Sliding Table for Powermatic T66

[Jim Foster]

I have a Powermatic T66 and I've looked around but not seen a lot of easily compatible sliding tables. I also noticed a number of the sliding table manufacturers do not list compatible tables with the marketing liturature.

Also, do I lose the 50" fence on the right of the table if I get an aftermarket slider? (I am not going to make one, it would be used mostly for larger panels)

Thanks.

[Brad Ridgway]

Think you mean PM66?

I recently put a 60" exaktor on mine... the sliders i know of (including exaktor / excalibur) must attach to left side of the saw, not the right. So you lose the fence to the left. You must at a minimum cut about 4-5" of the tube that protrudes past the left wing, but the manual and many here will recommend removing the wing to "reduce vibration". I couldn't bring myself to do it.

If you go with the first option, you can still use the fence on left side, you just lose some of the capacity.

Note that Kelly Mehler in his book says left tilt and slider is a bad combo if you're doing bevels (basically creates the opposite effect as the left tilt benefit offers when ripping) and i think it's be easier to pinch in such a case given the flex in the tables.

[frank shic]

i redrilled the mounting holes and moved the table saw fence rail to the right after removing the left cast iron extension. you'll love the sliding table when you need to crosscut a full size sheet of plywood if you get the larger models.

[Paul Johnstone]

I have a Powermatic T66 and I've looked around but not seen a lot of easily compatible sliding tables. I also noticed a number of the sliding table manufacturers do not list compatible tables with the marketing liturature.

Also, do I lose the 50" fence on the right of the table if I get an aftermarket slider? (I am not going to make one, it would be used mostly for larger panels)

Thanks.

I have the Jessem.. Yeah, you need to cut off part of the fence rail to the right of the blade. I know a lot of people agonize over this. :) It's really not a big deal though.. Just about a minute with a sawzall. Think about it.. how often to you really move the fence to the left of the blade? For me, it was never.

Losing a little bit of fence rails to the left is well worth it for a sliding table.

[Jim Foster]

How do you like the JessEm? Is it rigorous enough for large panels? It does not look like it will crosscut a 48" panel? Thanks for the feedback.


I have the Jessem.. Yeah, you need to cut off part of the fence rail to the right of the blade. I know a lot of people agonize over this. :) It's really not a big deal though.. Just about a minute with a sawzall. Think about it.. how often to you really move the fence to the left of the blade? For me, it was never.

Losing a little bit of fence rails to the left is well worth it for a sliding table.

[Chris Rosenberger]

I had a 60" Excalibur on a PM66 I owned. It worked very well for large panels. I did remove the left extension wing & cut the fence rail. I did not like doing it, but that is the way the manual said to do it. This spring when I replaced the PM66 with one of the new Unisaws I decided to leave the extension wing on & not cut the fence rail. I mounted the table to wing. I have not had any problems with this setup either. It has been working very well also.

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o303/chrisrosenb/100_0283.jpg

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o303/chrisrosenb/100_0891.jpg

[Frank Drew]

you'll love the sliding table when you need to crosscut a full size sheet of plywood if you get the larger models.

Absolutely! And you'll never want to go back to a saw without a sliding table.

[Mike Heidrick]

How do you like the JessEm? Is it rigorous enough for large panels? It does not look like it will crosscut a 48" panel? Thanks for the feedback.


The Jessem will not cut 48" I too have left my CI tables (I have two) with my Jessem and have had no issue (other than the lack of miter usage being so far out). I was able to easily trim the bottom edge of a door though. It has a 37" stroke. I would say that the Jessem is IN NO WAY a replacement for an Excaliber 60" crosscut setup. Those are NICE!

Now that I have a tracksaw though it has really reduced my usage on long cuts with the Jessem. I have considered going back and mounting it short like originally intended and gaining the miter functionality. In fact in looking I may be able to not cut and just use one table. Then again I may end up with a Laguna slider and drop the Jessem all together.

[Jim Foster]

Boy, your Powermatic setup looks nice. So far the new Excalibur model looks the best for me. I've got to get a new planer setup and a few things done first before I jump, but I am going to layout some tables with plywood tops in my shop to see what it would be like to work in my shop with a table this size. I sent Laguna a request for some more info on their sliding table, but I'm not sure about that one; the only review I saw was not favorable. I'd remove the left extension wing and cut the existing fence rails also on installation.


I had a 60" Excalibur on a PM66 I owned. It worked very well for large panels. I did remove the left extension wing & cut the fence rail. I did not like doing it, but that is the way the manual said to do it. This spring when I replaced the PM66 with one of the new Unisaws I decided to leave the extension wing on & not cut the fence rail. I mounted the table to wing. I have not had any problems with this setup either. It has been working very well also.

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o303/chrisrosenb/100_0283.jpg

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o303/chrisrosenb/100_0891.jpg

[Jim Foster]

Thanks Mike,

I sent Laguna a request for some more info on their unit, I have not been able to find out much about it. The only review I did find was not favorable, it ws an older review of the new saw with the slider on it. It seems awfully pricey too.


The Jessem will not cut 48" I too have left my CI tables (I have two) with my Jessem and have had no issue (other than the lack of miter usage being so far out). I was able to easily trim the bottom edge of a door though. It has a 37" stroke. I would say that the Jessem is IN NO WAY a replacement for an Excaliber 60" crosscut setup. Those are NICE!

Now that I have a tracksaw though it has really reduced my usage on long cuts with the Jessem. I have considered going back and mounting it short like originally intended and gaining the miter functionality. In fact in looking I may be able to not cut and just use one table. Then again I may end up with a Laguna slider and drop the Jessem all together.

[Mike Wilkins]

Sliders are nice for dimensioning large panels and really nice for long stock, as long as you have the shop space for one. The only problem with add-on units is that the sliding action is far from the blade, inviting inaccuracies if the board moves, even a little. True sliding tablesaws get the material closer to the action. I read you are considering a slider rather than an add-on. I got myself one of the Laguna Pro sliders back in Feb. and really love it. As soon as I learn how to post pics, I will post a review and some photos.

[Jim Foster]

I probably should have been more clear. I am looking at the Laguna sliding table accessory, not the whole table. The accessory they sell looks like the same unit that comes on one of their tables. I could be wrong on that though.

I would like to see some pictures of the table. Unless the Laguna changes my mind, I think I'll end up with the Excalibur.


Sliders are nice for dimensioning large panels and really nice for long stock, as long as you have the shop space for one. The only problem with add-on units is that the sliding action is far from the blade, inviting inaccuracies if the board moves, even a little. True sliding tablesaws get the material closer to the action. I read you are considering a slider rather than an add-on. I got myself one of the Laguna Pro sliders back in Feb. and really love it. As soon as I learn how to post pics, I will post a review and some photos.