: I have an old Craftsman table saw with the really nice, heavy cast iron
: table.

: Do you think it would be worth having the top machined so the miter gauge
: slots are "inverted-T" shaped, rather than rectangular, so I can
: use them to hold down jigs, feather boards, etc.

: Or should I just invest in a new saw...Delta Contractor's saw, maybe?

: Shawn

I have the yellow wheeled Board Buddies (about $30) holddowns mounted to my tablesaw fence. These push the board down and towards the fence. When I ripped my strips (up to 14'), I didn't have a need for any other holddowns or feather boards. I find that a combination of waxed tablesaw top and 7.5" thin kerf (about 1/16") Freud blade significantly reduced the force needed to feed the boards. Reduced feed pressure and an appropriate outfeed table adds to safety. I use push sticks to keep my hands as far from the blade as possible. The problem with having a feather board mounted to the table is it requires adjustment after every cut or two, unless you make one with a spring arm. I started ripping the strips with this type of holddown in combination with the board buddies, but it wasn't necessary and was quickly abandoned. Another idea of how to mount a table mounted holddown would be to drill and tap a few mounting holes into the cast iron top. I'd be worried about the casting cracking though.

Kurt