Shark Pro Plus "table"

[Jim N]

I like the new table - Looks like a series of 3" x 3/4" Multi tracks Item 34262 of Rockler cat.
Any see or know how they are joined??
Jim N.

[recrisp]

I just called to put in an order on one of these, and while I was talking to the salesperson I asked about that.
She told me that they weren't sure yet, matter of fact, they were not aware of the new model until I mentioned it this morning.
She did say (after checking) that it was the Multi-Track as you said, and that it was "probably" attached by a plate on the bottom to keep it together AND level.

That's about all I know, and really, it's hearsay at this point, with the model being so new we will hear more as the days go on, I'm sure.
I'm sorry I couldn't be of some real help.

Randy

[RhB_HJ]

What would be of interest to me: what is the flatness tolerance of the table overall and over the working area?

[Tim Owens]

The plates are joined together by two plates one at each end that rests on the base structure. The table is very flat and consistent through the workarea especially compared to the MDF tops. All cnc machines make a spoiler plate if they need it completely level by machining a flat spot in the spoiler board. This is not usually necessary unless you are doing engraving.

[RhB_HJ]

That's good to hear, thanks!

[PapaBear60]

Here is a GREAT after market item for Rockler - T-Track beds for the CNC machines. My wood/MDF bed is always giving me grief - and every time I change anything, it requires re-leveling (separate topic). It seems that if done well, this would at least create a sufficiently flat surface that we could level once-and-for-all. I would buy one for my Shark in a heartbeat! Might even build one if I could get a few tips from Rockler. As my projects tend to be long and wide, bed leveling in my #1 priority ... and headache. Hold-downs are up there as well and I tend to screw my workpiece down to the bed using pre-placed t-nuts. But the bed and the workpiece flex a little bit.

[Minitucking]

The only problem with the Shark Pro Plus "table" is the material that the t-track is bolted to is very flimsy and only held in by two bolts on the ends. When you clamp a piece down and the clamp happens to be somewhere on the end in the middle of the table, the clamp pulls the t-track up due to lack of ridgidity in the material that its bolted to. A rememdy to this would be a piece of aluminum channel or angle that bolts between the t-track and plastic material. As far as converting this table to a Pro should be no problem at all.If you guys want i can post some pictures of how it connects to the router base.

[Sharkman82]

The bed is the biggest issue with shark i think. I bought some 25mm x 25mm aluminium SHS called connect-it that comes with knock in corner elbows. Ran two standard 900mm down either side. Cut a 16mm thick piece of MDF and fixed that to the aluminium sides. Fixed two veritas T-slot tracks down wither side and at the front. Then cut and fitted a 9mm piece of MDF that is my sacrificial board that i'll replace every few months.

[REG]

Sharkman, by the photos yours looks like the Shark Pro rather than the pro plus. Do you have a web site link of where you got the connect-it system?

Bobby

[Sharkman82]

Hi Reg,

Mine is definitely not the pro, the Y length of the table is now approx. 50mm Longer because of the aluminium (came in 600mm, 900mm or 1200mm lengths. I purchased the aluminium from our large hardware chains Bunnings warehouse in Australia (Silmilar to the US home depot stores?) Your net source maybe a metal supplies that may sell standard knock in elbows to suit a particular SQUARE aluminium section.