Re-machine Miter Slot

myoldgarage · Post by **myoldgarage** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 10:06 am

I found out the sizing issue when I bought a featherboard for my 500 . . . I was at the wood store and bought one that went in the miter slot . . . and it didn't fit. DOH!

I still have it in a bag, I might just hit it with a little grinding to make it fit. I have some Oak runners that I bought that fit pretty snug that I'm hoping to use to make a cross-cut sled.

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 10:31 am

My question is why?

First as far as I know there is nothing made for the none SS that isn't made for the SS, perhaps by another company but it is available.

Secondly it is far easier to mill down the miter bar .022 than it is to mill the slot .022 wider when you consider the t-slot and all.

Lastly if you change the miter bar you can always go back (you may have to replace the bar) however if you change the table short of buying a whole new table there is no going back.

Gene Howe · Post by **Gene Howe** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 12:52 pm

You can have aluminum bars milled with countersunk holes to match whatever you need. The last I had made were 12 " long and I think I paid somewhere around $35.00 for 4 of them.

Even less expensive is to make them yourself from oak or maple or ipe decking material.

Most accessories can be modified to fit the SS although, I've seen a few where the bar was not removable.

mtobey · Post by **mtobey** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 9:53 am

Please see my disloyal post in the miter bar poll thread.Mike T.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 12:57 pm

pkni wrote:You can have aluminum bars milled with countersunk holes to match whatever you need. The last I had made were 12 " long and I think I paid somewhere around $35.00 for 4 of them.

Even less expensive is to make them yourself from oak or maple or ipe decking material.

Most accessories can be modified to fit the SS although, I've seen a few where the bar was not removable.

Has anyone tried using the conical disk to size a metal bar? This seems to be akin to edge sanding. Doing this may required some jig making but it seems like it could be done with great accuracy - provided you have the patients to take off metal in very small amounts each pass.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 1:20 pm

dusty wrote:Has anyone tried using the conical disk to size a metal bar? This seems to be akin to edge sanding. Doing this may required some jig making but it seems like it could be done with great accuracy - provided you have the patients to take off metal in very small amounts each pass.

Sounds like a PLAN! You only have to take about 11 thousandths off each edge. Patience = LIGHT feed (both directions)!!! Build up on abrasive may be troublesome. You would(if done correctly) be making the edges true(parallel).

Hard wood would be far easier though.

Feeding it could be interesting!!

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