# Mitre slot depth?



## Wmacky (Nov 10, 2012)

I just purchased by first table saw, and have many questions due to being new to wood working in general.

So far I'm very happy with what I have purchashed . Most of the alignments seem dead on from the factory, and so far I haven't found any of the old "issues" from early models of this unit. I do have a question about the mitere T slot. I understand the standard depth is 3/8". How common is variation? Mines just a little deeper at close to an additional 1/32" deep? My caliper indicates around .435. Even then there is some variation along their length. Beacuse the mitre "head" rides ontop of the table surface, and the bar "tip" rides in the T slot, the bar tips down just slightly, This is enough to make the Mitre gauge not at 90 to the table. Because of a slight variation in the slot depth, the amount it's off changes slightly as you push the Gauge across the table. Is the gauge supposed to the square vetically to the table? 


Please no bad news:no:


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## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

Wmacky said:


> I just purchased by first table saw, and have many questions due to being new to wood working in general.
> 
> So far I'm very happy with what I have purchashed . Most of the alignments seem dead on from the factory, and so far I haven't found any of the old "issues" from early models of this unit. I do have a question about the mitere T slot. I understand the standard depth is 3/8". How common is variation? Mines just a little deeper at close to an additional 1/32" deep? My caliper indicates around .435. Even then there is some variation along their length. Beacuse the mitre "head" rides ontop of the table surface, and the bar "tip" rides in the T slot, the bar tips down just slightly, This is enough to make the Mitre gauge not at 90 to the table. Because of a slight variation in the slot depth, the amount it's off changes slightly as you push the Gauge across the table. Is the gauge supposed to the square vetically to the table?
> 
> ...


 
I don't think it matters much, at least not a few thousands, whether the head is square to the table, as long as it's square to the blade. The squareness of the stock is what's important as that is what's referencing the table, the miter bar is just pushing it along. I don't really believe I have ever even checked the depth on one.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

The top surface of the miter bar should be level with the table, if you push down on the head and slide it across the saw does the bar stay even with the table surface, if so you should be okay. If not when you cut mitres with the head tilted they will not close properly.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

The depth of the miter gauge slot can easily vary from brand to brand but the miter gauge that came with the saw should not do what you are describing. What make and model saw do you have? If there is enough slack in the bar that it can move up and down perhaps you could laminate some verticle surface formica to the bar to compensate for the deficiency.


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## Wmacky (Nov 10, 2012)

FrankC said:


> The top surface of the miter bar should be level with the table, if you push down on the head and slide it across the saw does the bar stay even with the table surface, if so you should be okay. If not when you cut mitres with the head tilted they will not close properly.


The bar is below the surface! The saw is a Ridgid R4512. So this saw is defective? I so do not want to hear that. I was so happy that it doesn't have the " blade height / blade square issue the early models had. I've never heard of a t slot depth defect. An entire web Search shows almost nothing. I would be the first in internet history!:furious:

I should have known better. I have way too bad of luck to be buying somethiong like this that has to be so perfect........


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## Wmacky (Nov 10, 2012)

BTW. I'm not that interested in the mitere gauge but rather just the slots in the table. I want to replace the cheap gauge with a Incra, but will it work in my slots? 

Does the Incra have any adjustment for the bar?


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## Marv (Nov 30, 2008)

Wmacky said:


> BTW. I'm not that interested in the mitere gauge but rather just the slots in the table. I want to replace the cheap gauge with a Incra, but will it work in my slots?
> 
> Does the Incra have any adjustment for the bar?


I have an Incra miter gauge and IMO it has an excellent zero clearance adjustment setup for the bar. :smile:


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## Wmacky (Nov 10, 2012)

Marv said:


> I have an Incra miter gauge and IMO it has an excellent zero clearance adjustment setup for the bar. :smile:


I see it has a "side" clearance adjustment, But, thankfully mines nice and tight on the sides. Does it have a way to adjust bar depth?


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## Marv (Nov 30, 2008)

Wmacky said:


> I see it has a "side" clearance adjustment, however mines nice and tight on the sides. Does it have a way to adjust bar depth?


This one doesn't have a depth adjustment and I've never seen one that has (I've had the Kreg and also one from Rockler). In any case I'm not sure why that would be a concern as I can only see an issue if the bar were thicker than the slot depth (the miter gauge that came with my Unisaw also sits below the surface).


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## Marv (Nov 30, 2008)

Just re-read your first post and I see your concern however as long as you hold the workpiece flat to the saw table it will be fine as mentioned.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*The width of the slot is usually the culptrit*



Wmacky said:


> BTW. I'm not that interested in the mitere gauge but rather just the slots in the table. I want to replace the cheap gauge with a Incra, but will it work in my slots?
> 
> Does the Incra have any adjustment for the bar?


