BILL. I also think it’s a good idea to at least have 2 inch of overlap on all edges so you can clamp on the edges very handy. For larger projects, I use two side horses with 4 x 4 stiff backs that are perfectly straight and I am very length up to 22 feet. That’s the easiest way to build stuff that’s large. Designing and building for 50 years
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On Apr 12, 2025, at 8:07?PM, mac campshure <mac512002@...> wrote:
? ?Hi BILL, so I would if I was you, be looking for DIE boards you can get them in numerous thickness but you want to find something that’s at least an inch thick and you can buy them with phenoliccovering. Often used for concrete form work. if you do a web search of dieboard all kinds of stuff comes up all over the place. I have one 4 x 8 layout table that’s tubular steel structure and I have 1 inch dieboard on it and I just cover it with tempered hard masonite quarter inch, I also have plastic laminate that’s at least an eighth of an inch thick. I’ve got big like 5 x 10 sheets a few of them of it. I don’t know what the heck it’s called but it’s a lot heavier than horizontal 16 inch laminate. Best mac,, Designing and building for 50 years On Apr 12, 2025, at 7:37?PM, Bill Belanger via groups.io <bllblngr@...> wrote:
? Thanks Imran. I could get that done…Or I could make my own and not put holes where the frame is! ? Bill On Apr 12, 2025, at 16:17, Aaron Inami via groups.io <ainami@...> wrote:
? I made my own FAT/MFT table by laminating two layers of 3/4" maple plywood and then a 3/4" solid maple piece for the border.? Drilled out all the hole using a cheap Bora Centipede MFT table as a pattern and a magnetic drill to ensure the holes were perfectly vertical.? A couple of 20mm Fisch forstner bits.? The table came out pretty damn flat when checking with a 6 foot Stabila level.??
?
If I had to do it again, I might just get a 1-3/4" Boos Block piece:
?
-Aaron Inami
|
?Hi BILL, so I would if I was you, be looking for DIE boards you can get them in numerous thickness but you want to find something that’s at least an inch thick and you can buy them with phenoliccovering. Often used for concrete form work. if you do a web search of dieboard all kinds of stuff comes up all over the place. I have one 4 x 8 layout table that’s tubular steel structure and I have 1 inch dieboard on it and I just cover it with tempered hard masonite quarter inch, I also have plastic laminate that’s at least an eighth of an inch thick. I’ve got big like 5 x 10 sheets a few of them of it. I don’t know what the heck it’s called but it’s a lot heavier than horizontal 16 inch laminate. Best mac,, Designing and building for 50 years
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On Apr 12, 2025, at 7:37?PM, Bill Belanger via groups.io <bllblngr@...> wrote:
? Thanks Imran. I could get that done…Or I could make my own and not put holes where the frame is! ? Bill On Apr 12, 2025, at 16:17, Aaron Inami via groups.io <ainami@...> wrote:
? I made my own FAT/MFT table by laminating two layers of 3/4" maple plywood and then a 3/4" solid maple piece for the border.? Drilled out all the hole using a cheap Bora Centipede MFT table as a pattern and a magnetic drill to ensure the holes were perfectly vertical.? A couple of 20mm Fisch forstner bits.? The table came out pretty damn flat when checking with a 6 foot Stabila level.??
?
If I had to do it again, I might just get a 1-3/4" Boos Block piece:
?
-Aaron Inami
|
Thanks Imran. I could get that done…Or I could make my own and not put holes where the frame is! ? Bill
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On Apr 12, 2025, at 16:17, Aaron Inami via groups.io <ainami@...> wrote:
? I made my own FAT/MFT table by laminating two layers of 3/4" maple plywood and then a 3/4" solid maple piece for the border.? Drilled out all the hole using a cheap Bora Centipede MFT table as a pattern and a magnetic drill to ensure the holes were perfectly vertical.? A couple of 20mm Fisch forstner bits.? The table came out pretty damn flat when checking with a 6 foot Stabila level.??
