Ridgid R4512 Upgrades

Just a tour of my Ridgid R4512 where I've added a few little improvements, a router table, and outfeed table
Affiliate Links to stuff in the video:
Bosch Router Table - amzn.to/2WfvEOW

[@jonathangalloway5975]

Finally, someone clever enough to improve their saw by simply noticing areas to be better improved and taking the initiative to put honest-to-goodness thought into what’s needed... You’re a breath of fresh air compared to 95% of novice asking questions that could be answer by a single google search or even 2 seconds of understanding how machines work. Some of the legitimate questions people ask make me cringe and quite frankly worry about there safety.

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

Thanks Jonathan!

[@lynardburt5992]

I am impressed, that the Bosh Router table will fit this saw. I am getting this saw (R-4520) and now even more because of your upgrades. great job.

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

Thanks - I don' think you'll be disappointed in the saw - I still love mine!

[@musicalchris559]

Thank you. I had the Bosch router table already but I incorporated some of your ideas for storage. Outstanding!

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

Awesome - glad it helped a little!

[@jeremylawrence1947]

Router table setup is awesome. Thanks for the idea.

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

Thanks, it's really handy having that ready to go :)

[@thebobloblawshow8832]

Great upgrade.

[@bradleyjohnson452]

Very nice upgrades.

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

Thanks! just used the router table today with the saw fence - so much easier than setting up the router table fence if you don't have to! :)

[@Bakin]

For those that have reported fence alignment issues with their R4512 Rigid Table I just installed some new 3D printed rail guides for the Rigid table saw made available from Summers Woodworking Company and they greatly improved the alignment issues I had been having with the Rigid fence. The new 3-D Printed guides easily replace the Rigid guides or slides in minutes. The new guides are available from Summers Woodworking for $25 a pair. The new guides are slightly larger than the old Rigid guides fitting tighter and removing the extra space in the fit and reducing the wobble from the old guides. These new guides are smooth, and the fence moves easily. Try them out; I am completely satisfied with my purchase. www.summerswoodworking.co/p/store.html

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

Probably a good idea as I'd guess these things wear down anyway - if you have a 3D printer (which I do) you can also print your own :) www.thingiverse.com/thing:3463727 - but if not - $25 is a pretty fair price!

[@richardborja7072]

I have the same saw. I love the upgrades you've added. Any chance you'll be making and selling the zero clearance inserts?

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

Probably not - you can get them fairly cheap and probably better quality as well :) I'm too cheap plus I like to make stuff for myself LOL

[@markdavidwilding]

Thank you - brilliant suggestions - I had purchased the Bosch Router & Table and added to my R4520 - Now adding an outfeed table - using your suggestion of 20X80 Extrusion - what size bolt & how many did you use to attach the extrusion to the rail?

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

Thanks! Those are 4 inch bolts and I used 8 of them - probably overkill but it's definitely not going anywhere! :)

[@markdavidwilding]

@@HoarderOfHobbies Many thanks... looks like maybe 5/16 x 18 x 4? -- I always overbuild too... better safe than sorry. ;-)

[@markdavidwilding]

Back at it after the holidays... One more thing? I was planning on using a cobalt aircraft extension bit... on drill press. Do you have any other suggestions for drilling the extrusion for the 5/16 " bolts?

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

@@markdavidwilding The only thing I can think of drilling the extrusions is to go slower initially, the bit is wider than the gap in the extrusion and so the tip can sometimes get jammed if it hits just right - other than that it's easy :)

[@markdavidwilding]

​@@HoarderOfHobbies many thanks for taking the time Jamie - yes slow sounds right. I am going to try this 135° split point bit to help prevent it from wandering... We will see. Thanks again for all the great projects! I may try the Jenga set.

[@seephor]

I should showcase mine but I installed that same router table, along with the Delta T3 t-square fence system which comes with actual steel front and back rails which stiffen up the extension table quite a bit and a support leg is not needed. I also made a 2.25 Ridgid vac port by adapting to the 4" one under the saw using a elbow. How many people have a full shop dust extraction who purchase this saw? Bad move by Ridgid, at least include an adapter. The weakest point of this Ridigid saw is the fence system. I hated it. I could never get it square to the blade and the measurement was always off. The Delta T3 fence is a dream. If I set it to 3". I get it accurate to about 5-10 thousands and my cuts are absolutely square. I like your idea of the router fence holder so I'll be doing something like that.

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

Nice - I'll have to check out that Delta fence! Was it very hard to install it?

