Subject: TUNE YOUR MITRE GAUGE

From: Michael Fedock <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 29 Mar 1997 21:27:16 -0800

The bar of your mitre gauge must fit tightly into the groove of your 
table saw.  If you try to move the gauge from side to side and you feel 
it shift, the fit is too loose, LeTrec.  Take the gauge out and peen the 
edges of the bar up and down both edges, from the top.  Try the fit 
again.  Repeat until you have a nice, snug fit.  If tou peen too much, 
just thin the edge down by draw filing the edges.

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From: [email-masked] (David Roseman)
Date: Sun, 30 Mar 1997 05:59:39 GMT

>just thin the edge down by draw filing the edges.

This is interesting.  FWIW, I've always heard to peen only the side of
the bar that's away from the blade, so as not to disturb the alignment
of the bar relative to the inboard edge of the slot, which presumably
is precisely parallel to the blade.  Since the miter gauge is most
often used to the left of the blade, the left edge would be peened.
Also, the peening is usually recommended on the side of the bar,
rather than on the top, so as to create more bearing surface from the
mushroomed metal.  Actually, I think the best solution is problem is
probably the "cool block" retrofit kit sold by Garret-Wade for about
$15.  Haven't tried this yet, as I have a half dozen miter gauges and
I'd like to find a cheap source for the cylindrical cool block
material.  dcr