Search query: «robland x31»

Re: Shaper Owners

John McGaw

I have a very heavy 3hp shaper as part of my Robland X31. It is almost never used for several reasons: * the cutters are extremely expensive when compared to router bits * the variety of off-the-shelf router cutters is limited when compared to router bits * setup takes a long time even if I have a cutter which might serve and * it can be scary. For me it is there basically for panel raising and Shaker-look door joinery otherwise it is router table all the way for me.

Re: Adjustable Shaper Fence??

John McGaw

No plans but I do have a fence that I made. It is simple enough than plans would be redundant since it would need to be scaled for the machine. This was whipped up on the spur of the moment from laminated MDF. My Robland X31 has a shaper fence but I found it bothersome for the work I was doing. The replacement is held down by screw-knobs, not shown, into the threaded table holes that the original fence uses.

Re: Robland XSDB310 Jointer/planer

John McGaw

Well, the main parts of the unit -- the castings etc -- look to be identical to the old standby X31 jointer/planer. That includes the add-on mortiser. I have the full X31 combination machine and have found the jointer/planer (and the mortiser) to be quite functional and reliable. One must work out the subtleties of working with a combination machine to make it efficient since the changeover, while pretty easy and quick, is not so quick as moving between one separate machine and another. Probably the weakest link is the relatively short jointer tables; for a 12" jointer a couple of extra feet would be nice to have. Then again, since making the changeover requires flipping both tables upward on their pivots it would involve a lot of weightlifting if they were much longer.

Re: Shelix Cutter head for Dewalt Planer????

John McGaw

Wish mine would be so cheap! For my Robland X31 it would be $971.50 excluding new bearings ($55) and some unknown amount for shipping. I think I'll be sticking with my old instant change blades which I replaced the original wide heavy steel knives with.

Re: end mills

John McGaw

Honestly, for a one-off, if I thought that it was beyond accomplishing with a good sharp carbide spiral in the router table (small cuts!) I'd just go to a real machine shop and ask them to do it. Yes, I know that isn't metal but if you tell them that the wood isn't much different than soft aluminum they could probably be convinced at a price. With no lubricant spray but with somebody holding a shop vac hose right at the cutting point it wouldn't be too messy. With a real milling machine you could be certain of the accuracy.

If I was doing it I'd be using the sliding-table mortiser on my Robland X31. I've done the equivalent cut many times in various hardwoods although not with cocobolo. The Robland uses standard plunge-cutting milling bits and can easily plunge 3"+ deep and is very repeatable as long as the work and stops are locked down properly.

First guess is call Laguna *LINK*

Dick Coers

They imported the Robland X31 for a lot of years.

Found something on Ebay.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Powermatic-Glider-tablesaw-sliding-saw-table-extension-cabinet-unisaw-pm66-72-/221663738052

Re: I have it running, but the switch won't last

John McGaw

From your 2" description I started to think that it might be the same switch as on my Robland X31 multi-machine but looking just now I see that my switch only has four connections. I take it that there are absolutely no manufacturer's markings of any kind on yours? Mine is marked with a maker and part number, etc.

Re: Jointer Bearing Questions

John McGaw

Obviously a moving part but which one? I'd take out the belt and 'feel' the rotation of the head manually and then do the same for the motor. Quite often a bad bearing will reveal itself with a simple manual spin. Of course it might be a 'lump' or set spot in the belt but that isn't easy to detect without powering on. I had a similar noise problem with the TS portion of my Robland X31 and it turned out to be a belt failing.

I've looked at the cost of spiral cutterheads and quickly decided that anything like that was out of the question unless my shop became a money-making proposition (which it never will).

Getting Bakc In The Saddle

charlie belden

>After making all the "shop furniture" I needed - and could fit in the shop - I had the tools, machines, wood and the basics skills for making "house furniture" -my reason for getting into woodworking in the first place.

Then it was necessary to bring my elderly father out here - along with his house full of furniture - rosewood chinese furniture - really NICE rosewood chinese furniture. The 850 sf unit of my duplex got stuffed - to the gills - with really nice pieces - leaving no room for anything I'd planned on making.

Now there's only so many boxes - jewelry boxes, toy boxes, puzzle boxes - and kids toys you can make before that gets really old and boring. So I got a JET mini/midi lathe - for turning some magic wands for neighborhood kids. Took a while to get comfortable with the idea of spinning a chunk of wood at what seemed like ungodly speeds, then poking sharp steel tools at it - but I got over that pretty quickly.

Can't believe all the stuff that you "need" once you get a lathe - but that's a whole 'nother story.

I've recently gotten back the WHOLE place - another 1300 sf - and moved all the rosewood chinese furniture into that space. So now there's room and a need for 16 feet of shelves above, cabinets below, two entertainment centers, a desk, a few end tables and a coffee table - and a couple of twin bed heaeboards and frames

Having now cleared off the layout/ assembly bench, the infeed and outfeed tables for the SCMS and uncovering my combi (Robland X31 five function 1100 pound beast) and all the stuff that accumulated on my REAL woodworking bench - I'm ready to start doing some flatwork again.

