What's the overall board's opinion on preferred way to have a right side miter slot?

[Timmymacnj]

(Photo stolen from the Facebook group)

So I'm lucky enough that the BT3100 I picked up has the dual miter slot in the factory left position, but I'd like one on the right hand side as well. Did some searching on the board, and saw folks like Loring just cutting their own and using standard miter track, and others modifying and using a second BT3K dual miter slot. Is there generally a preferred method (when factoring in effort and cost), or is it really "either or"?

I was looking at another BT3100 near me that I was thinking of buying, that also has a dual miter slot, but don't want to get too tempted on it if it's a bunch of effort and hassle to modify for use

edit: before anyone asks, I definitely don't have room for a Frankensaw at this point

[LCHIEN]

My personal feeling is that the left side miter slots are un necessary on the BT3xxx saws - the sliding miter table has been pretty much sufficient for any operations I have needed to be done. I attach featherboards to the SMT, and ither jigs. Not missing any jigs/.
The right miter slot would be superfluous.

[Timmymacnj]

My personal feeling is that the left side miter slots are un necessary on the BT3xxx saws - the sliding miter table has been pretty much sufficient for any operations I have needed to be done. I attach featherboards to the SMT, and ither jigs. Not missing any jigs/.
The right miter slot would be superfluous.

Thanks! That's actually a pretty obvious answer that I was missing, with the fence mount featherboards/jigs. One of the things I wanted to use the miter slot for was measuring to make sure fence is sitting equidistant and not askew, but I'm a beginner and probably missing some obvious stuff. Ordered this miter slot jig and was planning on using this
https://www.rockler.com/mag-dro-mitre-slot-base

[LCHIEN]

There's some key things to remember about a traditional cast iron table saw vs a BT3x00 saw.

In a traditional saw, the cast iron table is fixed and the miter slots are fixed in the table so it not relatively adjustable. the slots are therefore king. The blade to slots parallelism is then set next. This is usually done by adjusting the trunnion upon which the blade and blade tilt mechanism is fastened to the table. The the rip fence is adjusted to be parallel to the slots which makes them parallel by the same amount to the blade.

In the BT3x00, the main Tabletop and the assembly with the motor, tilting mechanism, arbor, and blade, are all affixed to the top without the classic adjustable trunnion. This was a design choice to save weight and complexity for the BT3000 and the aluminum top. Your adjustments are to make the angle of the SMT sliding to be parallel with the blade - there are eccentric screws that adjust the slides to allow a few degrees of freedom to the SMT slide angle relative to the blade. Then you have two screws near the front of the rip fence to adjust the parallelism of the rip fence to the blade. All these are cheaper and lighter solutions than the traditional table saw. Now the down side of this can be to some owners, it can result in a slight nonalignment of the ridges cast into the SMT, the main table and the auxiliary.
There migth be a way to tweak the motor/tilt assy mounting to change the angle of the blade w.r.t. the table, but its not an intended adjustment.
Finally, if you mount the accessory dual miter slot on either the left of the right, you need to make enough adjustability in the mount to make the slots parallel to the blade, either oversize holes or slightly slotted holes. It will just be a little bit.

[billwmeyer]

I have one. I have never used it.

[dbhost]

I bought my saw used from a member here not sure if he ever checks in any more (any one heard from larryl in a minute or two?) and it had the miter slots on both sides when I got it. Never used the ones on the right. Left side good for featherboards etc... but the right side non need. Don't need a sled since I have the sliding miter table...

[LCHIEN]

LarryL last visited in 2012