Chasing Frankenstein

Oh yeah they're always chasing Frank, but he and Vic weren't about to leave their latest creation behind. He's really happier than he looks. The 27x30 inch monster he and Vic are wrestling down the stairs is his third attempt in a month to cobble together a reasonable substitute for Montolit's "Combi Slalom".
After watching the video (link above) pointed out to me by a Montolit sales rep I met at Robert F Henry Tile in Birmingham, Al I became very interested. Even after a couple of months of being to unable to find out anything else about it. I had some time so I thought, maybe I can make my tile cutter do that.

 So "Brutus", my ten year (or more) old scratch cutter became "Frankenstein Side Saddle The First". Of course I had to be careful not to make any irrevocable changes since I'd have to change it back.

  This was not a well thought out build. Designed to hang cantilevered off my truck bumper, it would have taken both hands to operate with no  way to see how the cut was going. This was not a sustainable model, duh! FSS#1 was scrapped and "Brutus" was reassembled without even getting a decent test








The Weber grill on it;s way to the dumpster seemed like a gift. Still working on a shoestring, the Weber grill was stripped down and a chunk of particle board counter, some scrap one by, and poor "Brutus's " once again re-purposed parts became "Frankenstein Side Saddle The Second".

FSS#2 actuall got some testing and several stages of improvements before it became obvious that, though it could be persuaded to steer through a curvy path, it was not going to track on the line (sliding not cutting, bummer).

So with "Brutus" reassembled a second time, safely tucked away in a closet, the parts gathering for Frankenstein Side Saddle The Third began with a budget (but no wheels)! I started with two Finch & McClay scratch cutters from HarborFreight. They  had lots of handy looking parts and I used as many as possible without changing them.

 In light of how badly the first two attempts failed, this time I thought it might be a good idea to at figure out what it was I wanted this one to do.  I watched the Combi Slalom video repeatedly. I found it informative, but a bit understated (no words at all). Still I came up with my wish list, as it turned out the first of several.
1.a three railed cutter, for curvy movement of the blade.
2.a rotating head to allow the blade to track on a curve.
3.a way to steer the cutter head, and press down blade.

The blade/breaker foot holder (31, 32) on the assembly diagram at left was the answer to both wishes 2 and 3. Both of these parts took me several hours each to make. Hack sawing the first into three pieces then splitting the bottom of the cup looking one with a side grinder (tricky cause the aluminum filled the diamond blade repeatedly and had to be cleaned by cutting a brick) everything had to held with wooden blocks so the vice wouldn't crush the threads or flatten the side ridges.




The drawing to the right shows the blade arm too narrow. Actually the side ridges fit up around the "cup" tightly and the flange between them was forced beep enough into the "cup split" to make drilling and bolting possible.


                   
    On the left the same part hes been re-purposed     again. This time ends of the arms were removed and the connecting flange filed a little to fit into the grinder-cut shaft of the circle cutter attachment from the Finch & McClay (three in one). The handle of the circle cutter screwed into the top of the shaft so it is pre-drilled and threaded inside and out. I was pleased and a little surprised that being cut through by the grinder didn't ruin either set of threads.

                                                                                                              The circle cutting attachment (44 and 45, on right) made an excellent steering mast set up.  The handle was removed and the center bolt was replaced by two corner bolts fixing it solidly to an oak block.







                                                      On the left you can see the circle-cutter/mast mounted on a block with an additional spacer block.
early tests seemed to show insufficient cutter pressure. Some curvy scratches were achieved but none broke far on the curvy line. Worse the cutter head tended to try to go under the center rail when downward pressure was increased. raising the board surface 1/2 inch helped but as shown by the mast/block shim it is a tweak still in progress.

                                                                                                                                                                     Vic's unfortunate vacuum cleaner collision led to FSS#3 falling face (cutter head down) first onto the carpet,Ow! It's not yet clear if the head can be repaired. If not, the replacement would require another Finch& McClay 3 in 1 cutter. This isn't all bad since replacement tubes would be nice to have on hand, as this fall ruined one. The all-thread rod holding it to aluminium angle rail rider stretcher may also have to be replaced.
In the mean time a local Montalit rep. has gotten back with me by e-mail informing me I can acquire a Combi Slalom from Robert F Henry Tile in Birmingham for $912. It seems like a lot, but I'm like 40% there after about $100 in parts and more than two weeks of my time. Without just copying theirs, which I also can't afford (and seems bogus) mine could end up costing that much or more for less of a tool. I'm wishing I had the $912, theirs looks tough and loaded with features I haven't begun to work out yet. Truthfully this doesn't look like an easy tool to master even if you had a good one, but it's been my experience that tile workers are a hardheaded and persistent bunch. I hope I get to try one out.