Then I fired up the 3 hp 10" table saw - with the regular kerf Forrest WW2 blade - and the hair - that I don't actually have anymore - stood up on end and the adrenaline began pumping. That's a LOT fo really sharp carbide teeth going by at 5000 rpms!

To put off actually feeding wood to all those spinning teeth, I shut it down and checked the saw's set up. Blade parallel to the miter slot, fence parallel to the miter slot. blade and fence square to the saw table - STOP switches - there are THREE on the X31 - all easily accessible - push sticks and a GRRRIPPER at hand - it was time to do some table sawing - after a four year hiatus.

The hair - that I don't actually have - still stood on end - and the adrenaline came back. I took all the usual precautions when ripping - the first cut went as expected - but that little voice was still saying "Are you out of your mind!? You're going to push THIS piece of wood - into THOSE spinning teeth - even with a push stick?"

I'm guessing that the same sort of thing will happen when I fire up the 12 joiner/jointer and start joining the first board.

If YOU'VE gone of a woodworking hiatus, how long did it take you to get back to feeling comfortable - yet not careless or complacent - with your cabinet saw and joiner/jointer?

"Tilt Jig" for horizontal mortiser *LINK*

charlie belden

>Ray McInnes, of the Yahoo Robland X-31 group came up with a great jig for horizontal mortisers - developed when he was working with chairs. Very flexible and adaptable.


Mortiser DIY Tilt Table

Re: Laguna Slot Mortiser, worthwhile purchase? *LINK*

charlie belden

>Unless you're planning on doing big exterior doors, or Arts & Crafts / Greene & Greene / Stickley that use through mortise and tenon joints and use the ends of the tenons as decorative elements of the piece - may I suggest loose tenon joinery - and the Festool DOMINO.

Runs about the same as the LT but for furniture sized joinery a lot faster, easier and more accurate - with no need for layout lines. An absolute newbie can be shown how it works, and, assuming the parts were cut square, the edges straight and the faces flat and parallel - produce strong, light tight joints at biscuit cutter speed and ease.

I've got and used the horizontal boring/mortising function on my LT distributed Robland X31 combination machine - AND - I've got an used the General International 75-750M chisel and bit mortiser - AND - I made and used a router based slot mortising jig - AND - I had and used the TREND M&T Jig. Was looking at the LEIGH FMT Jig and the Festool DOMINO - and went with the DOMINO for reasons described in the pages the link below will take you to. Hands down, with the exception of doing BIG/LONG tenons and through tenons - the DOMINO is without equal for furniture sized loose tenon M&T joinery and I give my reasons for saying that.

Cutting a mortise of a specific size is easy. Cutting one at a specific point on one part is a little trickier. Cutting TWO, one on each of two parts that are to be joined, at the same distance from a reference end and reference face - THAT's where things get a LOT trickier. The DOMINO makes it so phreakin' easy.

I have no connection to Festool or any of it's retailer or wholesalers (I don't think they even have wholesalers) - other than owning and using one - and paying the full Introductory Price - out of my own pocket.


Festool DOMINO

Re: How do you make M&T joints (survey of sorts)

Jon Weisenbach

>I've always used the horizontal boring accessory on my Robland X31 combo machine. I really like using "loose tenons" and have used them exclusively on all the furniture I've made. I have also on occasion used my router for some very small tenons in smaller pieces

Re: How do you make M&T joints (survey of sorts)

charlie belden

>Unless it absolutely HAS to be a through tenon or a BIG M&T - it's loose tenons and the Festool DOMINO every time. Even an absolute novice can cut accurate loose tenon M&Ts with two minutes worth of instructions - even on mitered corners - of 7' long - pressure treated 2x4s - four loose tenons per mitered corner. Did an 8' tall by 20" x 30" linen cabinet - with raised panel doors and raised panel side - with the DOMINO cutting all the mortises - literaly more than a hundred of them. Had three that had to be plugged and recut (which is a nice thing about loose tenons).

It I need BIG through M&Ts - the General Intl 75-750M (or is it 750-75M?) chisel and bit with XY table.

If I need just BIG - say for a door - the horizontal boring/mortiser on the Robland X31 combi and hand cut the tenons or loose tenons done by ripping then routing roundovers and mortises in both parts if the part to mortise in end grain isn't tool long.

The DOMINO is a revoutionary tool which, except for design/aesthetic reasons my replace all other furniture scale versions of the traditional M&T joint.

Re: Laguna customer service... oxymoron? *LINK*

charlie belden

>When dealing with LT, you've got to realize that the stuff we can afford is still in the low end price range of their products line. Their primary income comes from shops that are buying production units - in the $25-$40K range. Only the "prosumer" (high end amateur consumer) make purchases that warrant decent to good service. They want to sell to people who know how to set up, tune and maintain machines. And frankly, many I Think I Wanna Be Like Nahm expect to get a machine that's Ready To Make Heirloom Furniture - out of the box - almost automatically - customers have expectations beyond their skills and abilities.

