# Building a vertical panel saw, need ideas on bearings



## jimsters

hi
i am going to build a vertical panel saw.
ive looked around and there are various setups.
i want a very accurate one that ideally travels in the horizontal and the vertical.

the shopnotes version seems popular and a few here have made one with a few also on youtube.
this relies on a horizontal tube with a homemade bearing to run horizontal, and some t track to run vertical.
this is all made of wood and i cant imaging this is very accurate.

ive seen other versions that only travel vertical and use something like a u bolt with some sort of bearings, or home made bearings around the u bolt and the carriage travels up and down. if 4 u bolts are used with proper bearings i can see this being quite accurate and seems better than the t slot idea to me. there are quite a few available to buy that use this method. now if this could be also made to travel horizontally this would be a good idea.

another option is to use some sort of linear bearing for the horizontal movement, however these seem quite expensive and as im from the UK im also limited on materials.

ive gone over various methods but id like your advice on what system to use for both vertical and horizontal movements.

thanks


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## StumpyNubs

Why do you assume the Shopnotes one isn't vey accurate simply because it's made of wood? I've seen some very accurate stuff made out of wood.

I don't know which Shopnotes version you refer to, but SN#4 has one that uses the U-bolt system for the up and down movement. For horizontal cuts you just turn the saw sideways and push the panel through. The U-bolt bearings are simply a bunch of nylon spacers threaded over the U-bolt.


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## jimsters

hi and thanks for the replies.
well wood does expand and contract with heat and moisture and so im sure that even a little change will throw the saw off a little. i could be wrong though?

id like to build a very accurate one, not one for just ripping down panels to a batter size to then use the table saw.

ive seen the ubolt version with the nylon spacers. id think bearings would be better than the nylon spacers but i might try it.

the version i was talking about was the version that uses t track for the vertical travel, and then a piece of round pipe with home made sort of travel bearing to move in the horizontal. the carriage actually travels from left to right rather than having to drag the panel through the saw.

its the bearing system im more interested in and ideas of the best way to do it


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## Loren

What accuracy tolerances do you need from the saw?

Are you just wanting to break sheet goods up to rough size?

Do you want to make finished and square cuts right off the saw?

Harware-store and lumberyard saws are usually the "not accurate enough
for frameless cabinetmaking" variety.

I've worked out some of the details on an unfinished panel saw I am 
working on with movement of the saw in 3-axis to make finish grade
cuts in melamine and other chip prone materials. The design emulates
the Striebig saws.


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## jimsters

hi

sounds like im after exactly the same thing as loren.
im after cutting up full sheets of melamine faced chipboard which comes in 2800×2070 mm.
id like accurate cuts straight off the saw, not rough cuts to then cut again.

loren - could you maybe go further into your design, do you have any plans, idea on bearings etc?

i know the shafting and bearings work out quite expensive especially when you want to travel over a large distance. if its wokring out too expensive it might be just the same price to buy a 2nd hand saw. i was just hoping to be able to build a cheaper one myself.

if i can work out a vertical and horizontal travel over them distances with good accuracy the rest is easy.

thanks


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## Loren

I used THK linear bearings I got on ebay for the vertical travel. I got two pairs
in different length and laid them end to end. Overall cost on that was about $300.

The saw carriage uses a big lazy susan with a round aluminum plate mounted to
the inside to allow the saw to turn from vertical to horizontal. It's easier to make
a design where you clamp the saw in one of two positions like in the panel
saw designs in the woodworking magazines. The carriage travels in a third axis
with about 4" of travel on linear bearings I got a bargain on. The whole arrangement
is pretty tight and I am optimistic about the cut quality and squareness when
I finish the build.

For the top beam I have some 90mm square Bosch Rexroth aluminum extrusion. That's
pretty stiff and straight. I haven't put the whole frame together yet. The beam
will have a angle iron mounted on top, and the carriage will go back and forth on 
iron gate wheels.

I got the idea from a design some Festool enthusiast came up with.

Here's the link to a thread where he describes his saw.
http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-jigs-tool-enhancements/ts-55-vertical-panel-saw/


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## Loren

You get what you pay for with 2nd hand industrial equipment. The price
often reflects how hard it's been used.

Moving a big panel saw is an expense as well.


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## jimsters

that mdf festool panel saw is awsome.
for the top horizontal travel, im not quite sure what the iron gate wheels are ill have to look into that.

have you got any more plans, pictures or anything else.
looks like we are trying to do the same thing.


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## Loren

The term was escaping me. They are called v-groove wheels sometimes - 
used for iron sliding gates and in industrial applications.


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