html

http://www.kregtool.com/prodimages/nk7551.pdf

[Rick]

Thanks Ken.

At what point does clamping become Heavy Duty Clamping?

I can't find information to help me decide which track I need.  At what point is the Bench Dog Dual Track not "heavy duty enough," and the Rockler Klamp-Trak required?

I plan to build an assembly/router table, and I'm looking for some decent design specifications for these tracks.  The individual clamps in the catalogs should each prescribe which track they require, but they don't.

Ken Darga said:

Rick,

If your looking for a track to suffice for some heavy duty clamping,

the way to go is with Kreg's bench track

[Ken Darga]

Rick,

For a router table, the t-track is adequate---

where one is performing light-duty clamping tasks, such as securing feather boards, hold-down clamps and the like.

I also use t-tracks for general purpose and light duty clamping tasks, on my portable work bench/table,

so as to hold objects in place, while performing some operations, like routing, sanding, and the like.

  Rockler offers a nice selection of tracks.

  For a clamping table, I'd go with Kreg's bench track, which I believe was intended for clamping operations, such as assembly of face frames.

  Try it and see what works for you.  You'll figure it out and learn by doing.

I'm sure you'll find many uses for both type tracks.

  Prior to using a separate t-track, I made my own t-slots in a work bench/table top.

Secure (glue and screw) a sheet of 1/4'' hardboard (tempered masonite) over a 3/4'' thick particle board---making a 1'' thick work top.  (plywood can be used in lieu of particle board).

  Make a 3/8'' wide slot, in the 1/4'' board with a router bit, or equiv means, then followed by making a t-slot, using a slotter router bit, into the particle board---end result is having a t-slot in the table top.

---OR---

make the slot for the bolt head in the particle board---

then fasten the 1/4'' board to the 3/4'' board---

followed by make the 3/8'' slot in the 1/4'' board.

The result is have a t-slot in your work top.

  Slot sizes can be made to accommodate only hex head 5/16'' bolts---slot width size so the flats of the bolt head would lock against the side walls of the slot---measure the flats on the hex-head bolt and add 1/32'' for clearance so the head slides freely in the slot.

  Make the slots (dado) with a router bit.  If one doesn't have a router, the slots can me made with a circular hand saw.

  On some work table tops I ran two such slots---one along the front edge and one along the back edge---

spacing the slots about 3" in from the edge.  This makes for 2 handy slots.

  I made some clamps from birch or oak plywood, of various shapes and sizes to facilitate the project I was making.  One can purchase various clamps, or make your own, from 3/8 to 1/2'' thick aluminum bar stock---very handy.

Some handy clamps, in various sizes and shapes, can be made from wood.