Shopsmith Forums

A 't-bolt' is a bolt which slides into a miter track (e.g. on top of the 520 fence or, in my case, the miter track on the side of Kreg bandsaw fence) and can then be used to secure 'stuff'.

I was adding a shop made re-saw guide to my Kreg and needed a T-bolt to secure the new guide to the fence. Shopsmith sells a very nice version (PN 521665 - a set of 4 for $21) but I wanted one right NOW!! And saving a bit of money wouldn't be all that bad. So I got a 1/4-20 carriage bolt and a 1" OD (1/4" ID ) fender washer from the local hardware store for about $0.75.

The carriage bolt has a square protrusion under the head which wouldn't quite fit in the 1/4" ID on the washer - I hit the hole in 4 corners with a file and then, with the bolt in place, I whacked it with a hammer to drive it in place. The fender washer is a bit larger than a miter T-track (which is about 0.934" wide) but a bit of grinding on the sides took care of that. The washer plus the thickness of the bolt head was also a bit thicker than the slot height (0.130" for SS miter track, 0.175" for the Kreg) but again the grinder too care of that. Works very well and certainly didn't cost much.

Good inexpensive solution. Thanks for posting.

Hmmmm. Elevator bolt?

JPG wrote:Hmmmm. Elevator bolt?

Maybe -- they're cheap enough, and my local Lowes stocks them.

Do you think that bevel on the underside of the head would be a problem? It would put all the clamping pressure on a couple of small spots underneath the lip of the miter slot.

BuckeyeDennis wrote:

JPG wrote:Hmmmm. Elevator bolt?

Maybe -- they're cheap enough, and my local Lowes stocks them.

Do you think that bevel on the underside of the head would be a problem? It would put all the clamping pressure on a couple of small spots underneath the lip of the miter slot.

Capture.JPG

I think not(assuming thee is not a gorilla).

Wing nuts help prevent gorilla forces. Especially the stamped ones.

bobgroh wrote: I was adding a shop made re-saw guide to my Kreg and needed a T-bolt to secure the new guide to the fence. Shopsmith sells a very nice version (PN 521665 - a set of 4 for $21) but I wanted one right NOW!! And saving a bit of money wouldn't be all that bad.

ResawGuideFinished.jpg

Very nice innovation, Bob! I love these "work-arounds"

Also wanted to call more attention to your rip fences! These re-saw "T" fences are, for sure, the easiest and most exact way to get the re-saws you want.

I think the 'elevator bolt' would work fine! I'll have to look for those. And I don't think the contact points would be any problem - as someone else pointed out, you don't put a lot of pressure on these. So another solution and even simpler!! Love it.

Lee Valley has the 1/4-20 1" T-bolts, box of 10 $3,20 US. 1/4-20 T-Bolts and T-Slot Nuts

rpd wrote:Lee Valley has the 1/4-20 1" T-bolts, box of 10 $3,20 US. 1/4-20 T-Bolts and T-Slot Nuts

Have you used these in the SS fence/table before?

rjent wrote:

rpd wrote:Lee Valley has the 1/4-20 1" T-bolts, box of 10 $3,20 US. 1/4-20 T-Bolts and T-Slot Nuts

Have you used these in the SS fence/table before?

Sadly none of my equipment is new enough to have t slots in the fences, so no personal experience.
T-slot extrusions are pretty much standardized and the OP said he had used 1/4 20 bolts.
The heads on the 1/4 20 T-bolts measure .720x.508x.095.
If a wider head is desired there are 5/16 18 T-bolts, they measure .832x.508x.095.