Buying task · Miter gauges, T-track and stops
Miter gauges, T-track, stops and setup bars for router tables
Measure your router table's miter slot, then match a miter gauge by the maker's width range, a sled that rides the fence, track hardware by thread, and setup bars.
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Short answer
Measure your table's slot before you buy a gauge: its actual width at several points, its depth, and whether it has a T-slot at the bottom. Then choose a gauge whose maker states a width range that includes yours, or a coping sled that rides the fence and needs no slot. Buy track hardware by thread and head size.
Slots, track and fixed references
A router table may have a miter slot for a miter gauge or featherboard bar, T-track for clamps and stops, or both. A nominal 3/4 x 3/8 in slot is common, but actual widths vary and some slots have a T-slot under them. Setup bars are a separate tool: fixed blocks for setting bit height and fence distance.
The decisions, in order
1. Measure the slot. Bosch says the RA1181's aluminum slot works with most stationary table saw miter gauges that measure 3/4 in wide x 3/8 in deep, and supplies no gauge.[1] INCRA's Miter 3000SE checker lists a typical 3/4 in slot at 0.740 to 0.770 in actual width, at least 0.375 in deep, with an optional T-slot area 1/8 in high x 15/16 in wide.[2] The miter slot guide and the measuring guide explain how to take those numbers.
2. The gauge maker's width range. INCRA says the Miter 1000SE is designed for square-sided slots 3/4 in wide and 3/8 in deep, with or without a 15/16 in T-slot, and adjusts to actual widths of 0.740 to 0.765 in.[3] Its Miter Slider SE bars, in 18 and 25.5 in lengths, state the same width range.[4] INCRA says the Slider SE is not recommended for stationary jigs that must lock in the slot.[4] Keep each range with its own model.
3. A sled that needs no slot. Woodpeckers' Coping Sled does not use the miter slot: an acrylic fence adjusts to the router table fence, and the top plate takes stock up to 5-1/2 in wide.[5] WoodRiver's AWR-BCS sled tracks along the router table fence with a 17 in acrylic guide and clamps stock up to 6 in wide and 1-1/8 in thick.[6] If your table has no usable slot, this is the route. See miter gauge vs coping sled.
4. Track hardware by head size and thread. Milescraft's TrackMaster 4023 includes a 1/4-20 T-bolt and three M8 x 1.25 T-bolts with different head sizes, and adapts its 3 in BenchClamp for T-track.[7] Milescraft's own sentence on track widths is ambiguous, so compare the head sizes with your track's channel. Stops are fence-specific: JessEm says its Router Fence Stop fits the TA Fence, Mast-R-Fence III and Mast-R-Fence II, but not the original Mast-R-Fence.[8] See T-track bolts, knobs and stops.
5. Setup bars as a fixed reference. Kreg's PRS3400 set has seven anodized aluminum bars from 1/8 to 1/2 in, listed for setting bit or blade height, checking cut depth and setting the bit-to-fence distance.[9] Kreg publishes no tolerance for them, so treat them as a repeatable reference, not a measured standard. See setup bars for bit height.
How to choose
Check your table's slot on the table finder, measure it, then match.
Picks that fit6 products
A gauge for a 3/4 x 3/8 in slot: Kreg KMS7102 (miter gauge with 24 in fence and swing stop) or POWERTEC 71391 (gauge, 24 in fence and flip stop); compare the slot range each maker states with your measured slot.
More on choosing
Adding a slot to a shop-made top: POWERTEC 71566 (32 in track) or 71568 (32 in track with T-bar). T-track for clamps and stops: POWERTEC 71373 (four 48 in tracks). Clamping in T-track: Milescraft 4023 kit, then use the bolt whose head fits your track. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or the brand.
Gauge with a long fence and swing stop
Gauge for slots with or without a T-slot
POWERTEC 71391 precision miter gauge system with 24 in multi-track fence and flip stop
Add a slot to a shop-made top, track only
Add a slot to a shop-made top, with a bar
POWERTEC 71373 48 in double-cut profile universal T-track, 4 pack
Milescraft 4023 TrackMaster universal T-track clamping kit
Every page on miter gauges, track and stops
Guides
- The 3/4 x 3/8 in miter slot: actual widths, T-slots and fit
- Miter gauge vs coping sled on a router table
- T-track bolts, knobs and stops: thread and head sizes
- Setup bars for bit height and fence distance
Tables and their slots
Key terms
Miter bar, T-bolt, coping sled, 1/4-20 thread, 5/16-18 thread, bit height, nominal size and fence stop.
