Possible SMT upgrade for better grip

[cgallery]

One of my gripes about the SMT was that the clamp's 5/16-18 hex head bolt was inclined to dig into the soft aluminum table if you tightened the clamp even moderately.

Tonight I noticed that a Rockler 5/16-18 t-bolt fits into the SMT almost perfectly. A few licks of a file on either side would make it a perfect fit. And because of its length, it shouldn't dig-in like the hex-head bolt does.

[RodKirby]

I no longer have my BT3000, but that is a GREAT idea

[Pappy]

Got a bunch of them from a couple of T track kits. Need to dig them out!

[LCHIEN]

is the large hole at the top of the slot big enough to "pass" the head of this new bolt!

If not, then a minor inconvenience of this approach is that the bolt/knob shall have to be completely disassembled to remove the miter fence, whereas the old hex head bolt could simply be loosened a bit and lifted out through the hole.

[cgallery]

is the large hole at the top of the slot big enough to "pass" the head of this new bolt!

If not, then a minor inconvenience of this approach is that the bolt/knob shall have to be completely disassembled to remove the miter fence, whereas the old hex head bolt could simply be loosened a bit and lifted out through the hole.

That is a good point. I was able to tilt the bolt through the hole. I only have a shorter t-bolt at work where my SMT is in storage (I don't use it any more). I was moving a bunch of stuff around and the idea occurred to me, but I haven't actually tested it.

This afternoon I'll grab a longer t-bolt and see if it is possible to navigate it through the hole.

I suppose the hole in the top could always be elongated with a rat-tail file.

[cgallery]

I had a chance to try a longer t-bolt and it works like a charm. Very easy to pop the bolt head through the hole in the top when removing/replacing the fence. And when you tighten the clamping knob there is no tendency for the head to dig into the soft aluminum. And when you move the fence back and forth the t-bolt's head doesn't chatter in the channel like the hex head bolt sometimes did. Very smooth.