Replacement Mitre guage for a record power Bandsaw?

[Jerry]

Hi,

I have recently bought a Record Power BS350S bandsaw and the mitre gauge that came with is a bit flimsy and does not fit well into the slot.

The slot size will not fit the usual ( US made ) aftermarket mitre gauges ( e.g. the Incra and Kreg ones ). I think the T-Slot is 14mm.

Can anyone recommend a good replacement that will fit the slot in the table?

 

[Myfordman]

Just fit a correct sized bar to one of the decent aftermarket mitre gauge.

 

[marcros]

Jeremy,

You will struggle to get anything off the shelf I fear.

I think that some people have replaced the mitre slot bar on the incra with a piece of aluminium or hardwood. I have one I can look at but it is under my desk at work. I can look tomorrow.

 

[Jerry]

I had thought of that 'MyFordman', I may try to plane up a strip of hardwood and give that a go. It seems strange to me that a company like Record Power would mill the table with a slot that does not fit any of the after market addons for Bandsaws.

 

[marcros]

I have noticed how few small table saws are equipped with this same "standard" mitre slot!

 

[Richard863]

Hi All
I to have that BS350S problem so I have made a couple of jigs using a Beech rail insert. Still struggling with the mitre block side of it.
Working on a fix for the Incra when I can find a 2nd hand one, don't really want to spend that kind of money in case my fix fall flat on its face.
If successful will post the plans
Richard

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Just in case you can live with the rubbish up top piece....you can always fix the slop in the actual t slot bar by hitting it on the sides of the bar with a punch. The pit isn't what you need but the resultant ridge created by the displacement of the steel is usually enough to shim away the play so it runs tight in the groove. If still sloppy, repeat up and down the bar (on the sides of course). If you make it too stiff, carefully file the little nipple you've created so its more of a volcano until the fit is tight

 

[Steve Maskery]

+1 for the centre punch fix.
S

 

[Richard863]

Hi Bob
On the new breed of BS350S the bar on the mitre fence is now aluminium and after a few traverses in the 9mm cast iron slot the dimples wear off so it's out with the centre punch again.
I tried a saw cut between 2 holes 2" apart and expand the slot with a pk screw, this wasn't successful for long, (rats)
I'll just have to find some one who can machine a mild steel bar to fit.
I wasn't looking for much accuracy only to get rid of the sloppy fit. :-(
regards
Richard

 

[disco_monkey79]

Not sure if this would help, but what about drilling and tapping, and using a grub screw to force the bar up, so it's tighter against the top of the channel?

Without seeing your machine, I don't know if that would eliminate the movement you're experiencing, but may be more long-lasting fix, and all you'd need to re-tighten is a turn of a screwdiver...

 

[Richard863]

Hi all
Cracked the play on my rig glued a strip of polythene cut from a supermarket 4 ltr milk bottle on to the side of the "T" on the mitre bar mitre, now all runs without a sloppy fit.

 

[inceblundell]

that size is the t slot

 

[Honest John]

Interesting thread this. I’m currently part way through a fix for this exact problem on my AXY 250 saw. I have a totally brilliant but ludicrously expensive Incra 120 that I swap between my RP Sabre 350 bandsaw! My 12 inch disc sander and my router table. These all have 3/4 X 3/8 slots. My table saw however has the narrower European type slots that you can’t get any kit to fit. I’ve use hardwood runners on crosscut and Wedgie sleds no problem at all, but I’d really like to install an Incra mitre Guage as well. The job so far has resulted in me filing a piece of 1/4 inch aluminium to fit on the slot. I need to remove about half a mm off the thickness really as well. My intention is to mark up and drill and tap the three holes needed to fit the Nora mitre head. Not sure how durable an ally runner will be considering the loosening and tightening of the adjustment handle in an aluminium bar. If it works ok I might remake one in steel, but I would look into buying a milled to dimension piece of steel as my filing and metal butchering skills are not vast. This job is on hold now as I’ve come down with man flu and am currently in bed! My ally runner is beautifully slick and very slop free after a few taps with a centre punch. Two further thoughts I have on the designing of this project. If I make a steel runner, I intend to drill some slim holes spaced down and close to the left edge. My thinking is that I could put the point of a centre punch into these holes and with a deft tap of a hammer more easily distort the edge to make a good fit. Perhaps fitting a slick lubicating tape to the edge to ease the slide ? Just a thought. My final thought is to wonder if I could locate an engineering shop, or perhaps a skilled member of this Parrish who owns and can use a milling machine to resize the Incra bar. It would require a few mm from the bottom and a little under 2mm from each side. I have no idea of the cost implications of this, but it’s a thought.

 

[Honest John]

Oops. Just noticed this is a very old thread.! If however anyone has anything to add or whom has solved this problem, I’d like to know.

 

[BillStan01]

I have the same issue with a Sabre 350 - any solutions?

 

[TRITON]

Use a bit of wood.
Same thing we use in crosscutting sleds, only there its two bits of wood.

 

[BillStan01]

Use a bit of wood.
Same thing we use in crosscutting sleds, only there its two bits of wood.

Problem is on the Incra for example all the mechanisms (protractor, locking mechanism etc) all fit onto the runner - I dont think it would be possible to mount it adequately and maintain the precision - which is the whole point.