Finished instructions for installing and leveling 3-piece slates
- Thread starter realkingcobra
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How do you do that?tsp&b said:Glen may be this could be made a "sticky". Sure would be handy!!!
RaceToFive
Registered
What a great set of instructions. Thank you so much :grin:
OTLB
Banned
I have some questions about some points in here? will start with just some.
how do you sand off only the bondo and not any slate??
What happens when you free the slates where they were bonded with superglue?
wood shims will only have 2 points in the table, one on the slate and one on the frame and they will be on an angle right? why do they make frames flat if they are going to be shimmed with an angled shim? Would you use angled shims between the pedastels and frame irons on a GC 1, I don't think so, I wouldn't.
I only see one machinst level and one carpenter level, its impossible to view a puzzle without having a picture of it together. Isn't it better to have more levels instead of writing all over the slate?
how do you sand off only the bondo and not any slate??
What happens when you free the slates where they were bonded with superglue?
wood shims will only have 2 points in the table, one on the slate and one on the frame and they will be on an angle right? why do they make frames flat if they are going to be shimmed with an angled shim? Would you use angled shims between the pedastels and frame irons on a GC 1, I don't think so, I wouldn't.
I only see one machinst level and one carpenter level, its impossible to view a puzzle without having a picture of it together. Isn't it better to have more levels instead of writing all over the slate?
Glen, any other questions?OTLB said:I have some questions about some points in here? will start with just some.
how do you sand off only the bondo and not any slate?? Bondo is softer than slate, so it sands off first.
What happens when you free the slates where they were bonded with superglue?If you score the seams first with a razor knife, they come apart easy, and won't chip the slates
wood shims will only have 2 points in the table, one on the slate and one on the frame and they will be on an angle right? why do they make frames flat if they are going to be shimmed with an angled shim? Would you use angled shims between the pedastels and frame irons on a GC 1, I don't think so, I wouldn't.The shims I use are long, and only slightly tapered, so they fit good, and it's easier to raise the surface of the slate that needs to be adjusted by tapping in the shim than it is to try and lift the slate to place another flat shim
I only see one machinst level and one carpenter level, its impossible to view a puzzle without having a picture of it together. Isn't it better to have more levels instead of writing all over the slate?I demonstrated this leveling with one machinist level for the reason that not all mechanics have more than one level, nor do home owners
Baking soda works real goodOTLB said:
Glen
Been there, done that...baking soda is almost free, one box will last about a yearOTLB said:
Glen
Need Better Version of the Diagram
RKC,
Can you (or anyone else) provide a drawing showing the points (i.e. R10, R11, etc) than is in the word doc.?
Thanks,
QE
RKC,
Can you (or anyone else) provide a drawing showing the points (i.e. R10, R11, etc) than is in the word doc.?
Thanks,
QE
MS word or office.
lottaboost
New member
Few extra tips
King cobra, awesome tutorial. You won't find this professional info in any book or any tutorial (This is top secret shit!).This is the only tutorial i've seen that shows what I consider the correct way to set up a table.
I have a couple extra tips, that were not shown in the tutorial and are imperative to successfull leveling. Unfortunately the carpenters level is not a true straight edge, and can very quite a bit from end to end. When you are at the stages of using the machinist level on top of the carpenters level make sure you calibrate the machinist level and carpenters level as a single unit. If you don't do this you will get VERY funky readings that don't make sense, and you will probably just end up shooting yourself or somebody else. Just as you would normally calibrate the machinist level by itself, you MUST calibrate the machinist level and carpenters level as a single unit. So put machinist level on top of carpenters level and adjust machinist leveling system, turn the machinist level and carpenters level as a single unit 180 degrees and adjust. Repeat until no variations. And make sure when you are doing your leveling to always keep the machinist levels front face aligned with the same face as carpenters level as it was when calibrated. Also when you start using the machinist level without the carpenters level, you must recalibrate it. If you do alot of tables invest in a straightedge, or have a machinist level for use by itself, and one for use with the carpenters level.
If you don't want to fork out cash for a starrett, you can get a cheap chinese machinist level from ebay or Grizzly for about $60 for a 10 inch or so. They are a pain in the ass to calibrate compared to the starrett, but are just as accurate and work just as well once calibrated. If you get one off of ebay the one you want to buy looks like the machinist level on the grizzly site, and it is the same. If you buy one off of ebay, it will come with Chinglish instructions which make no sense whatsoever. They have the instructions in english on the grizzly website for that level. BTW the screw on the bottom is useless, and all of your adjustments will be made with the spanner wheels. If money isn't really an issue get the Starett.