[@seephor]

@@HoarderOfHobbies It took some time and it was definitely not a bolt-on. The problem is that the t-square type fence systems need to be installed at a certain height from the table. Ridgid does not use the same hole pattern and the ones that are drilled are about 1/8" too high so you can't use any of them. You also can't drill new holes in the rails because the hole would blow out from the top edge. You have to drill new holes in the front and back of the cast and tap threads in the back of the cast as there's no room for a nut. all in all it was worth it and I don't mind this type of fabrication work, in fact I enjoy it. It really came out great and improved an already great saw (minus the fence)

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

@@seephor ahh I see - yeah sounds like a lot of work but if it's worth it then I'll check it out for sure! You should showcase it somewhere - either a video or a blog or something - maybe some woodworking forum? :)

[@marshallharrington4727]

thats awesome

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

Thanks! :)

[@adhuot01]

Where did you download the model for the zero clearance insert?

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

I think I used these from here - cutrocket.com/p/5b1d75eee1a11

[@stevemay7117]

What is the piece of aluminum that you used for the outfeed table?

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

it's aluminum t-slot - search for 3060 or 3080 - I think I got this from OpenBuilds.com - openbuildspartstore.com/v-slot-20x80-linear-rail/

[@stevemay7117]

Thank you!

[@davidlyon4511]

Nice. I was thinking about buying this saw. I’m a newbie and just starting. This will be my biggest purchased tool (can’t really afford a cabinet table saw). How’s the fence as it relates to accuracy?

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

I've never had a problem at all with it, never even adjusted it actually and it cuts straight for me

[@PrattMadeThat]

I have the same saw, but the fence does have some slop in it. I always put a tape on the fence after adjusting to ensure it is square to the blade. This too was my first table saw since I couldn't afford anything bigger at the time. Great starter saw IMHO.

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

@@PrattMadeThat I'll have to check mine for the slop - I haven't noticed anything being off yet though - but I will double check it - thanks! Did you upgrade your fence for another or anything?

[@PrattMadeThat]

HoarderOfHobbies Too take the slop out, I put some strips on UHMW tape on the white sliders attached to the fence. Then I found a 3d print on thingiverse that has a tighter tolerance, and that worked like a charm.

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

Ahh Thingiverse love it - I will go hunting for anything R4512 on there! :) I watched a few of your videos - very cool stuff! Love the modern picket projects too - I see you're in Florida? Hey neighbor - I'm in Clearwater :)

[@markhutchison1509]

what are the dimensions of the extrusion and where did you get it? thanks, great job

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

it's called 20X80 Extrusion and it's about 1" X 3" and I got two links amzn.to/2ZvWi6W from Amazon - and openbuildspartstore.com/v-slot-20x80-linear-rail/ for the black or silver kind - the Amazon ships faster maybe but it you like the black anodized look I think the Open Builds is the only place I've found it :)

[@jefftaylor3607]

Thanks for the vid. How long is the extrusion piece & what size bolts did you use

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

@@jefftaylor3607 I can measure exactly tomorrow - but I guess it was a 4' long piece and the bolts would have to have been longer than 3" with threads still at about 3" so I'd guess they were 3.5" and 1/4"-20 bolts - but I'll get that exactly for you

[@scottaucutt7262]

@@HoarderOfHobbies that extrusion piece on Amazon is 48" long. The length of the fence rail on the saw is about 57" I can't really see the other side of the extrusion in your video. Is it a little short on that other side or did you buy a longer piece of extrusion and cut it? If I can get away with the 48" piece that would be nice because the next larger size is almost twice the cost.

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

@@scottaucutt7262 Mine is longer, as I probably bought the second link and chose the 1500mm piece for like $40 - but I'd bet the 48" one would be plenty to support an outfeed table - just not line up with the ends (I'm obsessive compulsive so that would bother me LOL)

[@joonyaboy]

Have a video of using the router? Curious how it’s setup

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

I use the router table in the video where I'm making some doors here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2GtdYKLbah1jqs

[@joonyaboy]

@@HoarderOfHobbies that is super cool. Wonder if any other routers fit in there

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

@@joonyaboy you can put any router on that router table I think (or nearly any probably) but if you mean a different router table then, no, I think they are all different sizes and so not any router table would fit - I think it would be easier to try and make your own with some of the many plans out there and make it fit exactly :)

[@LewisZipp]

I was going to order just the router table top but they don't make it anymore. Can you give the dimensions of the router table?

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

I'm out of town at the moment but I will measure it as soon as I can

[@wk7060]

Didn’t realize until now that the R4512 was a direct drive saw, unlike the belt drive TS3650.

[@HoarderOfHobbies]

I think it has a small belt in there - but honestly I've never really looked! :) It's a great table saw and I still love it 3 years later