# funny mitre track



## Grouper63 (Sep 1, 2020)

I have an old tradesman table saw and just getting into woodworking I would love to have a new saw but cant afford right now. I am interested in making a crosscut sled but my track has slots and cannot make one smooth should I grind the slots away? or is there some track rod that I can find to work? the top is about 13mm and bottom about 15 mm


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## sunnybob (Sep 3, 2016)

That doesnt really make sense.
You cant grind slots away. Can you give more details of what you have and what you want.


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## John Smith_inFL (Jul 4, 2018)

Grouper - welcome to the forum.
photos with specific questions will always get you the most accurate responses.

do you have a miter slot that resembles this profile ?








.


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## Grouper63 (Sep 1, 2020)

I will try to post some


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## jdonhowe (Jul 25, 2014)

Are you talking about one of those Ryobi/Craftsman portable saws, with about 3 pairs of tabs in the miter slot? If so, Google "craftsman table saw miter slot tab removal"; several work arounds pop up right away. Caveat: I don't have any first hand experience, so consider my advice what you pay for it!


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

Grouper63 said:


> I have an old tradesman table saw and just getting into woodworking I would love to have a new saw but cant afford right now. I am interested in making a crosscut sled but my track has slots and cannot make one smooth should I grind the slots away? or is there some track rod that I can find to work? the top is about 13mm and bottom about 15 mm


-> The best thing to do is post a photo so everyone can see what you are describing. 

Some old table saws have small tabs that protrude partway across the top of their miter slots, designed for a special miter gauge with a flipped T-shaped miter bar that fits under the tabs and prevents it from lifting up as you push wood through. 

I found a photo of a miter slot with protruding tabs as an example. I borrowed it from a post over at Lumberjocks without permission.

Does this photo match your problem?


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

Tool Agnostic said:


> -...............I found a photo .................I borrowed it from a post over at Lumberjocks without permission..............


You know you can get hard time for that. Been nice knowing you.


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

Tony B said:


> You know you can get hard time for that. Been nice knowing you.


While you are setting up your new shop, if you find any old files and rasps that you don't want any more, send them my way. I could use 'em. Prisoner #2131819, San Quentin.


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## Grouper63 (Sep 1, 2020)

Thats it, I was having issues trying to get a photo on here sorry
I want to make a crosscut sled and not have to use that flimsy mitre but cannot figure how I can with this unless I can find the same material that goes into it


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

I have never owned a table saw with miter slots like yours, but I believe I am stating the obvious:

* You could grind off the tabs and make miter bars that fit for your sled. 

If the basic slot is 3/4 inch wide x 3/8 inch deep, then you can buy pre-made miter bars, standard accessories, miter gauges, etc. that would also fit. Your saw would have "old school" plain miter slots. 

(Note: Newer table saws have 3/4 x 3/8 inch slots, but they have extra wide bottom "notches" that keep miter bar accessories from popping up. Most commercial miter bars and sleds are plain, but if you buy any of the accessories with the tabs, then you would have to remove the tabs in order to fit your old school "notchless" miter slots - not a problem. They should all work for you, provided that your slots are 3/4 x 3/8 inch.)

* Your other choice would be to keep the tabs and make your own compatible T-shaped miter bars from wood or plastic (e.g. UHMW) for your sled.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*The standard size miter slot .....*



sunnybob said:


> That doesnt really make sense.
> You cant grind slots away. Can you give more details of what you have and what you want.





jdonhowe said:


> Are you talking about one of those Ryobi/Craftsman portable saws, with about 3 pairs of tabs in the miter slot? If so, Google "craftsman table saw miter slot tab removal"; several work arounds pop up right away. Caveat: I don't have any first hand experience, so consider my advice what you pay for it!





Grouper63 said:


> Thats it, I was having issues trying to get a photo on here sorry
> I want to make a crosscut sled and not have to use that flimsy mitre but cannot figure how I can with this unless I can find the same material that goes into it



Most table saw miter slots are a simple rectangular shaped groove 3/8" X 3/4" .
Your miter slots are not standard, but common to cheap aluminum top table saws. Those tabs will not allow you to make a sled with runners UNLESS you saw, grind or file them off. Then if I am correct, the slots will measure 1/4" x 5/8" wide..... I donno? Maple runners will work fine in the slots, what ever the dimensions may be. There are many You Tube videos on how to make a table saw sled, you'll just need to use runners that work in your slots.


:vs_cool:


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

You can grind the tabs off, or get some flat iron that fits in the bottom of the slot, make some spacers that fit between the tabs and put them between the runner and the base of your sled. You will now have a sled that will not tip off your saw table


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Engineers who are not woodworkers .....*

Having work with some fine automotive engineers in my days, I found some to be rather "tunnel visioned". That is to say, they were so intent and focused on solving the problem they saw, there occasionally were unintended consequences to their solution. I'll bet this miter slot design was one of those occasions.

To prevent the miter gauge bar from tipping up when extended out the front, those annoying tabs were located along the inside of the slots. That worked as intended, BUT it also prevented the use of any other miter gauge bars or DIY sled from fitting into those slots. When the distance from the front edge of the saw table to the blade is decreased as for the smaller, cheaper aluminum top saw, this became more of an issue.

Many, in fact too many folks have come here and asked the very same question and the answer has always been .... saw, grind, or file them off flush with the sides of the slots. Then find or make miter bars of that dimension to slide in the slots. Removing them will not affect the strength of the table.

:vs_cool:


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