Stupid sliding table saw attachment

[keith micinski]

I know grizzly doesn't even really make it because a few other companies sell the same exact design just in a different color but it is so close to being amazing and then it manages to be almost useless. Is it possible that somehow they have never used one at the factory and immediately figured out the mitre gage is completely useless? The positive stops for the angles are accurate plus or minus about 5 degrees which completely invalidates having a really accurate sliding table. After 5 minutes of setup and test cuts I finally get a pretty good 90 established to make my two cuts. I'm now faced with never moving the mitre gage again or I'm faced with spending 10 times longer setting it up then I am actually doing any kind of cutting EVERY SINGLE TIME I WANT TO USE IT!!!!! The best part is I told myself "crap well that's not good for much, but now that it makes a really nice 90 that's most of my cutting anyway. I'll just leave it alone and only use it for 90's and that will make it valuable to me right there." Go to remove the mitre gage so I can use the table saw and it hits me. As soon as I loosen it to pull it off it's completely out of whack again. So I have a table saw being held hostage right now. The sliding table is absolutely amazing has no slop, takes up almost no space, couldn't have been easier to mount and get dialed in perfectly. I cut an 8'x12" piece of plywood absolutely perfectly with complete ease. That dang mitre gage is one of the most disappointing things I have ever seen.

[Bill McNiel]

Similar issue with the old Delta that is much less sophisticated.

[Bob Potter]

Keith
I also have the Grizzly sliding table and except for the mitre gauge I love it. As you said it rolls easy, quiet and no side to side play. But having to square it up every time you move it should not be. I take a small square to set the 90. I think if I took the plunger out that may make it easier to set it at 90.
I haven't done this yet but I was thinking about putting a flip stop mounted to the front of the adjustable table on the left side. You would have to get it set at a perfect 90 and not move that table. When ever your taking the fence off or changed the angle than putting the fence against the stop would automatically set it at 90 every time. It should work but have not done it yet.
I also put a wooden fence fastened to the original fence. I put a kreg track with there flip stop which works much better than the factory flip stop that would not lock in square and had to be set for 90
Even with the poorly designed mitre guage and fence the slider is still worth the money. I bought mine about four years ago at Grizzly in Springfield Mo. for about $570.00 with a coupon.
I know you should not have to make these adjustments to make it work right but it to me is still worth it. I would love to have a real sliding table saw where the sliding table is right next to the blade. Maybe someday but at about four months from being 80 yrs old it is probably not going to happen but I am blessed with what I have.
Thanks Bob

[Charles Lent]

I solved this problem with my standard Delta miter gauge by buying the two MiterSet setup gauges, but I doubt they will work with your miter gauge. https://miterset.myshopify.com/ Still, you might contact them about your need. With more and more sliding table saws coming into use there seems to be a need for their kind of product. Maybe they now offer or are developing something that will help you and others with sliders.

Charley

[Matthew Curtis]

I have the same attachment. I also find myself spending too much time squaring it to the blade when I attach it. Once squared it works good for me.

I would also be interested in seeing what others do to deal with this problem and seeing what Grizzly has to offer.

[keith micinski]

I have gone back-and-forth on whether to come up with a way to make the existing miter gauge work or replace the existing miter gauge with an Osborne EB-3 I have and some sort of mount. The problem is the mitre gauge itself actually isn't that bad it's the stupid adjustments I still can't get over. Every time I walk by it I get frustrated thinking I can't believe a company would put their name on that when I know I could be better and I don't claim to be a purveyor of fine machinery.

[Bob Potter]

As I have said before the miter gauge and fence are made of heavy metal but poorly designed.I am still going to try a flip stop for the fence to but up again and always be at 90 degrees.