This is a fairly simple top I came up with to protect the surface of my scroll saw table when cutting brass (or any other metal). Picture 1 is the Formica top offset on the metal scroll saw table. Picture 2 is the top in place. Pictures 3 & 4 are the bottom, and Picture 5 is just the top.
A couple of years ago, I learned my lesson when I scratched up my new disc sander table trimming aluminum butt plates for my shotgun—the aluminum shavings really scratched the dickens out of the cast iron table. I preferred to avoid a repeat on the new scroll saw table when I cut out the brass hardware for my “Signature Wedding Gift” trays. (C.f., http://lumberjocks.com/projects/61529 ) It worked great and didn’t really scratch or damage the Formica. The top is held in place by little clamps as shown in Pictures 3 & 4.
As always, comments (good, bad, critical or whatever) are always appreciated. It’s always amazing how much I learn from this wood working community, especially when I’d gotten to the point in life where I was beginning to thing “been there, done that.” Thanks for looking.
P.S. It’s come to my attention that I failed to specify the materials used other than Formica. The bodies of the base, rim and clamps are all 1/4 ” Baltic Birch that is laminated on both sides (except where the rim is glued to the top, having been rabbited on my router table to expose wood on the top). I’ve found that you need to laminate both sides of a thin laminate project to prevent warping (ZCI for TS and any veneer are other examples). 12/09/12