?
If I had to do it again, I might just get a 1-3/4" Boos Block piece:
?
-Aaron Inami
|
If you have, or have access to, a CNC machine, you could using a
bed surfacing bit to skim cut both sides.? Be careful to how you
clamp it though, or you'll defeat the objective.
On 4/12/2025 1:18 PM, Bill Belanger via
groups.io wrote:
I really like my Fat 300 for lifting stuff. But the top is
not flat and when I try to build something on it I don't have
good results. I wonder if I just got a bad top, or if others
have replaced theirs with another alternative. The MFT tops
available on Amazon are not the correct size. I'd order another
top from Felder if I thought that I might get a flat one. I
thought about taking a hand plane to it, but don't really like
that idea.
Thanks for your help and suggestions.
Bill Belanger
?
--
Michael Garrison Stuber
|
PK,
True, I guess not sure how thick or stiff it is. If I raise the table slowly, I can hit the high spots.
There are people here with CNC and router sleds as well.
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On Apr 12, 2025, at 7:03?PM, PK via groups.io <pk@...> wrote: ? Could be a challenge to do on a widebelt and not have it just 'spring' back after you run it through.? The rollers have some significant pressure.
?
I am buying some 1" Baltic Birch for a project and I am going to cover it with Formica.? I would think it would make a great fat 300 top.? It sells for $125 a 4x8 sheet locally here.
?
PK
|
I made my own FAT/MFT table by laminating two layers of 3/4" maple plywood and then a 3/4" solid maple piece for the border.? Drilled out all the hole using a cheap Bora Centipede MFT table as a pattern and a magnetic drill to ensure the holes were perfectly vertical.? A couple of 20mm Fisch forstner bits.? The table came out pretty damn flat when checking with a 6 foot Stabila level.??
?
If I had to do it again, I might just get a 1-3/4" Boos Block piece:
?
-Aaron Inami
|
Could be a challenge to do on a widebelt and not have it just 'spring' back after you run it through.? The rollers have some significant pressure.
?
I am buying some 1" Baltic Birch for a project and I am going to cover it with Formica.? I would think it would make a great fat 300 top.? It sells for $125 a 4x8 sheet locally here.
?
PK
|
Not sure how wide it is but you may be able to send it thru a WBS. Local shops here routinely run material thru WBS for a charge.
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On Apr 12, 2025, at 5:17?PM, Bill Belanger via groups.io <bllblngr@...> wrote: ? Great idea Brian! But the top is too crooked for that. Not sure if the picture shows it. The metal frame is fine but it looks like the plies are uneven. <IMG_1845.JPG> Bill On Apr 12, 2025, at 13:29, Brian Lamb via groups.io <blamb11@...> wrote:
Can you shim it where it bolts to the frame?
Brian Lamb blamb11@... lambtoolworks.com
On Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 01:18:25 PM MST, Bill Belanger via groups.io <bllblngr@...> wrote:
I really like my Fat 300 for lifting stuff. But the top is not flat and when I try to build something on it I don't have good results. I wonder if I just got a bad top, or if others have replaced theirs with another alternative. The MFT tops available on Amazon are not the correct size. I'd order another top from Felder if I thought that I might get a flat one. I thought about taking a hand plane to it, but don't really like that idea.
Thanks for your help and suggestions.
Bill Belanger
?
|
Great idea Brian! But the top is too crooked for that. Not sure if the picture shows it. The metal frame is fine but it looks like the plies are uneven. 
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On Apr 12, 2025, at 13:29, Brian Lamb via groups.io <blamb11@...> wrote:
Can you shim it where it bolts to the frame?