I believe it does.

Apparently the depth of the slot varies a bit on your saw causing the face of the miter gauge to not be vertical or square with the table surface. 

*A rub button made from a thin piece of slippery plastic or nylon located at the end of the bar would minimize the condition. A drilled and threaded hole at the end of the bar with a nylon set screw would be a more sophisticated solution.*

Otherwise you'll have to file out the slot to an even depth all along....PITA


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

jschaben said:


> I don't think it matters much, at least not a few thousands, whether the head is square to the table, as long as it's square to the blade. The squareness of the stock is what's important as that is what's referencing the table, the miter bar is just pushing it along. I don't really believe I have ever even checked the depth on one.


You are correct. A slight depth difference like the poster described will make no difference. Even more depth would make no accuracy difference. Just visual difference.

George


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

Now would be a good time to build a cross cut sled for your saw. Then you can forget about the miter gauge.


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## Wmacky (Nov 10, 2012)

MT Stringer said:


> Now would be a good time to build a cross cut sled for your saw. Then you can forget about the miter gauge.


It's on the agenda!

So whats the verdict? This is a brand new saw. Other than the slots, I've been very lucky with everything else. No sign of the dreaded blade alignment issues that haunted earlier models. I didn't even have to adjust that at all! runs smooth, passes the nickel test. No sign of a "bump" when crossing the 2 piece rail split.

Would you return it for slightly deeper than average slots? There are only 2 left at the Box store and both boxes are really banged up. also it's a 100 mile round trip. With these cheap saws there is always a fair chance of getting one that has worse uncorrectable issues, such as the alignment change issue.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

I'd keep it and build a sled.


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## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

I seriously doubt there is a very tight manufacturing spec for the depth of that slot, especially on an inexpensive saw. Tighter specs tend to translate to higher manufacturing costs. My guess is any spec would be something like 0.380 + 0.020 - 0.000. JMHO.


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## Andrew120 (Jun 30, 2012)

Personally I'd hang on to what you got. Odds are the next saw would be the same depth or worse. Or damaged. Or purple instead of orange. 

Dont tempt fate, the incra will work great in the slot despite the slight depth variation from "standard". If never seen an Incra NOT perform well and I have seen them on many many models of saws. 

+1 on the crosscut sled :thumbsup:

Andrew


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## Wmacky (Nov 10, 2012)

Thanks for all the posts! This is my first large power tool, and I'm apprehensive about the whole deal. Especially with all the horror stories.

Driving home from work tonight I remembered that the Sears store I was coming up on had a clone version of my saw on display. I just had to pull in to compare, and that's what I did.

I measured the slot depth, and it sure appears to be about the same, Around .425. I also noted that the miter bars sat just BELOW the table surface just as mine does. The odd thing is the bar on the Sears saw appears to be flat in the slot where as mine tips froward ever so slightly. When I got home I found that my miter gauge is constructed differently than the Sears model which appears not to bring the end up has high as the other one? I think a washer would give mine the a similar effect?

One other match I found is something I hadn't mentioned, but is what caused me to measure the slot initially. You can tell 2 cutters cut the slot. One for the main channel, and one for the side slots, and these side slots are cut ever so slightly ABOVE the bottom of the main channel. Kinda like -_-. The slot on the Sears saw was cut the exact same way. These saws truly are made in the same factory.

Anyway, I feel much better after seeing the saw at Sears. I can live with these things as long as everyone else that bought one has to also. I don't like being odd man out!


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## toolguy1000 (Oct 4, 2012)

and i wouldn't be surprised to find that the grizzly 0715P is from the same manufacturer also. is the guide disc in the front of the miter bar?


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## Wmacky (Nov 10, 2012)

toolguy1000 said:


> and i wouldn't be surprised to find that the grizzly 0715P is from the same manufacturer also. is the guide disc in the front of the miter bar?


Instead of a disc, this gauge has a rectangular guide "plate" screwed to the bottom of the bar at the front. I have already installed 2 small washers between the bar, and this plate. The bar now sets dead level in the slot. 

Unfortunately, looking at picks of the Incra that I wanted, The guide plate mounts oddly to the top of the bar, and I'm not seeing how that gauge could be spaced if needed?

Another question. I've read all your comments that the stock is referenced to the table only and only pushed by the gauge. Are there no operations that require the stock to be referenced to the miter gauge face? Cutting tenons?


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