Miter Cut Tip I Saw But Forgot!!

[David Perata]

Somewhere or another in my supply of wood working books and magazines I saw a tip for tight fitting miter cuts. Can anybody tell me what I think I saw?

[Bill Huber]

The best miters I have ever done were done on both sides of the blade. I use a sled with a 90 degree fence on it, cut one joint on one side and the other joint on the opposite side and they will fit perfect.

If one side is 47 the other side will be 53 and that equals 90 so they will still fit like a glove.

http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/image/113634803

[Kyle Iwamoto]

The best miters I have ever done were done on both sides of the blade. I use a sled with a 90 degree fence on it, cut one joint on one side and the other joint on the opposite side and they will fit perfect.

If one side is 47 the other side will be 53 and that equals 90 so they will still fit like a glove.


Well, 47/53 maybe the angle will be 90 and "square", but one bevel will be longer than the other and look odd.

Your question is rather vague. Table saw tip? Miter saw tip? Miter box tip?

[David Perata]

Sorry. It was a miter saw tip.

[John Harden]

Can't help with what you thought you read in a magazine, but I'll take a stab at helping you with your challenge. To date, the most precise mitre's I can remember doing were with a very meticulously set up Incra mitre gauge. I used a precision engineers square and test indicator to calibrate the gauge. This is a fast method, but a 5 cut process would work just as well, but take a bit longer.

In my experiences using my 1000 and 5000 Incra units, they are dead accurate once you calibrate them. I've made lots of picture frames and other mitres with both and was always very pleased with the result.

Any precision mitre gauge will do. I just happen to like Incra.

EDIT: Sorry. We cross posted. Can't help you with a mitre saw. I don't much use them.

Regards,

John

[Tom Veatch]

... I used a precision engineers square and test indicator to calibrate the gauge. This is a fast method, but a 5 cut process would work just as well, but take a bit longer.

In my experiences using my 1000 and 5000 Incra units, they are dead accurate once you calibrate them. ...

John, do you have a "step by step" for that calibration? Or maybe a link to a discription. I have a 3000 Incra and don't recall seeing anything in the manual about calibration/adjustment. Maybe I ought to go look.

Edit: Never mind, John. I went and looked. Another argument in favor of RTFM, there's quite a lengthly discussion on calibration and adjustment. Looks like I have another "But, first..." to do tomorrow.

[glenn bradley]

John, do you have a "step by step" for that calibration?

http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/five_cut_method_swf.htm

[John Harden]

I do the same thing. The manual is good for calibration, but if you have a large, precision engineers square or even a quality drafting triangle, you can knock it out in no time and be a lot more accurate than where the manual will take you.

After you adjust the mitre bar for a smooth snug fit, just set the mitre guage for a 90 degree cross cut and place the base of the engineer's square on it with the long arm sticking up to the right side.

Then, you position your test indicator (not a dial indicator) off to the right with the stylus up against the side of the arm of your square and lock down the magnetic base.

Next, you simply zero the indicator and slide the mitre guage back and forth in the slot and measure how much the test indicator moves. Good test indicators are calibrated to either .0001 or .0005". That's right, one ten thousands, or 5 ten thousands.

A large engineers square with a 6" or 10" long leg (or good drafting square) will allow you to quickly dial it in.

This may seem like overkill, but it sure is nice to have a "dead on balls" accurate mitre guage always handy. Errors in work are cumalitive, so if we can eliminate them at the cut line, it always helps.

Regards,

John

[Matt Armstrong]

The best miters I have ever done were done on both sides of the blade. I use a sled with a 90 degree fence on it, cut one joint on one side and the other joint on the opposite side and they will fit perfect.

If one side is 47 the other side will be 53 and that equals 90 so they will still fit like a glove.

http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/image/113634803

100 degree angles?

[scott gunnell]

I am using a 3000se that the LOML gave me for father's day a few years ago. Ibam always gentle when I handle it to move it because it is so accurate I use it square up other things; jigs, etc. I will reach for it as often as a square. I used the 5 cut method, not the test indicator, thought that does sound interesting.