Miter Gauge setup: L v. R

[Kent A Bathurst]

Just got a new Incra miter gauge. The ass'y instructions are all about "left of the blade" use, then a short section on "if you want right of the blade".

It sure seem to me that I want to set it up for right-of-the blade. Left-tilt Unisaw, 52".

Never had a good miter gauge (just mickey mouse OEM), so I don't have any experience with this type of equip.

Am I missing something here? Advice sought on L v R setup.

[Jason Beam]

I want mine on the left - unless i'm doing a bevel cut with a left-tilt saw, that is. For square cuts, mine stays on the left. Mostly because my fence isn't in the way and I can crosscut longer pieces on the left side. Also, it lets me put an auxiliary stop on my fence and use the fence to make repeated crosscuts (never use the fence alone unless it can be pulled back ahead of the blade). I always use my fence on the right side, so anything that avoids having to shift things from one side to the other is helpful. So ... miter gage on the left, fence on the right. If I'm doing bevel cuts, I'll loosen the gage's fence and shift it for a right-hand cut - i don't do that terribly often, though.

[Josiah Bartlett]

I must be weird. I switch off quite often, about 30% of my cuts are on the right and the rest on the left. I'm ambidextrous, so maybe that's why.

[Jonathan Wicks]

I've got a left-tilt saw with 32" rails and I've mounted my Incra 1000SE miter gauge on the right side.

I like it because I have more support under the miter gauge extension arm when it's fully extended, and I don't have to move the gauge fence when cutting bevels (since the blade tilts away from the gauge). I used to have it mounted on the left side of the blade but I like this setup better.

Yes, I do occasionally have to slide the fence away or remove it altogether, but it only takes a few seconds, and with 52" rails I suspect this would be even less of an issue.

[glenn bradley]

I don't normally use a miter gauge between the blade and the fence. I haven't seen many who do in books or video but there's nothing really wrong with it. You don't want your fence in play when using your miter gauge unless it is holding a stop block for you or something like that. Even in this case I would have the gauge on the left allowing the cutoff to fall free to the right of the blade well past the stop block.

Any technique that makes trapping material between the blade and the fence a possibility should be avoided. that doesn't mean that you shouldn't use your gauge where it is comfortable. Just have your fence off the saw for a very generous distance down the rails from where you are working. Be safe.

[Chris Parks]

Re trapping timber between the fence and the blade when using a mitre guage. This is easily overcome and can be done very safely by clamping a sub-fence/spacer to the fence ending it just at the blade or even before. When the timber is cut it has passed the sub-fence and there is now a space that is wider than the cut piece so the cut piece cannot be trapped.

[glenn bradley]

Re trapping timber between the fence and the blade when using a mitre guage. This is easily overcome and can be done very safely by clamping a sub-fence/spacer to the fence ending it just at the blade or even before. When the timber is cut it has passed the sub-fence and there is now a space that is wider than the cut piece so the cut piece cannot be trapped.

Thanks Chris. That's what I was trying to say about a stop block.

[David DeCristoforo]

"This...can be done very safely by clamping a sub-fence/spacer to the fence...there is now a space...the cut piece cannot be trapped."

This is a good practice that has it's own little "trap". If the space is on the small side and the long diagonal of the falloff piece is longer than the total clearance between the blade and the fence, it's still possible for the falloff piece to get "caught". You could still find yourself dodging "sail wood". Be careful, even when being "safe"...

[Kent A Bathurst]

thanks all for input.

I understand the issues re: kickback, but it never hurts to hear safety reminders - I run through a mental checklist on every saw when I set up. Haven't heard the term "sail wood" before - will borrow that one! - but I did see it one time, and one time only, right after I got my TS 15 yrs ago. That was an attention-getter.

My INCRA has the extension to 31", so fence + block will happen sometimes, but not routinely. TS 52" rails + table gives me a lot of room to move the fence out of the way.

Space to the left of the blade limited by shop (36"), but I do rotate the TS on the wheeled base when I need more room. I like the idea of mounting to the right, esp for bevel cuts on left-tilt saw. Any really long blanks/boards can pass through the CMS first, and on those rare occasions, I can pull the fence entirely for 8' capacity,

This is not an irrevocable step, of course, just wanted to draw on your expertise, which you kindly offerred.

[Josiah Bartlett]

I keep two miter gauges around- the one I use on the left side has a nice long fence on it, and the one I use for the right side has a shorter sacrificial fence on it that zero clearances to the blade. Its nice to have two miter gauges when you want to do a series of angled and 90 cuts but don't want to keep re-adjusting, or if you set up a stop block and don't want to remove it.

[Stephen Edwards]

I keep two miter gauges around- the one I use on the left side has a nice long fence on it, and the one I use for the right side has a shorter sacrificial fence on it that zero clearances to the blade. Its nice to have two miter gauges when you want to do a series of angled and 90 cuts but don't want to keep re-adjusting, or if you set up a stop block and don't want to remove it.

Good idea!

[Danny Burns]

Not all miter slots are parallel to each other, so I use the miter slot that I set-up to be parallel to the blade, all the time.