A Precise Table Saw from an Electric Hand Saw

Step 9 Cutting the slots

Set the saw's cutting depth to the thickness of your miter gauge's steel bar.  Clamp a straight edge across the saw table.  Here I used a framing square.  Accuracy will be improved if you can leave the square undisturbed while cutting both slots.  This involves using some shims.  See the next step.  (The photo is from an earlier Instructable I did titled Bench Saw Table for a Wood Lathe.)

Comments

[lenny25]

Would it not be more accurate and neater to use a router for the miter gauge slots?

[Phil B]

A router would work, especially for cleaning waste material from the miter gauge slots.  When I first built my saw table I did not have a router and could only dream about one day owning one.  My experience with routers is that it would be too easy for the router to deflect a little at some point, even with a guide.  That could result in a slot that is not absolutely straight.  Also, the slot needs to be 3/4 inch wide (in most cases).  A shim or moving the guide would be necessary to get the required width for the slot.  It could be done.  I wanted to describe this for the person who has no router and needs to build it with the saw he will use in it.  Thank you for the comment.