T bolts alignment pin

[Bill Huber]

I am posting this again because of an email asking about a picture on my web site. When I told him what it was he thought I should post it again because he had missed it.

We all have a jig of some type that has T slot in it and we have to slide a T Bolt into it. Just as we are sliding the bold in the slot it turns a little and then it will not slide into the slot. You then have to turn it and try again and hope it doesn't turn again. Here is my fix for the problem.

Drill a small hole in the T Bolt and put a pin in it. I just use a small nail in wood or if I have steel or aluminum I use a small spiral pin.

Drill a hole in the T Bolt on one of the ends. Make sure the hole is a clearance hole for a small nail and close to the end.
Now put the T Bolt in you jig, line the T Bolt up in the correct direction and mark where the hole goes in the jig. I then predrill a small hole for the nail and drive it in.
Cut the nail off as short as need to clear the inside of the T slot, file any burs off and that's about it.


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[Jim Heffner]

Bill, looks like a good idea you have there. I would think it could be called a t -slot indexing pin. It would keep that t -slot bolt in proper position that's for sure!

[Rod Sheridan]

Wow Bill, simple and effective.

What a brilliant idea, thanks for sharing.......Rod.

[Aaron Berk]

Thanks for sharing, I never would have thought about that. I fight that issue all the time with my crapsman drill press table, makes it a pain in the neck to adjust the fence when the T-bolts keep twisting and jamming.

If you don't mind some constructive criticism.....
Do you think it would help to have the hole in the T-bolt larger than the pin so that you have a little flexibility like in my case? I have one T-bolt on either side (right and left) of my fence, and as I'm pushing or pulling the fence I have to keep it perpendicular to the 2 T-tracks it slides on. If I don't keep it just right, it jams up real good. Do you think having the pin close fitting like you mentioned would be just fine?

[Danny Burns]

Sweet! Thanks!

[Stephen Edwards]

What a GREAT idea. I love solutions that are simple, to the point and achieve the desired results. Keep 'em coming Bill!

By the way, I visited your web page today. You have a nice, clean shop with some very cool set ups. Your projects and the photography is excellent. Thanks for sharing with us.

[Bill Huber]

Thanks for sharing, I never would have thought about that. I fight that issue all the time with my crapsman drill press table, makes it a pain in the neck to adjust the fence when the T-bolts keep twisting and jamming.

If you don't mind some constructive criticism.....
Do you think it would help to have the hole in the T-bolt larger than the pin so that you have a little flexibility like in my case? I have one T-bolt on either side (right and left) of my fence, and as I'm pushing or pulling the fence I have to keep it perpendicular to the 2 T-tracks it slides on. If I don't keep it just right, it jams up real good. Do you think having the pin close fitting like you mentioned would be just fine?

On my drill press fence it has a T bolt on each side, but there is also a slots in each side of the angle that holds the fence. This way the fence can move right and left.

It has T bolts in T track but I did not put pin on them because I just don't take the fence off the drill press but once in a blue moon.

I don't see why you can't try it, make a slot in the end of the T Bolt.

Good luck and let us know how it works.

[glenn bradley]

I've said it before Bill; great idea.