Adding a miter slot in a phenolic top

[danimal063]

So I just purchased, on sale, from Jointech a 27 X 36 phenolic router table for my table saw and would like to add a miter slot. What is the best way to route out the slot in the phenolic material?

Thanks

Danimal063

[Jerry M]

Phenolic is very tough stuff but it can be worked with carbide tooling. If the table is not already mounted, I'd be tempted to cut the slot with a dado head in the table saw. Otherwise, you can use a router and straight-edge guide. just take small bites, increasing the depth of cut in small increments.

[docholladay0820]

Kind of like Jerry says, the dado stack will make things go faster. I would still clean up with a router because, in my experience, dado stacks rarely leave a smooth flat bottom, but if you get it close, then you can easily clean up the last bit with a router.

Doc

[millman]

That phenolic will dull the crap out of your dado blades, even just cutting one dado for a miter slot. I would definately use a 1/2 shank carbide tipped straight cut router bit and take small cuts until you reach the desired width and depth. Better off dulling a router bit as opposed to dulling a set of dado's. Plus it will come out flatter just take your time.

[FrankC]

Never really understood why a miter slot is considered necessary on a router table. A good fence to butt up to is usually all you need, sometimes a carrier is necessary for narrow material.

[maxroe]

That actually answers my question I was going to ask somewhere else.

[Jerry M]

Never really understood why a miter slot is considered necessary on a router table. A good fence to butt up to is usually all you need, sometimes a carrier is necessary for narrow material.

I was just saying this to a co-worker the other day when I remembered that I DO use the miter slot sometimes: to hold a featherboard that is designed to fit there.

[RogerInColorado]

That's the only thing I use mine for, but I use it for that frequently.