Cheap table saw miter slot question

[Mike W.]

I have a cheapo table saw. It has a miter slot, but the slot has these barbs on the top (at the table surface) that help hold the miter guage in the slot. While this may be a nice idea in theory, it stinks for all the miter tools that are made. It makes the miter slot alot like a T-slot. It looks something like this:

__ __ |______|

instead of the normal slots on a good saw that look like this:

|_______|

I would like to get rid of the notches. Should I just grind them with a stone until they're gone? Should I hammer them?

I know the real answser is to get a good saw... and I will in a few years, but I want to learn some basics on this one.

BTW, went to my first woodworking show this weekend. Got to see Scott Phillips and meet some craftsmen that showed me some great things...hand tools and power. Also got to look at, touch, feel, and drool on some awesome power tools... thanks to the vendors. They planted some seeds in my head. I wonder how long until they sprout and I have to confront SWMBO about the credit card bill?

Thanks, Mike W.

[Leon]

Actually most of the good TS's have the "T" but it is upside down compared to your illustration. The bottom of the slot has a wider slot for a washer shape retainer to fit into.. but....anyway.

Dint hammer as this may distort the whole table top. Grinding may be the answer if the wider slot on the bottom is straight and uniform in width.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

It depends. Why do you want to take them off? If it is to use a standard aftermarket miter, be sure the slot itself is wide enough to accommodate it.

If you want to build a cross cutting sled, then you can make the runner any size needed so grinding the tabs off would be OK. Ed (yes, you know the real answer)

[Silvan]

Definitely don't hammer them. You'll ruin the table.

A stone could work, I guess, but you'd be there for twelve days. I'd use a file. Files are cheap, even by my standards. You might help things along with a cutoff wheel in a Dremel so you have less to file.

[Lawrence A. Ramsey]

[Silvan]

Sort of a case in point. I have an old Skil 3400 POS table saw. No T slots. I saw the new Skil 3400 POS table saws at the BORG, and the main difference is the table. Instead of having all the cutout swiss cheese stuff, it's a solid hunk of aluminum. Also, the non-standard little undersized miter slots now have some nubs sticking out fore and aft, such as the OP describes, to simulate T slots.

Considering how little room there is in front of the blade on this thing, it's difficult to crosscut anything of any width, even with a sled. I don't think even simulated T slots are a bad idea on this saw at all, and kinda wish I had the new table, since I'm stuck with this POS for the time being anyway.

[ken]

I would suggest that you consider carefully before grinding down these notches. After they are gone then u must have exactly the right size of miter gauge or your cuts will not be accurate. I'm looking at new saws because my miter slot and miter have had many years of use and are very sloppy. It is a chore for me to get a good square cut. Just yesterday I used a chisel to make small projections along one side of the aluminum miter to make it fit in the miter slot better. This is really a last ditch effort. I could look for a new miter, but the slot itself (stamped steel) was never super accurate in the first place. I bought the saw second hand from a guy who was splitting up and needed the funds. But this saw was never really accurate and now I want a new one. May have to wait until Mrs. Claus helps me out, but it is coming. Hand my hands on a contractor saw today, man what a nice feel when you run the miter through its travel. But man what a price. Ken, temporarily not making dust in NS