# Mitre slot distance from blade



## Zouaoua (Jan 3, 2011)

Hi,

Do the mitre slots in a table saw need to be the same distance from the blade? i.e. does the slot on the left of the blade need to be the same distance from the blade as the slot on the right of the blade?

I am asking since I am adding mitre tracks to my table saw since it does not yet have any (pressed steel construction), and I am unsure of what is what seeing as I have never had a table saw before. Do you even really need two slots or is one adequate?

Many thanks!


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*yes and no*

I measured 3 saws. On two of them, older Craftsman, the blade is centered between the slots, on the newer Craftsman Hybrid it is not..... 4 1/4 from the right slot, 5 3/4" from the left slot to blade center. They may be centered on the blade, but they don't have to be...depends on the saw... :blink: You're not gonna change it regardless. :no:


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

they are not even close on mine, a cheap ol skil TS


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

I am curious. How are you going to add miter tracks to your table saw? 

George


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

GeorgeC said:


> I am curious. How are you going to add miter tracks to your table saw?
> 
> George


I am with you George. I will be interested if you can post your build thread.

I use my right hand mitre slot most of the time, but now and again I need to use the left depending on the stock, angle to be cut, etc.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Dave Paine said:


> I am with you George. I will be interested if you can post your build thread.


+3. :yes:









 







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## Zouaoua (Jan 3, 2011)

Ok thanks very much for those who measured their saws!!

I'm adding mitre track because (I already have a thread on this) my saw is a pressed steel construction and hence it has no mitre slots. The mitre gauge is attached to a rod that runs along the side of the saw. This means its a real pain when you want a standard sled or jig etc since their is only a very limited way of attaching them. 










I can certainly update on what I do to the saw, but it's finding the time!


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*the saw's design is interesting*

It's a cross between sliding table and sliding miter gauge.
Is the miter gauge just unworkable and inaccurate?
There's a fellow here that is selling sliding guide blocks on tubing 
in the classifieds. A large dia tube with a more substantial bearing area may tighten up any play in the system without a complete redesign....I donno?
If that saw were mine, I would just remove the miter gauge system and the fence temporarily of course, and make a sled that is a sliding fit over the entire table top. You may want to have it adjustable fot fit, but if you make it in place and use a slippery material UHM on the edges to reduce friction, you should be fine. A hardwood with wax would also work as side guides. That would get you an accurate guide for any cross cuts. 
Like this, only all the way across the table to maintain lateral stability:
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18063&site=ROCKLER


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Are you in Europe? Is the saw European?









 







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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

When looking at your saw, my advice would be DON'T. I think that the results of cutting a miter track in the table top would destroy the saw. My suggestion would be to get a piece of 3/4" Baltic Birch and make a slip over cover for the table top and out feed table. Then cut your miter slot in the Baltic Birch. The slot only needs to be 3/8" deep so there would be plenty of strength left.


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## Zouaoua (Jan 3, 2011)

The mitre guide has too much flex in the system to be accurate but my main irritation is the huge difficulty in adding any jigs to the machine such as crosscut sleds or box joint jigs etc since there is flex in the guide, plus it only moves back as far are the rod allows it to on the left hand side, plus the actual difficulty of attaching the jig. 

Yeah it's European: Metabo, made in Germany. I am in the UK though. 

And don't worry I'm not cutting the track in the table!
In fact I'm doing very close to what you just said: take some Baltic birch plywood and add a small extension either side (useful anyway) and then rout out a channel for this:
http://www.axminster.co.uk/ujk-technology-dovetailed-mitre-slot-track-prod889084/
Consequently even if it did go wrong I could easily take it off again and restore it to how it is now.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

woodnthings said:


> ....
> If that saw were mine, I would just remove the miter gauge system and the fence temporarily of course, and make a sled that is a sliding fit over the entire table top. You may want to have it adjustable for fit, but if you make it in place and use a slippery material UHM on the edges to reduce friction, you should be fine. A hardwood with wax would also work as side guides. That would get you an accurate guide for any cross cuts.


Like this, only all the way across the table to maintain lateral stability:
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...3&site=ROCKLER


















This is your cross cut sled. No need to make any other jig. 
Reinstall the fence for ripping and use this for all your cross cuts. Use the pivoting fence like in the Rockler sled for different angles. You could just buy the whole shootin' match and add to the width if necessary to capture the edges of your saw table. You would need to add a rear fence and front fence to capture the table saw and support the 2 separate pieces, the feed and the off fall. Add the side rails to capture the saw table,,,, Couldn't be easier... :smile:

I would just use the Rockler idea and start with a piece of ply large large enough to span the width of my saw table and drop down 2 side rails. Make a front and rear fence to keep the pieces together when you make your first pass. Drill the hole for the pivoting fence on the same arc as a large degree scale from a protractor.OR enlarge one on the copy machine. Make a sacrificial fence with a "L" bottom plate and you good to go.


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## Zouaoua (Jan 3, 2011)

Okay thanks very much. It would still mean that it would've slightly more difficult to add further jigs, but your idea is certainly more simple perhaps.
I will be adding extensions nonetheless though just for more surface area, so routing a channel for a mitre track wouldn't be that much of a problem would it?


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## Zouaoua (Jan 3, 2011)

Sorry double post


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