Brian Lamb blamb11@... lambtoolworks.com
On Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 01:18:25 PM MST, Bill Belanger via groups.io <bllblngr@...> wrote:
I really like my Fat 300 for lifting stuff. But the top is not flat and when I try to build something on it I don't have good results. I wonder if I just got a bad top, or if others have replaced theirs with another alternative. The MFT tops available on Amazon are not the correct size. I'd order another top from Felder if I thought that I might get a flat one. I thought about taking a hand plane to it, but don't really like that idea.
Thanks for your help and suggestions.
Bill Belanger
?
|
Can you shim it where it bolts to the frame?
Brian Lamb blamb11@... lambtoolworks.com
On Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 01:18:25 PM MST, Bill Belanger via groups.io <bllblngr@...> wrote:
I really like my Fat 300 for lifting stuff. But the top is not flat and when I try to build something on it I don't have good results. I wonder if I just got a bad top, or if others have replaced theirs with another alternative. The MFT tops available on Amazon are not the correct size. I'd order another top from Felder if I thought that I might get a flat one. I thought about taking a hand plane to it, but don't really like that idea.
Thanks for your help and suggestions.
Bill Belanger
?
|
I really like my Fat 300 for lifting stuff. But the top is not flat and when I try to build something on it I don't have good results. I wonder if I just got a bad top, or if others have replaced theirs with another alternative. The MFT tops available on Amazon are not the correct size. I'd order another top from Felder if I thought that I might get a flat one. I thought about taking a hand plane to it, but don't really like that idea.
Thanks for your help and suggestions.
Bill Belanger
?
|
|
|
Hi Brad, I'm interested. Can you email me please? Cody@...?
|
Re: Need 12" digital caliper
Aaron,
As I mentioned I struggled between DPS (303-1551) and non-DPS (303-1554) models both IP54.
I chose DPS for absolute position. I have not re-zeroed since I purchased it; which was Jan of 2024.
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On Apr 11, 2025, at 6:45?PM, Aaron Inami via groups.io <ainami@...> wrote: ? Well, the Shars IP67 had problems.? I'm actually going to return this because I don't like how it works. ? One thing I discovered is that you have to re-zero the caliper every time you turn it on.?? This includes whenever the caliper does the auto-off feature.?? I used it to determine a measurement for a cut on a project and the cut ended up being about 1/8" too much.?? I'm not entirely sure what happened here, but something went wrong.?? I'll just have to live with that cut (it wasn't a project crasher).
?
When reviewing the specs, the IP67 seems to have a "inductive linear encoder" and has a max movement speed of 3.2 meters-per-second.?? This is telling me that the caliper shows a measurement based on how far you have moved the caliper slide.
?
On the other hand, Imran's IP54 model has a "DPS linear encoder" and the max movement speed is "unlimited".?? The IP54 also has an "Origin" button in addition to normal zero and mm/in.?? This seems like an "absolute" caliper which returns a measurement based on where it is located on the slide.
?
Imran - are you getting the same behavior I have on my IP67 when you use your IP54?
?
-Aaron Inami
|
Re: Need 12" digital caliper
I resisted commenting on about the Shars Aventor calipers, but I also bought and returned two units thinking the first one could be an anomaly. ?This further underscored my shop policy: ?“Nothing Shars Allowed”. ?I’ve had terrible experience with their machinist items like?, parallels that aren’t, and squares that aren’t. ? David Best - via mobile phone?
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On Apr 11, 2025, at 3:45?PM, Aaron Inami via groups.io <ainami@...> wrote:
? Well, the Shars IP67 had problems.? I'm actually going to return this because I don't like how it works. ? One thing I discovered is that you have to re-zero the caliper every time you turn it on.?? This includes whenever the caliper does the auto-off feature.?? I used it to determine a measurement for a cut on a project and the cut ended up being about 1/8" too much.?? I'm not entirely sure what happened here, but something went wrong.?? I'll just have to live with that cut (it wasn't a project crasher).
?
When reviewing the specs, the IP67 seems to have a "inductive linear encoder" and has a max movement speed of 3.2 meters-per-second.?? This is telling me that the caliper shows a measurement based on how far you have moved the caliper slide.
