I saw in a magazine that someone built a table saw extension for the
back of their saw to increase their table top area to hold large piece
of wood for cuts. The person used a 3' x 4' piece of melaine with
hardwood edges attached. He has cut slots to match his current miter
gauge slots so he can push wood past the blade.
Question I have is:
How were the slots created? I have seen alot of the extensions being
made in magazines but they don't saw how the slots are made. I know I
could use a straight bit for a router that is the same width as the
miter slot for my table saw but the miter gauge has a washer on the
bottom of the bar to keep is 'locked' in the channel. How would this
slot be made for the T-style miter gauge slot? I could use a T-slot bit
for the router but I would imagine that this would leave 'slop' for the
miter gauge to 'move' in and perhaps throw the cut off.
Or would this be a mute point if I took the washer off of the bottom the
miter gauge bar and just use the straight bit?
Thanks,
Karl
In article <[email protected]>, Karl <[email protected]> wrote:
>I saw in a magazine that someone built a table saw extension for the
>back of their saw to increase their table top area to hold large piece
>of wood for cuts. The person used a 3' x 4' piece of melaine with
>hardwood edges attached. He has cut slots to match his current miter
>gauge slots so he can push wood past the blade.
>
>Question I have is:
>How were the slots created? I have seen alot of the extensions being
>made in magazines but they don't saw how the slots are made. I know I
>could use a straight bit for a router that is the same width as the
>miter slot for my table saw but the miter gauge has a washer on the
>bottom of the bar to keep is 'locked' in the channel. How would this
>slot be made for the T-style miter gauge slot? I could use a T-slot bit
>for the router but I would imagine that this would leave 'slop' for the
>miter gauge to 'move' in and perhaps throw the cut off.
>
>Or would this be a mute point if I took the washer off of the bottom the
>miter gauge bar and just use the straight bit?
>
>Thanks,
>Karl
>
The easiest thing to do is make the extension table slots somewhat
wider and deeper than the saw table slots. It eliminates the problems
of the T slot and having to align and match the extension table slots
exactly to the saw.
--
No dumb questions, just dumb answers.
Larry Wasserman - Baltimore, Maryland - [email protected]
Karl (in [email protected]) said:
| Question I have is: How were the slots created?
With either a router or the table saw. If the slots go all the way
across the extension, they were probably made with the table saw;
otherwise they were probably routed.
| How would this slot be made for the T-style miter gauge slot?
Make the slots slightly wider than the washer on the miter gauge bar.
| Or would this be a mute point if I took the washer off of the
| bottom the miter gauge bar and just use the straight bit?
The washer is to keep the miter gauge from tipping off the saw table
onto your foot or the floor. Keep the washer in place - it's
functional.
Something to think about: If you anticipate making sliding
fixtures/jigs/sleds, be sure to make the slots long enough to
accommodate their runners.
Tip: Apply a bit of paste wax to the inside surfaces of the slots -
it'll help keep your sliding stuff sliding freely.
--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto
The slots in the extension table are typically made wider that the slots in
the table. They are there just for clearance, not to guide the gage. Think
about it. What good would it do you to run the miter gage behind the blade?
"Karl" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I saw in a magazine that someone built a table saw extension for the
> back of their saw to increase their table top area to hold large piece
> of wood for cuts. The person used a 3' x 4' piece of melaine with
> hardwood edges attached. He has cut slots to match his current miter
> gauge slots so he can push wood past the blade.
>
> Question I have is:
> How were the slots created? I have seen alot of the extensions being
> made in magazines but they don't saw how the slots are made. I know I
> could use a straight bit for a router that is the same width as the
> miter slot for my table saw but the miter gauge has a washer on the
> bottom of the bar to keep is 'locked' in the channel. How would this
> slot be made for the T-style miter gauge slot? I could use a T-slot bit
> for the router but I would imagine that this would leave 'slop' for the
> miter gauge to 'move' in and perhaps throw the cut off.
>
> Or would this be a mute point if I took the washer off of the bottom the
> miter gauge bar and just use the straight bit?
>
> Thanks,
> Karl
>
"CW" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> The slots in the extension table are typically made wider that the slots
> in
> the table. They are there just for clearance, not to guide the gage. Think
> about it. What good would it do you to run the miter gage behind the
> blade?
>
Exactly. Just make them long enough to clear the rail as it is pushed.
Wide enough that there is plenty of clearance so the rail does not hit, or
if the table is not secured it will be out of the path. Two passes with a
router and 1/2" bit will do.
Karl <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]:
> I saw in a magazine that someone built a table saw extension for the
> back of their saw to increase their table top area to hold large piece
> of wood for cuts. The person used a 3' x 4' piece of melaine with
> hardwood edges attached. He has cut slots to match his current miter
> gauge slots so he can push wood past the blade.
>
> Question I have is:
> How were the slots created? I have seen alot of the extensions being
> made in magazines but they don't saw how the slots are made. I know I
> could use a straight bit for a router that is the same width as the
> miter slot for my table saw but the miter gauge has a washer on the
> bottom of the bar to keep is 'locked' in the channel. How would this
> slot be made for the T-style miter gauge slot? I could use a T-slot
> bit for the router but I would imagine that this would leave 'slop'
> for the miter gauge to 'move' in and perhaps throw the cut off.
