Router table miter slot, who uses them?

[Michael Drew]

I’m currently designing my next table top. I’m going to use an Incra fence system. I am going to mount the Incra LS positioner to a separate extension table that I can mount to the back side of the table or the right side depending on what I’m doing with it. I am doing this so I can keep my table width 36” for larger work pieces (my current table is this wide and I like it), but move the fence to be perpendicular to the front so that I do not have to reach as far if I do any dovetail work or other work where I want to feed small pieces away from me verses right to left. I’m still trying to figure out exactly how I’m going to do this and keep the fence assembly rigid. I have some ideas…..

I had planned to put a miter slot in the table but if I do that, it will be right in the path of the work piece when working dovetails. I recently bought Hylton’s book and he doesn’t like miter slots. I got to thinking about how often I use mine, and it’s very rare that I do. I’m fairly convinced that I will leave the miter slot out of this table, but figured I’d throw this out to you all first.

How important is a miter slot? If I leave it out, I’m wondering if I will regret that decision down the road as I acquire more skills.

[Chip Lindley]

Miter slots are great for attaching featherboards to push stock against the fence. That is all I would use mine for. But, a set of drilled holes with threaded inserts could perform the same function. The T-slot material is aluminum, and will wear if used for coping sleds, etc. I would not trust it's accuracy for such.

[Myk Rian]

I have a miter and a T-track across the front of my table, right next to each other. I use them often enough to justify them.

[Scott Hildenbrand]

+1 on Myk.. Aluminum combo track here.. If it wears down, I can replace it easy enough.

[Van Huskey]

Make that a +2.

All manner of things are useful when "stuck" near a router, the only thing I wish is mine was cast iron to use mag-jigs with

[Peter Quinn]

I bought an aluminum one to add to a router table, never did, wound up using it for another purpose. So I guess count me as can live without it. Of course I have since added three shapers to the shop, all of which have miter slots that I do use, so perhaps I would have added miter slots to the routers by now if I were using them for much coping work.

I have one shaper whose fence can be mounted facing either forward or backward, and sideways too. If you face it forward, you have a miter slot in front of the fence. If you face it backwards and work from the other side of the table, no miter slot to get in our way should that be a problem. The spindle is in the middle of the table. Could something like that work for the router table? Essentially there is no front or back to the machine as you can work from either side.

[Ryan Baker]

I use mine a lot. I also have a t-track there for attaching things like featherboards.

How does a recessed miter track interfere with cutting dovetails in pieces ... especially ones you are running perpendicular to the track? I missed something there. It's not that close to the bit anyway ...

[doug faist]

Michael - If we're taking a vote, I vote no. I built my router table about 10 years ago, never put in a miter slot and never missed it. I use several sleds that ride against the fence or hold the workpiece perpendicular to the fence and they seem to work great for me.

Doug

[Michael Drew]

This is why I asked. It’s good to hear how others use their tables. Hylton uses all sorts of jigs that he clamps to his table that he uses for feather board and sleds. He even has a coping sled that uses the front edge of the table for a guide. But, having never done this things as he does, it will require a different mind set.


I use mine a lot. I also have a t-track there for attaching things like featherboards.

How does a recessed miter track interfere with cutting dovetails in pieces ... especially ones you are running perpendicular to the track? I missed something there. It's not that close to the bit anyway ...

Ryan – If I have the fence perpendicular to the miter slot, the work piece would ride over it as I push it back and forth over the bit.

[tyler mckenzie]

I just made a router table http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=131182. I didn't put a mitre slot in, i use jigs that run along the fence.

[Jerome Hanby]

Coping sled, Jig to run the flat part of a lock miter, feather board. Three things I used the miter slot for last weekend.

[Scott Hildenbrand]

By golly I'm glad I put a slot on mine.. I was running a part through and it went flying out of my hand at the speed of light.. Not once.. But twice.. Torqued down the feather board on it and was good to go after that.. :)

[Ron Bontz]

I use mine every time I make doors or cut tenons. Set the fence square to the track with my miter gauge and use the fence for a stop. I would not be without one. I have even used my Delta tenon jig in it.:)

[glenn bradley]

I do. Feather boards, coping sled, miter gauge, tenoning jig, box joints, etc. Really adds to an already very useful tool.

[Glen Butler]

+1 the other glenn.

[Michael Drew]

I bought two different miters not knowing which one I'd prefer (making the asumption that I was going to install one).

I bought an Incra T-miter and a Bench Dog double miter that has a smaller T-slot and a regular 3/4 miter.

For you guys that use miters, do you see value with using the Benchdog double miter?

[Neal Clayton]

I use mine every time I make doors or cut tenons. Set the fence square to the track with my miter gauge and use the fence for a stop. I would not be without one. I have even used my Delta tenon jig in it.:)

i do the same.

[Michael Drew]

One more question…..

I’ve decided to install the miter. Now I’m trying to decide just where to put it. Seeing how I never really used the last one all that much, I figured I’d ask before molesting my new table seeing how I have no preference or experience using a sled or feather boards.

I mounted the router 11.5” center of the collet to the forward table edge.

[glenn bradley]

One more question…..

I’ve decided to install the miter. Now I’m trying to decide just where to put it.

I put mine the same distance from the center of the router collet as my tablesaw miter slot is from the edge of the blade. That way many jigs and fixtures easily move from one machine to the other.