?
On the other hand, Imran's IP54 model has a "DPS linear encoder" and the max movement speed is "unlimited".?? The IP54 also has an "Origin" button in addition to normal zero and mm/in.?? This seems like an "absolute" caliper which returns a measurement based on where it is located on the slide.
?
Imran - are you getting the same behavior I have on my IP67 when you use your IP54?
?
-Aaron Inami
|
Re: Need 12" digital caliper
Well, the Shars IP67 had problems.? I'm actually going to return this because I don't like how it works. ? One thing I discovered is that you have to re-zero the caliper every time you turn it on.?? This includes whenever the caliper does the auto-off feature.?? I used it to determine a measurement for a cut on a project and the cut ended up being about 1/8" too much.?? I'm not entirely sure what happened here, but something went wrong.?? I'll just have to live with that cut (it wasn't a project crasher).
?
When reviewing the specs, the IP67 seems to have a "inductive linear encoder" and has a max movement speed of 3.2 meters-per-second.?? This is telling me that the caliper shows a measurement based on how far you have moved the caliper slide.
?
On the other hand, Imran's IP54 model has a "DPS linear encoder" and the max movement speed is "unlimited".?? The IP54 also has an "Origin" button in addition to normal zero and mm/in.?? This seems like an "absolute" caliper which returns a measurement based on where it is located on the slide.
?
Imran - are you getting the same behavior I have on my IP67 when you use your IP54?
?
-Aaron Inami
|
Re: Need 12" digital caliper
Also, as I mentioned in my first post, I prefer CR2032 due to its higher capacity. Once I replace my 6” caliper, all 3 calipers will be CR2032.
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On Apr 11, 2025, at 3:46?PM, Bill Belanger via groups.io <bllblngr@...> wrote: ? Brett, I’ve used the Mitutoyo calipers for 3 years with the same batteries. Bill Belanger? On Apr 11, 2025, at 11:12, mac campshure via groups.io <mac512002@...> wrote:
?
Yeah, you think you need a 12 inch but here to tell you need more than that my 12 inch and under sizes my ?go to are Shars don’t even use my Mitutio caliper. Just used my 600 mm yesterday for a measurement that was 333.5 for location. Of course these are all made in China. I know that shit for brains has had 184 % tariff for all the well-made Chinese tools are gonna be a lot more expensive. Best mac,,,
<IMG_6476.png> Designing and building for 50 years On Apr 11, 2025, at 12:38?PM, imran via groups.io <imranwoodshop@...> wrote:
? Brett,
Am I just lucky or just a light user. My 6” no name caliper from Grizzly is 25 yrs old and I probably have replaced the LR44 battery 4 or 5 times. Granted in the first 20 yrs it was seldom used.
The 12” Shars height gauge is probably 5 yrs old and I replaced CR2032 battery last yr for the first time.
The 12” Shars caliper with CR2032 is at least 2 yrs old and still on original battery.
Again since retirement I am more in the shop, but these tools only come out during setup or calibration. So they are not used everyday.
On Apr 11, 2025, at 1:22?PM, Brett Wissel via groups.io <Brettwissel@...> wrote:
? Are there any recommendable, "value line" USB rechargeable versions of these digital calipers out there? I find batteries the weak point on the worst and best ones I've used.? On Thu, Apr 10, 2025 at 8:03?PM david.r.milson via <david.r.milson= [email protected]> wrote: A few years ago (on this forum) Mac Campsure recommended Vinca, I purchased one (12"/300mm) and I'm pleased with it.? The batteries last much longer than a lot of the "cheapies".
-- Brett Wissel Saint Louis Restoration 1831 S Kingshighway Blvd (at Shaw Blvd) St Louis, MO 63110 314.772.2167 brett@...
|
Re: Need 12" digital caliper
Brett, I’ve used the Mitutoyo calipers for 3 years with the same batteries. Bill Belanger?
