To kick off:
I have made myself a small circular saw. It consists of a horizontal table
mounted of the flange face of a pump motor. The motor has ball race bearings so
there is no end float in the shaft. The blade is a 1/32" thick by approx
3" dia. slitting saw blade (for cutting metal). It fas noset so the guides for
the timber must be set up acurately. This is an aspect that requires more
work. It cuts narrow spruce strip very well when it is set up properly.
Was much cheaper to make than purchase a minature saw bench ($400) although the
commercial unit has nice features such as angle guides and a blade with proper
set. I may yet investigate using a small wood blade if I can find one.
Another timber cutting option I might try is to use a sabre saw, mounted upside
down under a table.
The next thing on the list is an overhead routing m/c. I am about to purchase
an "edge trimmer" ie. a small router used by cabinet makers to dress the edge
of melemene (spelling ?) surfaces on kitchen benches etc.
Wally Batter published a a drawing for a similar device in an old issue of
WW1 Aero which used a Dremel. I will follow a simliar pattern but not use
plumbing fittings to
construct the frame. It will be necessary to have a tilting table so that
rhomboid shapes can be cut.
Paul Butler