Jig for cutting slots in TS outfeed

[Lynn Kasdorf]

I'm building my table saw outfeed table and I got to thinking that I could use a jig to easily & accurately cut the slots in the table that extend the table saw's slots.

I figured I'd make a very simple long router base and attach a guide strip to it. I'd put a router bit in that is the same width as the slot. The jig would slide along and automatically cut a slot that is colinear to the TS slot. Is this standard practice? As long as I avoid routing cast iron, it should work.

Another question is, does it make much difference if the outfeed slots are accurate, or do they mostly just need to provide clearance to jigs and miter guages. In other words, how often do you rely on the outfeed table slots to guide anything- probably by the time a jig gets there, the cutting is already done.

Maybe I'm overthinking this.

[George Werner]

I wouldn't worry too much about them being all that accurate. They're just for clearance, you're right in thinking that by the time a jig gets there, the cutting is already done.

[glenn bradley]

I made mine 1" wide and just used a straight edge clamped to the surface along with a stop clamped on too so I would have identical lengths.

[Eric Rimel]

Ive always used a straight edge referenced off the miter gauge slot and drew a line for each edge, 4 total. Eyeballed them to make sure I was as close to dead on as I could, clamped a straight edge and used it as a guide for a 1" straight bit centered on my two lines and hogged it out oversize. I also go about 1/16" deeper. i paid closer attention to stopping them accurately so my biggest sled made it 'just' past the blade and bottomed out so I'm not advancing it any farther than I need to....its heavy. Other than that, yep, it's just a clearance slot....for me anyway. I suppose it could be used to help guide enormous sleds through the blade and perhaps gain accuracy throughout that long cut with the guide rails in contact with a perfectly aligned slot extension ........but I doubt it would be an easy feat to accomplish.

[Mike Schuch]

Why not put a dado blade in your table saw, turn the outfeed table over and run it through after making a couple alignment marks with a pencil?

[Steve Wurster]

Why not put a dado blade in your table saw, turn the outfeed table over and run it through after making a couple alignment marks with a pencil?

That's basically what I did.

[Justin Ludwig]

I used a router and a straight edge. Cut them oversized.

[Peter Aeschliman]

I wouldn't worry too much about them being all that accurate. They're just for clearance, you're right in thinking that by the time a jig gets there, the cutting is already done.

x2. The slots just need to be out of the way of your miter bar. Cut them wider than the bottom of the slots and don't look back.

[Mike Henderson]

I learned my lesson on that. I cut mine very accurately - exactly the same width as the slots in the table saw. Then, when I used the miter gauge, it wouldn't slide past the saw table because the miter gauge had a washer at the end that was wider than the slot. The table saw slot was cut to allow that washer to fit.

Had to go back and enlarge the slots in the outfeed table. The curse of trying to be too precise.

Mike

[Ken Krawford]

I just finished doing this to my new outfeed table. I used a straight edge to draw the saw miter slot lines on the table. Then clamped the straight edge and plowed out the new slot with my router. Turned out perfect.

[Mark W Pugh]

Oversize. I used a two sided jig, bit size the biggest I had, and worked it up and back in the jig. Cut half depth at a time.

[Dave Cullen]

I made mine 1" wide and just used a straight edge clamped to the surface along with a stop clamped on too so I would have identical lengths.

'Zactly what I did.