New build with recycled parts on a ridiculous budget 120cm*60cm work area

[magicniner]

I can say from personal experience DO NOT BUY EVOLUTION TABLE SAW it's total shit!

That's a shame, I have the big Evolution cutoff saw and I use it for all sorts of things, it did sterling service cutting a load of old thick wall galvanised imperial scaffold poles into manageable lengths, you need a squirt of WD for ally cutting to avoid clogging up the blade and you must clear the blade if you do clog it.
Just don't try cutting Titanuim, it will eat the blade, don't ask how I know! ;-)

- Nick

[Desertboy]

That's a shame, I have the big Evolution cutoff saw and I use it for all sorts of things, it did sterling service cutting a load of old thick wall galvanised imperial scaffold poles into manageable lengths, you need a squirt of WD for ally cutting to avoid clogging up the blade and you must clear the blade if you do clog it.
Just don't try cutting Titanuim, it will eat the blade, don't ask how I know! ;-)

- Nick

The saw is really good it's the rest of the table that's crap lol, plastic has no place in a table saw! The fence is useless and the table is coming to pieces. I've often thought about taking the saw out and rebuilding it with a real table.

I have an evolution mitre that's a lot better machine but still flimsy it's great for home use but if you've got any commercial uses I think Axminister is a better choice. My friend has done many a house up with his evolution but his tolerances are lot lower than mine.

If you do get clogged teeth from aluminium I found cutting a bit of scrap steel cleans it out fine again but good advice I usually add a tiny amount of SAS (Think it's the same stuff as WD).

Screwfix sell evolution compatible blades for 1/2 the price I have one on my machine at moment can honestly say they are as good the proper ones.

As for eating blades also don't try and cut SBR25 rail with it either lol blunted the blade in and made a slight groove in the rail. Afterwards blades would not cut wood anymore just burn it ;)

In the end I cut the rail with a £1 cutting disc and grinder in about 30 seconds, right tool for the job lol.

[Desertboy]

My custom nema mount and bK12/Bf12 mounts work pefectly


BK12/BF12 mount countersunk bolts so the bolts go from underneath the other 2 holes are to bolt into the T nuts.


The ballnut & spacer bolt in perfectly although I removed the bolts again as they need to be cut down 5mm.

[Nickhofen]

Nice build, I am watching.

[Zeeflyboy]

I've used and abused my big evolution sliding mitre saw over the last couple of years and it's still trucking, I've been very happy with the value for money. It's a little... agricultural... certainly not a precision tool and despite my best efforts I've never been able to completely square it up but it chomps through everything I throw at it, and I use it a lot for chopping up 20mm alu plate but have cut paving slabs, stone tiles, steel, alu, PVC pipe, copious amounts of wood. it's never complained!

Build is looking good!

[Desertboy]

I've used and abused my big evolution sliding mitre saw over the last couple of years and it's still trucking, I've been very happy with the value for money. It's a little... agricultural... certainly not a precision tool and despite my best efforts I've never been able to completely square it up but it chomps through everything I throw at it, and I use it a lot for chopping up 20mm alu plate but have cut paving slabs, stone tiles, steel, alu, PVC pipe, copious amounts of wood. it's never complained!

Build is looking good!

The saw bit is great on my evolution it's the table bit that's crap lol, I to cut 20mm aluminium plate on my table saw and the table saw still has it's original blade. The mitre blade is the one I blunted trying to cut SBR but guess that's hardened. Screwfix sell evolution copy blades for ~£10 each they're pretty good.

Never could get my mitre square either lol.

I should chop the end of the Hiwin's to make it flush but it feels a sin to chop 20cm off original Hiwin's and if I swap the gantry round the shortest way and buy new ballscrews I can get another 10cm of travel out of it.

I already know if I keep this for any length of time will change the ballscrews to 2510's and swap the gantry round.

I tried to increase the chances of making a reasonable machine by outsourcing the manufacturing which I think was the best decision I made in my life lol. All I have to do is get the cad right ;)


I've already made 2 mistakes lol, I missed a counterbore but this is a non issue I can sort myself, one of the ballnut recesses is not long enough this is more of an issue but think we might solve it with a hand router and a jig.

[Chaz]

Lovely gantry parts you have there Desertboy. They look awfully familiar.