Home Brew Miter Table

[steve-norrell]

I had been satisfied with the Ryobi miter table but I found it that it allowed any fixture to tip out and end up on either the floor or my foot. One hurts the fixture, the other hurts my foot. So, I decided I needed a miter table with slots that have a "T-slot" configuration. After searching far and wide, I decided I had to build my own. (Actually I really just needed an excuse to practice with the router.)

The supports that attach to rails are 3/4 in. MDF and were "milled" with a router. The front support rests on the top of the front rail and the rear support has a recess to allow free movement of the rip fence. Both front and rear have recesses (rabbit cuts) to hold a base of the table itself. These rabbits are cut so that the top of the miter table is level with the surface of the table saw. The have to be 1 1/4 below the final surface of the table.

The table surface itself 1/2 in. oak glued to 3/4 in. MDF. The oak was purchased at HD and is 1/2 in. thick. Two INCRA miter slots are used. The oak was ripped to appropriate width so that the table fits between the SMT and top of the table saw.

The only problem I encountered was that I cut the MDF too short and had to use a filler strip (about 1/8 in.) cut from scrap MDF glued between the front support and the MDF table base. (See pictures.)

But will it work? So far it does but we will see.

[greencat]

Nice job - What type of fixtures do you use in the slots?

[cgallery]

Nice work! I use a similar home-built miter table. Love the Incra miter slots.

I still plan on making a new one, though, where the front extends past the front rail by maybe 12-18". While that will preclude using the fence to the left of the blade (which I never do), it will allow me to make even larger cross-cut sleds.

[steve-norrell]

Nice job - What type of fixtures do you use in the slots?

Thanks for the compliment.

So far, I use the INCRA 1000SE miter fence.

My next project is a sled. I also have a Woodpeck Router table top mounted on the other side of the saw and I will use its built-in miter slot for the other side of the sled.

Regards, SN

[michael.scheller]

****... I thought this was going to somehow combine my two favorite hobbies: Homebrewing and Woodworking. Where's the beer?

[Garasaki]

I'm undergoing a similar project myself, installing miter slots (really just to make a crosscut sled). I am choosing to attach my little extra table top to the frame of the saw itself rather then to the rails.

How did you align the miter slots to the blade? That's my biggest worry right now.

[softop41]

Nice job. I made a single miter slot table for both sides of the blade on my saw. Those and an Incra V27 miter gage and I haven't used my contrary SMT for 2 years
Jerry

[HarmsWay]

How tough is it to align the slots to the blade? Looks like it would be a trial and error process. On the other hand, I'm assuming you'd rarely (never?) remove it once setup. And I guess it still leaves room to use the SMT, although not close to the blade. Hmmm....maybe I should make a couple of those after all.

How about replacing the horizontal MDF piece with aluminum or steel?

Bob

[steve-norrell]

How tough is it to align the slots to the blade? Looks like it would be a trial and error process.

I lucked out! It was very close by just aligning the oak strips to the edge of the table saw top. However, I did check them with a staight edge against the blade and they are as close as I can comfortably measure. As a hedge, the holes for the T-Nut bolts are slightly larger in diameter than the bolt, allowing some wiggle room for both horizontal and vertical adjustment.

How about replacing the horizontal MDF piece with aluminum or steel?
Bob

I have used aluminum "angle iron" to mount a router table and it works fine and I have no complaints. However, I thought that 'machining' the MDF would provide a more exact fit of the support to the rail and the table top than adding plywood or MDF shims (IMO) between the aluminum and the table top. Besides it was more fun (and challenging) to 'machine' the MDF. Now if I were more into metal working . . . .

Finally, I am also working on a table extension for added rails that I want to be easy to remove and re-install. You younger folks probably don't appreciate how awkward it is to align the T-bolts and slide stuff on to the rails when a) the item is quite heavy, and b) your arms are too short to reach the other side.