bandsaw without miter slots advise?

[Tai Fu]

So the used bandsaw I bought does not have a slot for a miter gauge.

I'd like it to have it so I can do cross cuts every so often. I have a milling machine, and I can remove the heavy table (that likely weights 100lbs) and mill a slot into it for a miter gauge. It looks like the cast iron has at least 1/2" of "meat" on it so I could possibly mill a 1/2" wide slot 1/4" deep to allow me to use a miter gauge on the saw. But is there anything that can get me if I were to mill into the cast iron? Will the table warp if I attempt to machine it?

Or am I better off bolting an auxiliary table onto the saw table that has a miter gauge slot?

[Tom Trees]

This video might give some ideas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bUoHHdLex0

If it's not possible to rig up something that could run on the underside of the edge of the table.

[Erik Loza]

Personally, I would not mill the table. Even if the webbing looks adequate, you might release some internal stress in the casting and end up with an un-flat table or something else. I guess I would make a sled that references off the fence. Or maybe references off the righthand edge of the cast iron table if it's 90 degrees to the table surface. Just thinking out loud.

Erik

[Tai Fu]

That guy is using a beast of a bandsaw.

I wish there's translation available... my German isn't that good.

I guess I should bolt some rails to the edge of the table, it seems handy for attaching stuff.

[Kevin Jenness]

I have never missed having a miter gauge on my bandsaw. Occasionally I will use a backup block riding against the fence for crosscuts.

[John K Jordan]

My bandsaw use would be severely limited without the miter slots. I might consider bolting something to the right side of the table with a miter gage slot. Or use a miter gage with a lip that rides against the side of the table, assuming the side is straight.

JKJ


So the used bandsaw I bought does not have a slot for a miter gauge.

I'd like it to have it so I can do cross cuts every so often. I have a milling machine, and I can remove the heavy table (that likely weights 100lbs) and mill a slot into it for a miter gauge. It looks like the cast iron has at least 1/2" of "meat" on it so I could possibly mill a 1/2" wide slot 1/4" deep to allow me to use a miter gauge on the saw. But is there anything that can get me if I were to mill into the cast iron? Will the table warp if I attempt to machine it?

Or am I better off bolting an auxiliary table onto the saw table that has a miter gauge slot?

[Jim Becker]

Make a plywood platform you can put over the regular table that has a slot integral to use for crosscutting...you'll lose a little bit of cut height, but it will do the job. Or a sled that indexes on the outside edge of the table if your hands are steady.

[Joe Calhoon]

My Hema has a side mount miter gauge that folds out of the way when not in use. Might be easy to fabricate something like this.
463333
463334

[glenn bradley]

Make a plywood platform you can put over the regular table that has a slot integral to use for crosscutting...you'll lose a little bit of cut height, but it will do the job.


+1 Couldn't have said it better.

[andy bessette]

I have never ever found the need for a miter gage on a bandsaw. Just cut to a line.

[Alan Lightstone]

I have never ever found the need for a miter gage on a bandsaw. Just cut to a line.

+1. (Added drivel to reach minimum length).

[Jim Barkelew]

I wouldn't worry about machining a slot warping the table. The internal stresses should have been released at the factory when it was machined. Machining warpy metal is just like warpy wood- rough mill it , let it warp, then finish machine the warp out. If the saw is a unknown import brand you take your chances that it was machined properly. On a band saw I don't think a warped table has an effect on the cuts like it would on a table saw. It is not a tool to get a glue ready quality cut.

Jim

[Tai Fu]

Also this saw is likely made in the 1980s. It's really old. I figure if it would warp, it would have already...

[Prashun Patel]

Aux table. However, aligning it each time you attach it and having to rig up side support all for modest precision at best might be an argument for a miter saw for cross cuts. This is how I have been doing it since I sold my table saw recently.

[Jim Becker]

The think with machining a slot in the existing table is that if the table wasn't designed for it, there may not be enough "meat" there to properly support the slot which in turn could affect the table in a bad way. The castings for tables that get slots are very likely different (underneath) than something without.

[Zachary Hoyt]

I don't know about the machining question, but I would be very sad not to have a miter slot on my band saw. I have two miter gauges, one that is kept at 10 degrees and never moves, and one for general purpose work.

[Curt Harms]

How far can the miter slot be from the blade? If it can be some distance I'd try to figure out how to mount something like this (https://www.eagleamerica.com/product/v416-1324/miter_track_t-track) along side the table. Maybe fasten the miter track on top of a piece of angle iron and fasten the angle iron to the saw's table? If the miter track needed to be fairly close to the blade, a table on top of the existing table would be my choice. I personally would not mess with the existing table more than necessary.

[Tai Fu]

It would depend on the length of the pieces you want to cut, but I'd want it as close to the blade as possible so deflection don't end up throwing the cut off.

[John K Jordan]

It would depend on the length of the pieces you want to cut, but I'd want it as close to the blade as possible so deflection don't end up throwing the cut off.
I think much would depend on the rigidity, precision, and play in the guides. I can envision an off-table support with ball bearing guides. I have a heavy cast iron Robland sliding table attached to the side of my PM66 that is sturdy and precise for crosscuts. It glides on two sets of three ball bearings running on a well-supported long steel cylinder. The more I think about it the more I want a miniature version on the side of my bandsaw!

[Mike King]

Why not pick one of these up and add to your fence?

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?292941-JessEm-Mite-R-Slide-Linear-Bearing-Router-Table-Sliding-Miter-Gauge-200