I bit the bullet and purchased the Carbide T-Track kit for my XXL instead of making it myself to save some time.
I’ve read the instructions and the images don’t match my reality.
For instance here the MDF spacers are shown to be just to the side of the beam:
However, on my machine, the spacers must extend under the rail leaving the screw holes fully covered by the beam preventing installation of the screws (this happens on both sides of the machine.) Do you think if I don’t screw down that edge under the beam and only do the otherside near the T-track that there would be any problems?
Also, there seems to be other issues in the instructions that seem amiss.
For instance, the T-track in the picture above, the bottom of the t-track is only slightly recessed just meet at the top of the the front brace leaving plenty of room to slide in the bold for workholding. On my machine, the top of the t-track is flush with the brace preventing access to insert the hex bolts. I intend to simply slide the t-track back 1/2" to accommodate the head, but the instructions might want indicate that.
The instructions also indicate the t-track is not symmetrical with holes on one end starting 7/8" from the front and ending 1 1/2" from the back; however, the t-track I was provided is indeed symmetrical.
Do the instructions need updated? Or did I recieve old stock?
I don’t have the official T-Track kit from C3D, but you should be able to just drill new holes slightly inside the existing holes where you can reach with a drill/screwdriver and screw them down. Honestly though, when I did mine I left those pieces of MDF off so that I would be able to surface the entire waste board with my XXL and not have a pocket to always deal with when cutting larger pieces that extend beyond the machinable area. I use odd pieces of MDF or whatever when I want to clamp off the side to shim my clamps up. In other words my actual “waste board” is slightly smaller than the reach of the router/machine envelope.
You are not alone my friend! I have a 16x16 shapeoko 3 and ordered the T track kit and found out the hard way Carbide never test fit the kit on a 16x16 machine prior to selling them. All the middle spacer board mounting holes line up with the factory bolt holes leaving nothing to screw them down to unless you go out and buy longer bolts your self. I contacted carbide support on 8-30-2018 and haven’t heard anything back beside the automated reply saying they got my message and would get back to me in a day or 2. Also so others know the 16x16 kit only comes with 3 rails and in my opinion not worth the $150.00 it cost me
At first I thought that perhaps they changed the height of the frame or own the MDF is secured to it differently but that’s not the case.
If you look at the first photo I posted, the foreground shows the t-track above the front frame with easy access to slide the bolt into and out of the slot in the track. However, if you look at the background, you’ll see exactly what I was describing with the T-track below the frame.
To take this picture, they’ve added spacers under the MDF & T-Track just for this picture! I’ve secured mine now and presently for the edge MDF pieces I only have the near-track screws installed. This will make it easier for removing these pieces if we do run oversized boards.
On my machine, however, I noticed that the edge of a standard 1/4 bit is nearly even with the edge of the t-track. It seems like a missed opportunity to have simply make the Middle MDF sections slightly bigger and have the far left and far right T-Tracks outside the milling area entirely. Maybe I’ll mill new middle panels someday…
Ben, I just recently purchased the kit for my XL and it appears to be the same issue that you are having. Either pushed to the front or back, the spacers line up either over the pre-existing screws or will have zero MDF to screw into. My tracks were also symmetrical.
