Setting the blade to the miter slot, WHICH ONE

[Bill Huber]

I have seen many many sites on the web that show you how to tune you TS. Most if not all of them always use the right miter slot, why???

I guess we are to assume that both slots are exactly parallel.

But to me it seems you should always set the blade to the left slot (left tilt saws) that is were you use your miter gauge. I don't think I have ever seen someone using the right slot on any show I have ever watch or any person that I have been around using a saw. It is good for your sled but that is about the only time I use mine. My EB-3 is set up to be used on the left slot.

So why do you want to use the right slot, I see no reason to set your blade to that slot. Use the left slot and then set the fence to it.

The other thing that gets me about these turn ups is they never do the first step, check to make sure the table is flat. If the table is not flat or you have an extension wind to high or low this can change the angle of the cut on anything but a short board. When you check the blade you are only checking it to about 4 inches of the table, the rest of the table could be 6 inches high but the blade would check out OK.

So should not the first thing we do to tune a TS is check the table and wings to make sure everything is flat? Then use the left slot to check the blade and then set the fence to the left slot?

Yes work is a little slow and I needed something to think about.



.

[Brian Kerley]

I've now decided to use the right slot on my left tilt saw, and I think that's the way it should be, for a one big reason, you never have to move your miter gauge. I like having my miter gauge fence setup so it's close to the blade, but when you tilt the blade over, it ends up contacting the fence, so you have to move the fence of the gauge, thereby throwing off the ruler on my gauge. With it being on the right side of the saw, I can keep the fence fairly close to the blade, and never have to worry about throwing off any measurements. It's going to take a bit to get used to it 100%, but I haven't discovered any disadvantages yet, except really small pieces would be supported by the insert on the table instead of by the the table itself. Though, if you make sure the insert is flush, you have nothing to worry about.

[Myk Rian]

All the how-tos I've seen use the left miter slot.
I don't have the miter gauge and tilt problem with my LT saw. My Osbourn EB-3 has a 45 degree angle in the bar to prevent problems.

[glenn bradley]

I use the left slot because that is where I run the miter gauge.

[Chris Schumann]

Just thinking here, but it seems to me the slots (or at least the last finishing step) would be machined simultaneously on something that moves the table across stationary cutters, ensuring they are exactly parallel.

I'm no expert but I'd be surprised to find machined slots in cast iron to be off more than 0.001" across the entire table as they come out of that operation, and if it were my factory, I'd aim for 1/10th of that... "nearest tenth" as my CNC pals would say.

[Rob Wright]

I use my left slot 99% of the time for 2 reasons:


1 - seems to work better for the way I work
2 - The only complaint I have with my grizzly 1023 - (and I found out about this 3 years after I purchased the machine:mad:) is that the left and right miter slots are not parallel! Try making a sled for that situation!

[Robert Chapman]

I've always used the right slot. No good reason. Maybe because I'm right handed. Just never thought about it. I can't remember the last time I used the left slot for the mitre guage on my left tilt saws.

[John Thompson]

I use the left slot because I am right handed. I want my right hand guiding the miter gauge and my body out of the "lane" or direct path of the blade while it is spinning. If I used the right slot with my right hand as the control hand.. I would be standing in the "line of fire". No thank you.

My fence on my basic Incra is not a problem on angles as I use a sacrificial wood fence in lieu of the super duber aluminum ones. I intentionally want the fence to meet the blade for boty reference and as a backer to avoid blow-out or splinter.

I will be mitering small decorative box parts this morning that have a purple-heart outer band. The maple is not a real problem with splinter but purple-heart is. My gauge got a new hickory fence last night which took about 10 minutes to mill and attach.

Sarge..

[Doug Shepard]

I've never used the miter gauge on the RH side of my left tilt saw, only on the LH slot. I've only ever made a handful of stopped cuts on the RH side of the fence, otherwise everything is done on the LH side of the fence too. Pretty much for the same reasons John mentioned - works better for right handers staying out of the line of fire.

[Robert Chapman]

Good point about staying out of the line of fire. I will try it. Thanks

[Joe Scharle]

I use them both depending.......However, if both slots are not parallel, return to sender!

[John Thompson]

Good point about staying out of the line of fire. I will try it. Thanks

I'll add that if I were a lefty... I would use the right slot to accomplish both me controling the gauge from directly behnid and my body would be to the right out of the "lane". I personally don't violate the first rule I learned in HS shop in 1963... Keep the Lane Clear!

Well... at least after I got popped by a UFO about 6 months in that shop class. But I have ever since... ;)

Sarge..

[Clifford Mescher]

Just thinking here, but it seems to me the slots (or at least the last finishing step) would be machined simultaneously on something that moves the table across stationary cutters, ensuring they are exactly parallel.

I'm no expert but I'd be surprised to find machined slots in cast iron to be off more than 0.001" across the entire table as they come out of that operation, and if it were my factory, I'd aim for 1/10th of that... "nearest tenth" as my CNC pals would say.
Me experience says that you are exactly right. It would be cost effective to mill the slots in the same set-up therefore creating parallel slots.Clifford.

[Mark Carlson]

I always use the left to align the blade and the right to align the fence. My assumption is that my miter slots are parallel.

~mark

[Clifford Mescher]

I have seen many many sites on the web that show you how to tune you TS. Most if not all of them always use the right miter slot, why???

I guess we are to assume that both slots are exactly parallel.

But to me it seems you should always set the blade to the left slot (left tilt saws) that is were you use your miter gauge. I don't think I have ever seen someone using the right slot on any show I have ever watch or any person that I have been around using a saw. It is good for your sled but that is about the only time I use mine. My EB-3 is set up to be used on the left slot.

So why do you want to use the right slot, I see no reason to set your blade to that slot. Use the left slot and then set the fence to it.

The other thing that gets me about these turn ups is they never do the first step, check to make sure the table is flat. If the table is not flat or you have an extension wind to high or low this can change the angle of the cut on anything but a short board. When you check the blade you are only checking it to about 4 inches of the table, the rest of the table could be 6 inches high but the blade would check out OK.

So should not the first thing we do to tune a TS is check the table and wings to make sure everything is flat? Then use the left slot to check the blade and then set the fence to the left slot?

Yes work is a little slow and I needed something to think about.



.
That is why some woodworkers are not getting square (perpendicular) cuts after using the Wixey gage. The gage is zeroed off using only the 2 inch width of the gage for reference. Here is a thought: To get a better reference put the wixey on a steel bar that has parallel faces and is perfectly straight. A 2 foot long steel bar would be good. Now place the bar with the wixey on the table, then zero off the gage. Take the wixey off the bar and put on the blade and get your reading. Clifford.

[Bruce Page]

I checked my Unisaw when I first got it. They were within .001 Reaching from slot to slot with a test indicator. So in my case, it wouldn't matter which slot is used. I use the left slot to check the blade and the right slot to check the fence.

[Chip Lindley]

Parallelism of the two miter slots should be within .001" on any reputable cast iron saw. The slots ARE milled in one operation, so the tight tolerance is built into the manufacturning process. Whether the left or right slot is used for saw alignment should make no difference. I have always used the left slot for my blade alignment gauge. I use the right slot to align my fence. (its just closer)

[Clifford Mescher]

I checked my Unisaw when I first got it. They were within .001 Reaching from slot to slot with a test indicator. So in my case, it wouldn't matter which slot is used. I use the left slot to check the blade and the right slot to check the fence.
I can verify that mine are within the same tolerance. Machinist friend of mine checked it out for me. Clifford.