[jerry nazard]

+2 both other Glen and other other Glenn :D

[Michael Drew]

What an obviously great idea! I would have never thought of that. Thanks!

[Stephen Edwards]

I put mine the same distance from the center of the router collet as my tablesaw miter slot is from the edge of the blade. That way many jigs and fixtures easily move from one machine to the other.

That's a good idea.

[Greg Hines, MD]

One more question…..

I’ve decided to install the miter. Now I’m trying to decide just where to put it. Seeing how I never really used the last one all that much, I figured I’d ask before molesting my new table seeing how I have no preference or experience using a sled or feather boards.

I mounted the router 11.5” center of the collet to the forward table edge.


I put mine right in front of the router plate. It is about 5" from the collet.

Doc

[Brian Kincaid]

Only feather boards for me. My coping sled runs along the fence. I don't like miter gauges on the router table unless I can clamp the material, but at that point I'd call it a coping sled or sliding table.

-Brian

[Dan West02]

Make that a +2.

All manner of things are useful when "stuck" near a router, the only thing I wish is mine was cast iron to use mag-jigs with

I am looking at making a new table and would also like to use mag-jigs. Does anyone see a problem with adding a piece of flat ground steel to the top surface so mag-jigs could be used?

[Jim Heffner]

When I built my router table, one thing I wanted was a miter slot. The one I
bought was an Incra from the woodworking store and installed it in the top
and have never regretted it since. I don't have a router coping sled, but I do
use a good miter gauge when routing cross grain and it makes this task a lot
easier and smoother for me. I would rather have a miter slot and not use it very much than have a need for one and it not be there.

[Howard Acheson]

I have built six router tables and never put a miter slot in any of them. A couple I have seen where they did have a miter slot, the tables warped due to the miter slot being a weak point.

Year ago I offered a free martini to anyone who could come up with a router table operation that required a miter slot. In other words, could an operation that could not be done in some other simple way. For example, featherboards can be held with clamps and stick and cope joints are best done with a square board push backer.

IMO, a miter slot is a potential for problems that has no real upside.

[Michael Drew]

I'm not too worried about my table warping. I glued two layers of 3/4 MDF together, laminated both sides and my table provides plenty of support.

I am now reconsidering installing one. I think I'm going to just go without one for a while and if something comes up where I need one, I'll install it then.

I can't install mine the same distance away from the collet as my TS miter is from the blade. My TS miter is only 4.25" away and my router lift plate is 9" wide. I would have to install it between 6 and 8 inches away from the collet.

[Greg Hines, MD]

I have built six router tables and never put a miter slot in any of them. A couple I have seen where they did have a miter slot, the tables warped due to the miter slot being a weak point.

Year ago I offered a free martini to anyone who could come up with a router table operation that required a miter slot. In other words, could an operation that could not be done in some other simple way. For example, featherboards can be held with clamps and stick and cope joints are best done with a square board push backer.

IMO, a miter slot is a potential for problems that has no real upside.


Rocklers box jointing jig has to lock into a miter slot.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=21338&filter=box%20joint%20jig

Keep the martini, they don't travel well.

Doc

[glenn bradley]

I have built six router tables and never put a miter slot in any of them. A couple I have seen where they did have a miter slot, the tables warped due to the miter slot being a weak point.

Year ago I offered a free martini to anyone who could come up with a router table operation that required a miter slot. In other words, could an operation that could not be done in some other simple way. For example, featherboards can be held with clamps and stick and cope joints are best done with a square board push backer.

IMO, a miter slot is a potential for problems that has no real upside.


I respect Howard's opinion although it is opposite to mine. I find the differing experiences and feelings of members helps me add tolerance to my decisions as to what works for me. More than once, someone was doing something in a completely different manner than I had been using and I changed when I found it to be a better method for me.

A top that fails due to the miter slot addition was not properly designed for one just as any device failure generally involves use "other than as intended". I do sliding DT's on the router table and the tenoning jig, like the jig that Greg mentions, works better with a miter slot. I could do these cuts a different way and win a martini but the methods I use work well for me. As in so many things; YMMV ;-)

[Don Morris]

Absolutely necessary...no. Really helpfull...absolutely yes.

[Stephen Edwards]

I respect Howard's opinion although it is opposite to mine. I find the differing experiences and feelings of members helps me add tolerance to my decisions as to what works for me. More than once, someone was doing something in a completely different manner than I had been using and I changed when I found it to be a better method for me.

A top that fails due to the miter slot addition was not properly designed for one just as any device failure generally involves use "other than as intended". I do sliding DT's on the router table and the tenoning jig, like the jig that Greg mentions, works better with a miter slot. I could do these cuts a different way and win a martini but the methods I use work well for me. As in so many things; YMMV ;-)

I always appreciate Glenn's point of view and perspective on topics such as this, where everyone has an opinion. Often, the answer to a question isn't going to be a right vs. wrong answer. As Glenn pointed out in his experience that he's changed his method of doing some things when he learned of a "better" method, the same is true for me. It wasn't that my old way was wrong, rather, the new way is just "better", for me. Hearing the opinions and methods of other woodworkers for particular tasks is one of the greatest benefits of the internet, IMHO.

Glenn, you should have been a diplomat. Wait, you are a diplomat! Much appreciated.