How to use your table saw as a jointer

Home
>
How To Techniques & Tutorials
>
How to use your table saw as a jointer

showing how to use the table saw as a jointer

Fact Checked

Our team of writers and editors rigorously evaluates each article to ensure the information is accurate and exclusively cites reputable sources.

We regularly assess how the content in this article aligns with current practices and expert recommendations in order to provide the most up-to-date information.

Table of Contents

How to use a table saw as a jointer

Not everyone has the budget or the space for a jointer and sometimes even experienced woodworkers prefer to use a table saw to straighten out wood if it’s especially gnarly. Here’s how to use your table saw as a jointer to get a straight edge on stock.

Purchase a readymade jig that provides adjustability
Create a custom jig for your own needs

Because the width was 12”, I used two of these t-tracks that are inlaid in the plywood sheet. If you increase the width of your jig, you’ll need to make sure you have enough t-track for the entire width.

Things You Should Know

Only use this jig for edge jointing. Face jointing should not be done on a table saw.
This jig measures approximately 30" x 12" and will fit most jobsite saws. These measurements are flexible.
This jig may also be used to cut tapers
A list of all the tools and materials needed can be found at the end of this article.

Method 1

How to make a table saw jointer sled

attaching aluminum miter bar to baltic birch plywood with drill

attaching aluminum miter bar to baltic birch plywood

1. Cut your board to size and put the miter slot runner on

I used 3/4" Baltic birch plywood and and cut it to approximately a 30" x 12". I went ahead and aligned the runner so that the edge was right up next to the blade. If you want a true zero-clearance cut line, place the runner so that part of the board overhangs past the blade and cut it later.

saw blade raised to height of aluminum t track

2. Cut the dados for the aluminum t-track

Set the blade of your table saw or circular saw to the height of the t-track. This cut will cut the depth of the slot that the t-track will sit in. If you have a blade with a flat-top tooth grind, use it here.

I used a CMT ATB combination blade, which did not clear a flat channel for the t-track. I will go back and clean this up later with a chisel.

using a caliper to measure an aluminum t track

dado widths cut into baltic birch plywood

3. Cut the dado slots

I measured the width of the t-track to 18.94mm. Approximately 6" in from each edge of the jig is where I made the first mark for the dado slots.

I marked off the width of the dado slots and made my first two cuts. You will want to intentionally be a little narrow with these first two cuts so you can creep up to the 18.94mm width and the t-track will fit snugly.

using a chisel to clear out remaining cut off bits

4. Dial in the dado channel width and clean it up

As mentioned in the previous step, I left the channel a little narrow so I could creep up on the actual width. Since I used an ATB tooth blade, I'm taking a chisel to clean up the little bit of wood the remains in the dado slot.

Repeat the dado cut for the other side.

Inserting the aluminum t-track into the dado

5. Screw down the t-track

With the dado slots cut for the t-tracks, lay the t-tracks in and screw them down with wood screws.

Materials and Tools Needed

Materials

Miter slot bar
A ¾” piece of sanded plywood - I’m using baltic birch
Two miter slot t-tracks that will cover the width of your plywood
Two screwdowns for the t-tracks

Tools

Table saw
Circular Saw (optional)
Straight edge

aluminum t tracks and hold down hardware

A table saw doesn’t replace a jointer

You can’t face joint a board with your table saw, nor should you try.
The accuracy of an edge cut on a jointer will be difficult to match on a table saw.
Other variances like blade quality, flatness of table top, and other factors will affect the cut quality

With the above method being explained, this doesn’t mean that your table saw can entirely replace a jointer. Every table saw, especially job site saws, will be off by some degree when cutting the edge of the board. While you can likely get by with this imperfection on a single board, being off a little here and a little there will add up for larger projects.

Don’t rely on this as a long term solution for projects.

Our editorial team is dedicated to providing content that meets the highest standards for accuracy and objectivity. Our editors and medical experts rigorously evaluate every article and guide to ensure the information is factual, up-to-date, and free of bias.

Our fact-checking guidelines are as follows:

We only cite reputable sources when researching our guides and articles. These include peer-reviewed journals, government reports, academic and medical associations, and interviews with credentialed medical experts and practitioners.
All scientific data and information must be backed up by at least one reputable source. Each guide and article includes a comprehensive bibliography with full citations and links to the original sources
Some guides and articles feature links to other relevant Sleep Foundation pages. These internal links are intended to improve ease of navigation across the site, and are never used as original sources for scientific data or information.
A member of our medical expert team provides a final review of the content and sources cited for every guide, article, and product review concerning medical- and health-related topics. Inaccurate or unverifiable information will be removed prior to publication.
Plagiarism is never tolerated. Writers and editors caught stealing content or improperly citing sources are immediately terminated, and we will work to rectify the situation with the original publisher(s).
Although Sleep Foundation maintains affiliate partnerships with brands and e-commerce portals, these relationships never have any bearing on our product reviews or recommendations. Read our full Advertising Disclosure for more information.