Everything in this topic
Guides
- Miter gauge vs coping sled on a router tableHelps you decide between a miter gauge and a coping sled based on whether your table has a slot and what stock you need to hold.
- Setup bars for bit height and fence distanceExplains what setup bars do and what their makers do and do not publish, so you can decide whether you need a set alongside your lift's dial.
- The 3/4 x 3/8 in miter slot: actual widths, T-slots and fitHelps you check whether a miter gauge or featherboard bar fits your router table's slot by its maker's stated range.
- T-track bolts, knobs and stops: thread and head sizesHelps you match T-bolts, knobs and stops to your track by the head size and thread a maker publishes.
Shortlists
- Miter gauges, sleds and setup bars for 3/4 x 3/8 in slotsNarrows gauges and track to ones made for a 3/4 x 3/8 in slot, and shows how to confirm your slot is one.
Common questions
Do I need a coping sled or a miter gauge?
It depends on your table and stock. The coping sleds in our sources ride along the router fence, so they work on a table without a miter slot; a miter gauge needs a slot its maker's range fits. More in Miter gauge vs coping sled on a router table
Does a coping sled need a miter slot?
Not the two in our sources. Woodpeckers says the COPESLED1 does not use the miter slot, and WoodRiver says its AWR-BCS tracks along the router table fence rather than the slot. More in Miter gauge vs coping sled on a router table
Can I lock a miter bar in the slot for a jig?
Not with INCRA's Miter Slider SE: INCRA says it is not recommended for stationary jigs that must be locked in a slot, and recommends its standard aluminum Miter Slider for that. More in Miter gauge vs coping sled on a router table
How wide a board can a coping sled hold?
Woodpeckers says the COPESLED1 takes material up to 5-1/2 in wide and gives no maximum thickness. WoodRiver says the AWR-BCS clamps stock up to 6 in wide and 1-1/8 in thick. More in Miter gauge vs coping sled on a router table
What are router table setup bars?
Bars of fixed, known sizes that you stand next to the bit or between the bit and fence as a height or distance reference. Kreg's PRS3400 set has seven anodized aluminum bars from 1/8 to 1/2 in in 1/16 in steps. More in Setup bars for bit height and fence distance
Are setup bars accurate?
Kreg publishes no tolerance or accuracy figure for the PRS3400 bars, so we cannot say how close each bar is to its marked size. More in Setup bars for bit height and fence distance
Do I need setup bars if my lift has a dial?
A dial moves the bit by a known amount from wherever it starts; a bar gives you a fixed size to set it to. Many readers use the bar to set a starting height and the dial for small changes. Neither replaces a test cut. More in Setup bars for bit height and fence distance
Do setup bars come in metric sizes?
Kreg lists metric equivalents of 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11 and 12 mm for its seven PRS3400 bars. More in Setup bars for bit height and fence distance
Questions
What size is a router table miter slot?
Often 3/4 in wide by 3/8 in deep nominal, but measure yours. Bosch says the RA1181's slot works with most table saw miter gauges that measure 3/4 x 3/8 in. INCRA's checker gives 0.740 to 0.770 in as the actual width range of a typical 3/4 in slot.[1][2]
Will my table-saw miter gauge fit?
It may, if the slot matches the gauge's range. Bosch says most stationary table saw miter gauges that measure 3/4 x 3/8 in work in the RA1181's slot. INCRA states its Miter 1000SE adjusts to actual slot widths of 0.740 to 0.765 in.[1][3]
What bolts fit T-track?
The thread and head size the track maker states. Milescraft's TrackMaster 4023 kit, for example, includes one 1/4-20 T-bolt and three M8 x 1.25 T-bolts with different head sizes. Compare head size with your track's channel. See T-track bolts and stops.[7]
What are setup bars for?
They are fixed-size references. Kreg lists its PRS3400 bars, seven sizes from 1/8 to 1/2 in, for setting bit or blade height, checking cut depth and setting the bit-to-fence distance. Kreg publishes no tolerance for them.[9]