For the carpenters level I HIGHLY recommend a 72" Swanson box level that is sold at Lowes for like $50-$60. It has a large enough depth that the machinist level sits well on, and is the same one pictured in King Cobras tutorials. Most other levels sold don't work very well for doing this. (the top and bottoms aren't usually machined, and skinny to the point that your machinist level has to be centered just perfectly or it will want to fall off because of the vgroove in the machinist level. NOT GOOD!).
If you take Cobras steps, my steps, take your time, be anal retentive, and dont take shortcuts, your table will play better than any table around.
Good Luck
Brian S.
Las Vegas
King cobra, awesome tutorial. You won't find this professional info in any book or any tutorial (This is top secret shit!).This is the only tutorial i've seen that shows what I consider the correct way to set up a table.
I have a couple extra tips, that were not shown in the tutorial and are imperative to successfull leveling. Unfortunately the carpenters level is not a true straight edge, and can very quite a bit from end to end. When you are at the stages of using the machinist level on top of the carpenters level make sure you calibrate the machinist level and carpenters level as a single unit. If you don't do this you will get VERY funky readings that don't make sense, and you will probably just end up shooting yourself or somebody else. Just as you would normally calibrate the machinist level by itself, you MUST calibrate the machinist level and carpenters level as a single unit. So put machinist level on top of carpenters level and adjust machinist leveling system, turn the machinist level and carpenters level as a single unit 180 degrees and adjust. Repeat until no variations. And make sure when you are doing your leveling to always keep the machinist levels front face aligned with the same face as carpenters level as it was when calibrated. Also when you start using the machinist level without the carpenters level, you must recalibrate it. If you do alot of tables invest in a straightedge, or have a machinist level for use by itself, and one for use with the carpenters level.
If you don't want to fork out cash for a starrett, you can get a cheap chinese machinist level from ebay or Grizzly for about $60 for a 10 inch or so. They are a pain in the ass to calibrate compared to the starrett, but are just as accurate and work just as well once calibrated. If you get one off of ebay the one you want to buy looks like the machinist level on the grizzly site, and it is the same. If you buy one off of ebay, it will come with Chinglish instructions which make no sense whatsoever. They have the instructions in english on the grizzly website for that level. BTW the screw on the bottom is useless, and all of your adjustments will be made with the spanner wheels. If money isn't really an issue get the Starett.
For the carpenters level I HIGHLY recommend a 72" Swanson box level that is sold at Lowes for like $50-$60. It has a large enough depth that the machinist level sits well on, and is the same one pictured in King Cobras tutorials. Most other levels sold don't work very well for doing this. (the top and bottoms aren't usually machined, and skinny to the point that your machinist level has to be centered just perfectly or it will want to fall off because of the vgroove in the machinist level. NOT GOOD!).
If you take Cobras steps, my steps, take your time, be anal retentive, and dont take shortcuts, your table will play better than any table around.
Good Luck
Brian S.
Las Vegas
Starrett level accuracy
Just a slight insert about the tolerance of the Starrett levels...
I am a recent convert to using a modified low-low leveling system. From previous experience I have found that on a full framed 1" slate table that is rolling out 1 ball width is approx 0.010" low to that side. I say this because for years I used plastic poker cards that measured that thickness. With the Starrett levels the graduations are 0.005 per linear foot, which means on a 9ft table it can add up. Most especially if it is 1 line out on the short side it could be as much as 0.025 out of level over the slate width. This is enough, especially with worsted cloth to have roll off of up to 2.5 ball widths.
**luckily for us, no slate ever made is perfectly flat. There is always a tolerance so whether you see it or not the wavy slate is there if you look close enough**
Just making a point!
Just a slight insert about the tolerance of the Starrett levels...
I am a recent convert to using a modified low-low leveling system. From previous experience I have found that on a full framed 1" slate table that is rolling out 1 ball width is approx 0.010" low to that side. I say this because for years I used plastic poker cards that measured that thickness. With the Starrett levels the graduations are 0.005 per linear foot, which means on a 9ft table it can add up. Most especially if it is 1 line out on the short side it could be as much as 0.025 out of level over the slate width. This is enough, especially with worsted cloth to have roll off of up to 2.5 ball widths.
**luckily for us, no slate ever made is perfectly flat. There is always a tolerance so whether you see it or not the wavy slate is there if you look close enough**
Just making a point!
Better drawing?
Did you ever get a chance to post the revised drawing? If you did, hiow can I get a copy of it?
I have all the other pages which I thank you for very much as they are very informative.
Did you ever get a chance to post the revised drawing? If you did, hiow can I get a copy of it?
I have all the other pages which I thank you for very much as they are very informative.
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