How much Z clearance...

[harryball]

Buddy owners... how much Z clearance is there on a Buddy 48 for a table? Could I build a 2" or 3" thick plenum table and mount it and still have enough room to cut 1/2" material?

I'm building the table to go with me to Austin to mount on a Buddy 48 that's not sitting here with me.

Thanks,
/RB

[Gary Campbell]

Robert...
Email Jim Harmon...he and I just talked about those exact clearances. If I remember correctly. there is 9" below the extrusion, which puts about 6.5" below a spindle nut. Dont know mounting heights of router.
Gary

[harryball]

It'll have a 2.2HP spindle on it so it sounds like I could use up to 3" without an issue provided I don't want to cut more than 3/4" or so. My longest bit I'll be using around 2".

Thanks,
/RB

[dana_swift]

Robert, I have a BT-32 which I suspect is exactly the same geometry as the BT-48. I use a 1.5" spoilboard on top of the aluminum table.

Currently I have a 0.5 ball nose mounted in a PC router extending 2.75 below the collet. With Z at the maximum position the space between the bit (for a stock BT-XX) and the spoilboard is 4". (My router is mounted in the highest possible position in its mount.)

With a little thinking and tinkering you can get an easy 1.5" or 3" extra Z clearance beyond "stock". So.. in my real installation I get 7" clear air with the settings I listed above. That isnt "as delivered" tho...

D

[Gary Campbell]

Robert...
Do me a favor... measure the diameter of the round black portion just above the collet nut of the 2.2 for me. I have the 4.0 and its a shade under 3". I am building a new dust foot.
Gary

[erik_f]

Dana,
It amazes me how stupid I can be sometimes. I have been thinking about raising my gantry to get more clearance. All the while my router is mounted all the way down in the router mount. File off the four aluminum tabs on the router body, raise the router up as high as it will go to get at least 3" more clearance...Brilliant!!! I should have a cup strapped to my chin to catch the slobber. Sometimes the simplest things get me so excited. Whey wouldn't Shopbot suggest this type of mounting for when you need more clearance? Maybe it is that obvious.