K track cutting jig

01/06/2002 K track cutting jig
I have been cutting K-track in order to make isolated section of rail for switching s88 inputs.
Hand holding the Dremel cutting tool has not produced such good results has I often find that I bring the blade down on the rail in a curve resulting than a wider gap than is necessary.

So I decided to make a jig that hold the Dremel so that I can slide it through a piece of rail that is firmly clamped down onto my table saw.

I screwed some scrap wood onto a plank after cutting out the shape of my Dremel tool such that by means of a clamp I can hold the tool firmly in place on the plank. I then cut a small strip of hardwood the same size as the guide slots on the table saw and screwed that to the underside of the plank such that the Dremel is at 90° to the slot. This allows the whole construction to slide up and down in the slot so that the Dremel is like a small Radial arm saw.

I clamp the track down between two pieces of wood. The lower piece of wood has been cut to the correct thickness so that the bottom of the cutting blade just cuts through the running rail of the track.

Here you can see the diamond cutting disc and the first cut through some rail using the new jig. Note that I make the cut at an angle to the rail so that the wheels have less of a dip to run over yet the two rails are well separated.