Thread: how to fabricate old table saw mitre slot inserts?

I don't see why you need to use such a long piece of dovetail when here is so little upward force on mitre slide or other holders.

At most a couple of pieces of dovetail about 1/2" long attached strategically along a rectangular section of slider bar is all that is needed.

Most mitre slides that use a T-slot only uses a washer that fits widthwise into the slot and the rest of the slider is just rectangular.

You could do the same and just lightly grind, emery cloth and even polish the necessary shape onto the side of a big washer or other suitable piece of metal.

The way that I would do that on a smaller mill is to make up a jig to hold the flat at 60 degrees and then just mill small lengths at a time (that is, mill a section, wind the cutter back, index the material along and repeat). You might have better luck finding someone to do the job if you explained that you can take out any small steps with a file if they needed to do it in smaller sections as if someone approached me with a request like that I would be wary as I would think they wanted it all done in one long length.

Michael

Originally Posted by BobL

I don't see why you need to use such a long piece of dovetail when here is so little upward force on mitre slide or other holders.

Umm....I guess it's just because that is how it originally came, thanks for helping me look outside the square. I think I will look at doing that for the table inserts, I would still like the section for the mitre gauge to be one complete dovetail, as this allows me to draw the mitre back past the table, so your suggestion takes out the issue of it needing to be so long, which is what seems to have been the problem.

Thanks,

Camo