Short miter gauge vs long miter gauges

[Travis Conner]

I have a miter gauge for my disc sander and a miter gauge for my table saw. The t slot part of the miter gauge is much longer on one that goes on the table saw vs the one for the disc sander. Why is one longer? Honestly I think the one for the disc sander is better since it's all metal. Does it really matter if I use the shorter one on the table saw? These are just the ones that came with machines. Is there a good brand of miter gauge?

[Lee Schierer]

Longer miter bars usually run smoother in the slot and allow you to back them farther from the blade for a greater width of cross cut. I used the factory one that came with my craftsman saw for years and never was very happy with it. Setting it at 90 wasn't too hard to do, but getting any other angle precisely was basically done by trial and error.

I liked the looks and feel of the Kreg crosscut fence so I purchased one. It has performed well for me and the shot pin locks it precisely at commonly used angles. It is adjustable for use on either the left side or right side of the blade.

[Doug Ladendorf]

A shorter bar is better for a smaller table like a sander or bandsaw. The longer bar provides greater stability and reach as mentioned, which is appropriate and desired with a bigger table like a table saw.

[glenn bradley]

Other questions answered so I will add . . . Yes, there are good brands of miter gauges. Many favor INCRA but, KREG, JDS, Osborne and others have a healthy following too.