Bunch more questions - How big are your work pieces? Are you clamping them to the miter fixture? Sounds like you had the miter fixture by itself, without a fence? With the miter alone it would be pretty hard to keep your workpiece from moving - even if clamped - the bits gonna pull it. (Also, if you're trying to hold the workpiece with just your hand against the miter, seems a little dangerous as the bit's pulling you towards the cutters). If your dados or rabbits are along the edges, why use the miter at all - rather than just the fence and a push block? If in the middle of the workpiece, why use the table instead of a guide on the workpiece itself? Quick thoughts anyway.