>
> Or would this be a MOOT point if I took the washer off of the bottom
> the miter gauge bar and just use the straight bit?
>
> Thanks,
> Karl
>
I think it is a moot point. You would want to keep your miter gauge and
tablesaw slots just the way they are. And I don't think the slots in the
extension are there for any reason other than to let the miter gauge move
freely the whole depth of the table saw. Hopefully the gauge is fitting
well enough and supported well enough for you to cut almost anything on
the saw without the extension. The extension is just there so you won't
need SWMBO to help you support the larger pieces of wood as you move them
through the saw.
Be advised that a table saw is dangerous equipment. Always be prepared
for kickbacks. DAMHIKT!
--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid
"Karl" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>I saw in a magazine that someone built a table saw extension for the
> back of their saw to increase their table top area to hold large piece
> of wood for cuts. The person used a 3' x 4' piece of melaine with
> hardwood edges attached. He has cut slots to match his current miter
> gauge slots so he can push wood past the blade.
>
> Question I have is:
> How were the slots created? I have seen alot of the extensions being
> made in magazines but they don't saw how the slots are made. I know I
> could use a straight bit for a router that is the same width as the
> miter slot for my table saw but the miter gauge has a washer on the
> bottom of the bar to keep is 'locked' in the channel. How would this
> slot be made for the T-style miter gauge slot? I could use a T-slot bit
> for the router but I would imagine that this would leave 'slop' for the
> miter gauge to 'move' in and perhaps throw the cut off.
>
> Or would this be a mute point if I took the washer off of the bottom the
> miter gauge bar and just use the straight bit?
>
> Thanks,
> Karl
I used a dovetail bit to make the slots for my extension table. Works well.
Max
--
Want change? Vote out the incumbents.
I would download the plans from Biesemeyer and build
their version. It is simple and cheap.
It is very effective.
http://www.biesemeyer.com/print/comm_fence/Commercial%20%20Fence%20Manual.pdf
When building the outfeed portion, you need
to add a piece of solid wood in the area of miter
slots. Use a router and a straight edge to produce the
slots.
The slots can be basically any size larger than the
miter slots on the saw.
Karl wrote:
> I saw in a magazine that someone built a table saw extension for the
> back of their saw to increase their table top area to hold large piece
> of wood for cuts. The person used a 3' x 4' piece of melaine with
> hardwood edges attached. He has cut slots to match his current miter
> gauge slots so he can push wood past the blade.
>
> Question I have is:
> How were the slots created? I have seen alot of the extensions being
> made in magazines but they don't saw how the slots are made. I know I
> could use a straight bit for a router that is the same width as the
> miter slot for my table saw but the miter gauge has a washer on the
> bottom of the bar to keep is 'locked' in the channel. How would this
> slot be made for the T-style miter gauge slot? I could use a T-slot bit
> for the router but I would imagine that this would leave 'slop' for the
> miter gauge to 'move' in and perhaps throw the cut off.
>
> Or would this be a mute point if I took the washer off of the bottom the
> miter gauge bar and just use the straight bit?
>
> Thanks,
> Karl
>
"Karl" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> Question I have is:
> How were the slots created? I have seen alot of the extensions being
> made in magazines but they don't saw how the slots are made. I know I
> could use a straight bit for a router that is the same width as the
> miter slot for my table saw but the miter gauge has a washer on the
> bottom of the bar to keep is 'locked' in the channel. How would this
> slot be made for the T-style miter gauge slot? I could use a T-slot bit
> for the router but I would imagine that this would leave 'slop' for the
> miter gauge to 'move' in and perhaps throw the cut off.
>
> Or would this be a mute point if I took the washer off of the bottom the
> miter gauge bar and just use the straight bit?
>
Mute is silent. Moot is the word you wanted.
And yes - it is a moot point. The slots only serve to allow the mitre to
move all the way forward, and your table saw table is going to keep it
properly positioned right through the cut. You could have slots an inch
wide in the extension table and it would not affect a thing. Think about it
this way - without that extension what is happening to the mitre bar as you
move past the blade? It's just moving forward into free air.
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
The slots don't need to be the exact size of the existing slots. Oversize
is fine as the miter guage will be well past the blade by the time it needs
any support. The slots only allow full passage past the edge of the saw.
either a dado or a router can be used.
"Karl" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>I saw in a magazine that someone built a table saw extension for the
> back of their saw to increase their table top area to hold large piece
> of wood for cuts. The person used a 3' x 4' piece of melaine with
> hardwood edges attached. He has cut slots to match his current miter
> gauge slots so he can push wood past the blade.
>
> Question I have is:
> How were the slots created? I have seen alot of the extensions being
> made in magazines but they don't saw how the slots are made. I know I
> could use a straight bit for a router that is the same width as the
> miter slot for my table saw but the miter gauge has a washer on the
> bottom of the bar to keep is 'locked' in the channel. How would this
> slot be made for the T-style miter gauge slot? I could use a T-slot bit
> for the router but I would imagine that this would leave 'slop' for the
> miter gauge to 'move' in and perhaps throw the cut off.
>
> Or would this be a mute point if I took the washer off of the bottom the
> miter gauge bar and just use the straight bit?
>
> Thanks,
> Karl
>