Outfeed table - Lining up miter slots

[Lynn Reid]

Hi...Is there a trick to lining up the miter slots when making your own outfeed table? I really don't want to mess up! Thanks in advance! :)

[Mark Rakestraw]

Hi Lynn, Since the cut will be complete well before your miter gauge leaves the main table there's no reason to make the slots in the outfeed table tight. Make them a 1/4", or even 1/2" wider than they need to be, then just center them the best you can.
Mark

[Bob Wingard]

They don't really have to line up ... they are just there for clearance of the miter bar ...as long as there is clearance beyond the saw's table, it's OK ... alignment is not critical ...

[Harvey Melvin Richards]

Hi Lynn, Since the cut will be complete well before your miter gauge leaves the main table there's no reason to make the slots in the outfeed table tight. Make them a 1/4", or even 1/2" wider than they need to be, then just center them the best you can.
Mark

This is especially true if you are going to use the washer on your miter bar.

[glenn bradley]

I set a 4' piece of t-track that happened to be 3/4" wide in the slot and let that extend out over the outfeed table. I then routed a 1" wide slot centered on that path. A ripped piece of 3/4" stock would work well enough.

[Jeff Mackay]

I'm in the process of finishing mine...and I messed up the slot. One extra kerf exactly an inch away from where I wanted it. :eek: So I balanced things out by cutting another one exactly an inch from the other slot. I call it decoration. Needless to say, I'm probably not a good source of advice in that regard. Good luck--I'm sure you'll do better than I did.

[Mike Delyster]

I set a 4' piece of t-track that happened to be 3/4" wide in the slot and let that extend out over the outfeed table. I then routed a 1" wide slot centered on that path. A ripped piece of 3/4" stock would work well enough.

I did exatly what Glenn did, the best way for me is where I can't mess up.

[paul cottingham]

I just made my outfeed lower than my table saw. the mitre gauge simply floats over the table.

[Joe Angrisani]

I just made my outfeed lower than my table saw. the mitre gauge simply floats over the table.

As does your outfed material. :(

Do you find any problems with the material you're cutting dropping to the table and lifting off the blade? It seems it would act as if the outfeed table wasn't there.

[paul cottingham]

You know, I worried about that and almost didnt post because of that. But it works fine. I do use grr-rippers for pushing.

[Lynn Reid]

Thanks you guys for the help. I should have know that the width of the slot didnt matter. Anyway...thanks!!

[Mike Henderson]

I primarily use a sled and not a miter gauge, so I wanted to make sure the sled would track accurately throughout the full range of motion (this may be more than needed). So I mounted my outfeed table to my saw. Then I lined up two pieces of MDF with the sides of the slot and used a router with a template bit to cut the slots in my outfeed table. So the slots in my outfeed table are exactly the same width as the slots in my table saw, and they are straight extensions of the slots.

Easy to do and if you ever need accurate slots, you have them.

Mike

[Jerome Hanby]

I can see where Mike's solution would be really nice, but depending on your fence rail system it may be more difficult. If you have rails front and back, things get more complicated...

[Lynn Reid]

Thanks for all your help! I have an idea of how Im going to do it now. It will be on a Grizzly 1023RL...which has a back rail. I think I can work around this...but if any of you have a quick solution it would be most appreciated. I am sorry for the misspelling in the subject line...I couldnt find a place to correct it.

[Bruce Page]

I am sorry for the misspelling in the subject line...I couldnt find a place to correct it.
Lynn, fixed it.

For future reference, you can edit your post for up to 24 hours after posting. Click "Go Advanced" to edit the title.

Bruce

[Steven J Corpstein]

I struggled with this very same question and finally came up with what worked best for my usage. I've included a link to a pictorial web site that I had thrown together for someone that had the same saw as I, and wanted to see how I had built my outfeed table. You are welcome to look at it if you wish to see how I lined up my miter slots using a Festool guide rail and Micro Fence's attachment for my router. Sorry about the extra fluff, but just skip over the pictures that don't pertain to this subject.

http://www.datasystemsltd.com/extension

[Jerome Hanby]

What a great table!



I struggled with this very same question and finally came up with what worked best for my usage. I've included a link to a pictorial web site that I had thrown together for someone that had the same saw as I, and wanted to see how I had built my outfeed table. You are welcome to look at it if you wish to see how I lined up my miter slots using a Festool guide rail and Micro Fence's attachment for my router. Sorry about the extra fluff, but just skip over the pictures that don't pertain to this subject.

http://www.datasystemsltd.com/extension