So, if you're not a "prosumer" or a big shop, you might look into other sources of help. LT does have a message board you can sign up for and get help from other owners/users. Yahoo has a Robland X-31 group of about 900 members - and many have other LT machines.

I bought the Robland X-31 Combi from LT - and had to go to Robland's factory - in Brugge - that's Belgium - and watch their guys set up 6 euro versions of the X-31, taking frantic notes and digital images and asking lots of questions. When I got home I put together a draft of the set up instructions, got help from other members of the Yahoo X31 group and we did our own manual. Since I already had a website I put that stuff up for others to use. Been revising and adding to it ever since, based on questions and problems/solutions others in the group have come up with.

American Woodworker did a DIY bandsaw table, table extension that can go off the back or off the side of the table, along with a fence that's easy to set to your blade's drift/lead.

Attached link should give you enough info to do your own version. If you put a T-Track in the extension table it shouldn't be hard to come up with a way to cut circles.


DIY BS Table, Fence & Extension Table

Re: sliding tablesaw *LINK*

charlie belden

>Add the Robland X-31 combi or its sliding table saw and shaper to your list to investigate. Laguna Tools is their US distributor.

Be aware that any of these sliders can be fun to set up and maintain - most are "euro machines" and the "manuals" that come with them - well - they're often parts lists and minimal on set up and trouble shooting info. I had to visit the Robland factory in Belgium and take notes and photos of them setting up 6 units to do my own set up instructions.

The sliding table can be tricky to set up because it has to track parallel to the miter slot (to which the saw blade is set parallel) without riding up or down or go out of parallel to the miter slot.

Once you get the 4x8 sheet ON the sliding table the rest is made easier by the sliding table. Getting a full sheet of 3/4" ply, or worse yet, melamine, ON the table ain't always fun.

Check out where the On/Off switch for the saw is. Climbing UNDER a full sheet to turn the saw on - like on the Robland is a PITA.

I'm seriously looking into the Festool plunge saw and edge guide for sheet goods work. A foam insulation panel on the driveway and the plunge saw/edge guide requires less lifting and because it significantly reduces chip out/tear out - by design - it does the job. Doesn't take up a lot of shop space either.


Robland X-31 Combination Machine

Re: User / Instruction Manuals

charlie belden

>Yet another weak link in this Globalization / Free Trade thing. Think Tower of Babel - fifty different languages, two major measuring systems and terms that don't translate well into other languages. Just some examples:

- we in the USA call them wrenches, the Brits call them spanners

- we say rabbets, they say rebates

- we call it an eraser, they call it a rubber (imagine sitting in class and asking the girl sitting in front of you if she has a rubber and can you borrow it)

It's not just the "made in China" stuff's manuals. I bought a euro combination machine, a Robland X31, from a reputable source, Laguna Tools. At close to $7K, I expected a lot. The unit is made in Brugge, Belgium. The Robland "manual" is almost exclusively a set of exploded views and parts lists. the "manual" Laguna Tools provided is a joke - how to get it off the pallet, how to install some wheels, how to put the rip/joiner fence together - sort of. I had to go to the phreakin' factory in Brugge and watch them set up six machines, taking lots of digital pictures and copius notes to even be able to begin to make my own set up instructions. With the help of other members of a Robland X31 yahoo group we were able to put together a usable set of instructions which Laguna Tools refers new X31 owners to. Now, every two or three weeks I get questions from X31 owners, from all over the world, some referred to me by LT.

The other extreme is the manual for the LEIGH dovetail jigs. When faced with a 163 page manual my eyes glaze over. If I've got to read a fat book BEFORE I can use a tool . . . I guess getting into a Mac computer rather than a WinDoze computer spoiled me early on. I want something that's intuitive to use - and forgiving if I screw up - so I avoid ANYTHING with MicroSoft even vaguely associated with it (OK - so Excel is the exceptions, which, ironically, became a Killer App because the early version ran on a Mac with an intuitive GUI (graphical user interface) and mouse friendly.

Some woodworking tool manufacturers are smart and design and make great, intuitive to use, tools - Festool and AKEDA are two that I'm very impressed with. Others will follow - or go out of business. Cheap But Useless will always give way to Works Great Right Out Of The Box - No Manual Needed - But Costs More.

charlie belden

Re: The Robland X 31& LT18 bandsaw

Kelby

>Scott,

I have both the X31 and the LT18, and they are an excellent combination when set up properly. If you will explain in more detail what information you are looking for, I'll be happy to help.

The Robland X 31& LT18 bandsaw

Scott MacMurchie

>I have read and will re-read Paul Jordans FAQs on the Robland X31,and found his insights and advice very interesting he mentioned that a man called Lou had sent him an update on this set-up proceedure and at the same time purchased LT 18" Bandsaw,very recently I called to ask them about the sping loaded clamping levers that came with the machine and was to the sales person I spoke with a couple of weeks back,there needs to be another way! any ideas out there and any advice on the best way to bring this machine into register would be very helpful.

Also the same for the LT 18" Bandsaw, Thankyou for reading this,Scott