(TUTORIAL) Butt-joining profile linear rail with limited tools

**Lee Roberts** · 13-06-2019

Nice idea and job you did on them!

For longer lengths you could use a bench disk sander, one with slots for a mitre fence not the other type obviously, one like this (https://www.axminster.co.uk/jet-jsg-...-sander-510390) but with-out the price tag of that unit lol.

I got mine on eBay for £40 second hand, paid for its self with-in a week, there such handy tools to have in the shop I couldn't be without mine now!

**routercnc** · 13-06-2019

Very handy. I was offered a series of short rails for an X axis rail upgrade a while back at a very low cost. In the end I dug deep and bought 2 complete long rails but your method looks good.

**Nealieboyee** · 14-06-2019

Originally Posted by Lee Roberts

Nice idea and job you did on them!

For longer lengths you could use a bench disk sander, one with slots for a mitre fence not the other type obviously, one like this (https://www.axminster.co.uk/jet-jsg-...-sander-510390) but with-out the price tag of that unit lol.

I got mine on eBay for £40 second hand, paid for its self with-in a week, there such handy tools to have in the shop I couldn't be without mine now!

Yes that is a great idea. Honestly I didn't even consider that the offcuts might be longer than the drill press height could accomodate. That price is ridiculous for a sander, but even with a cheap one you could just rig a fence at 90 degrees to the disc and push the rail into it while keeping it against the fence. Would probably be more accurate than my method too!

Originally Posted by routercnc

Very handy. I was offered a series of short rails for an X axis rail upgrade a while back at a very low cost. In the end I dug deep and bought 2 complete long rails but your method looks good.

Thanks. Yes for the price of proper rail, its worth trying other methods if you have the offcuts.

Side note, do you know where I can get replacement ball bearing...balls. One of my carriages has a few missing.