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On Apr 11, 2025, at 11:12, mac campshure via groups.io <mac512002@...> wrote:
?
Yeah, you think you need a 12 inch but here to tell you need more than that my 12 inch and under sizes my ?go to are Shars don’t even use my Mitutio caliper. Just used my 600 mm yesterday for a measurement that was 333.5 for location. Of course these are all made in China. I know that shit for brains has had 184 % tariff for all the well-made Chinese tools are gonna be a lot more expensive. Best mac,,,
<IMG_6476.png> Designing and building for 50 years On Apr 11, 2025, at 12:38?PM, imran via groups.io <imranwoodshop@...> wrote:
? Brett,
Am I just lucky or just a light user. My 6” no name caliper from Grizzly is 25 yrs old and I probably have replaced the LR44 battery 4 or 5 times. Granted in the first 20 yrs it was seldom used.
The 12” Shars height gauge is probably 5 yrs old and I replaced CR2032 battery last yr for the first time.
The 12” Shars caliper with CR2032 is at least 2 yrs old and still on original battery.
Again since retirement I am more in the shop, but these tools only come out during setup or calibration. So they are not used everyday.
On Apr 11, 2025, at 1:22?PM, Brett Wissel via groups.io <Brettwissel@...> wrote:
? Are there any recommendable, "value line" USB rechargeable versions of these digital calipers out there? I find batteries the weak point on the worst and best ones I've used.? On Thu, Apr 10, 2025 at 8:03?PM david.r.milson via <david.r.milson= [email protected]> wrote: A few years ago (on this forum) Mac Campsure recommended Vinca, I purchased one (12"/300mm) and I'm pleased with it.? The batteries last much longer than a lot of the "cheapies".
-- Brett Wissel Saint Louis Restoration 1831 S Kingshighway Blvd (at Shaw Blvd) St Louis, MO 63110 314.772.2167 brett@...
|
Re: Need 12" digital caliper
Brett,
Am I just lucky or just a light user. My 6” no name caliper from Grizzly is 25 yrs old and I probably have replaced the LR44 battery 4 or 5 times. Granted in the first 20 yrs it was seldom used.
The 12” Shars height gauge is probably 5 yrs old and I replaced CR2032 battery last yr for the first time.
The 12” Shars caliper with CR2032 is at least 2 yrs old and still on original battery.
Again since retirement I am more in the shop, but these tools only come out during setup or calibration. So they are not used everyday.
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Show quoted text
On Apr 11, 2025, at 1:22?PM, Brett Wissel via groups.io <Brettwissel@...> wrote: ? Are there any recommendable, "value line" USB rechargeable versions of these digital calipers out there? I find batteries the weak point on the worst and best ones I've used.? On Thu, Apr 10, 2025 at 8:03?PM david.r.milson via <david.r.milson= [email protected]> wrote: A few years ago (on this forum) Mac Campsure recommended Vinca, I purchased one (12"/300mm) and I'm pleased with it.? The batteries last much longer than a lot of the "cheapies".
-- Brett Wissel Saint Louis Restoration 1831 S Kingshighway Blvd (at Shaw Blvd) St Louis, MO 63110 314.772.2167 brett@...
|
Re: Need 12" digital caliper
Are there any recommendable, "value line" USB rechargeable versions of these digital calipers out there? I find batteries the weak point on the worst and best ones I've used.?
On Thu, Apr 10, 2025 at 8:03?PM david.r.milson via <david.r.milson= [email protected]> wrote: A few years ago (on this forum) Mac Campsure recommended Vinca, I purchased one (12"/300mm) and I'm pleased with it.? The batteries last much longer than a lot of the "cheapies".
-- Brett Wissel Saint Louis Restoration 1831 S Kingshighway Blvd (at Shaw Blvd) St Louis, MO 63110 314.772.2167 brett@...
|
Bill Belanger
imran
PK
Brad Wall
David P. Best