Cutting 53 Degrees on a miter saw

[Bob Weisner]

How do you cut a moulding 53 degrees when the conpound mitersaw cuts only 45 degrees?

[tod evans]

bob, my milwaukee slider goes to 59deg.....but using a 90deg fence clamped down to the table then cutting at 8deg will work too.....02 tod

[Don Baer]

:D flip it over and cut at 37 degrees...

[Charles McCracken]

How do you cut a moulding 53 degrees when the conpound mitersaw cuts only 45 degrees?
Be very careful, any of these suggestions could be dangerous.

[Mike Cutler]

On your compound miter saw cut two piece of material, approximately the width of the material you are using, to 45 degrees.
Clamp these pieces of material to the saw. They should form a "V" at the blade. You have now moved the point of reference 45 degrees. If you were to cradle a piece of material in this "V" and had the blade at 0 degrees, you would be cutting 45 degree angles now.
Move the blade 8 degreesto the right.
Put the material to be cut to 53 degrees in the "V" from the left ensuring that contact is made with both of the sides of the "V". The cut should now be 53 degrees.
Be sure to mark a test piece with the correct angle to visually make sure it is correct.
It sounds complicated but it isn't. It is also very safe.

[Lee DeRaud]

On your compound miter saw cut two piece of material, approximately the width of the material you are using, to 45 degrees.
Clamp these pieces of material to the saw. They should form a "V" at the blade. You have now moved the point of reference 45 degrees. If you were to cradle a piece of material in this "V" and had the blade at 0 degrees, you would be cutting 45 degree angles now.
Move the blade 8 degrees to the right.
Put the material to be cut to 53 degrees in the "V" from the left ensuring that contact is made with both of the sides of the "V". The cut should now be 53 degrees.
Be sure to mark a test piece with the correct angle to visually make sure it is correct.
It sounds complicated but it isn't. It is also very safe.I think you mean "to the left" where I high-lighted above: what you describe is a 37-degree cut.

[Charles McCracken]

It sounds complicated but it isn't. It is also very safe.
Mike,

No offense intended, but what you describe causes the material to be sticking out from the saw toward the operator at a 45° angle with very little support and no real way to clamp it. While this method could certainly be used to obtain the desired angle I wouldn't characterize it as "very safe".

[Richard Wolf]

bob, my milwaukee slider goes to 59deg.....but using a 90deg fence clamped down to the table then cutting at 8deg will work too.....02 tod

tods got the right idea, but the math is wrong. You must set the saw to 37 degrees if you are using a 90 degree fence.

Richard

[Mike Cutler]

Mike,

No offense intended, but what you describe causes the material to be sticking out from the saw toward the operator at a 45° angle with very little support and no real way to clamp it. While this method could certainly be used to obtain the desired angle I wouldn't characterize it as "very safe".

Charles. I agree, if the pieces are long and wide. maybe I misunderstood though.
I was thinking of 1 1/2" -3" molding, or trim. That is relatively lite. If it is too heavy, than you are correct, and some form of a support will be needed. I always try to support both the waste piece and the material piece in any cut or operation. I may have assumed that everyone else does also. I apologize for that assumption
The "V" cradle assists by providing an aux fence, if you will. To hold things against. A clamping mechanism can be made also.
I only know this because the second use of my Dewalt 705, 12 years ago was to cut Tile crown molding from Italy that was $26.00 per 8" piece. and I needed to do the exact same angles. The first use was to cut custom aluminium trim for a shower enclosure. ( Tip. If you cut tile with your miter saw, you have a lengthy disassembly and cleaning job in front of you. :eek:

Lee. Unless I'm mistaken. the waste piece should have the 37 deg angle and the material piece in my left hand should be 53 degrees.Referenced to the 45 degree angle that is on my left as a I face the saw. I'll go out to the shop and make sure.

Here are som pics of the setup I was suggesting. I am using my hand to support the material piece in these pictures. I am very comfortable with a miter. However, if you are not, a $6.00 hold down clamp can be attached to the reference piece to my left to apply downward pressure on the material piece. Removing my left hand entirely from the picture. Personal decision.

Lee. If I am all hosed up with my angles let me know, or if this wouldn't work.
What's the saying. "A picture is worth a thousand words".

PS. I know that the cut isn't exactly 53 degrees, but it's 34 deg. F in the shop right now. I'd taken more time if it was warmer:D . No jokes from the Maine fella's either;)

[Lee DeRaud]

Lee. Unless I'm mistaken. the waste piece should have the 37 deg angle and the material piece in my left hand should be 53 degrees.Referenced to the 45 degree angle that is on my left as a I face the saw. I'll go out to the shop and make sure.

Lee. If I am all hosed up with my angles let me know, or if this wouldn't work.
What's the saying. "A picture is worth a thousand words".Naw, it's just that, in Mitersawland, angles are actually deviations from 90. If you have a 45-deg jig/fence/whatever, feed the stock in from the left, and then swing the saw to the right, your angles get smaller, not bigger: by the time the saw is over to the righthand 45-deg stop, you're cutting square to the stock (90 degrees in geometrical measurement, but "0" in saw-speak). You don't need the aux fence to cut those angles: any CMS in the world will make the cut you have pictured.

If you need a sharper angle (like "53 degrees", which I agree is 37 degrees if you measure the cut piece with a protractor), you need to swing the blade to the left, i.e. more parallel to the stock.

[Mike Cutler]

Naw, it's just that, in Mitersawland, angles are actually deviations from 90. If you have a 45-deg jig/fence/whatever, feed the stock in from the left, and then swing the saw to the right, your angles get smaller, not bigger: by the time the saw is over to the righthand 45-deg stop, you're cutting square to the stock (90 degrees in geometrical measurement, but "0" in saw-speak). You don't need the aux fence to cut those angles: any CMS in the world will make the cut you have pictured.


Uh oh. I see my misunderstanding. I was starting at zero. The material either needs to enter from the right, or(drumroll please). The blade has to move to the left , 8 deg. from the 90 deg.

Hopefully I now have the saw positioned correctly in these pics. The second pic shows the cut on the saw with the blade at a little more than 45 deg.

[Lee DeRaud]

Uh oh. I see my misunderstanding. I was starting at zero. The material either needs to enter from the right, or(drumroll please). The blade has to move to the left , 8 deg. from the 90 deg.

Hopefully I now have the saw positioned correctly in these pics. The second pic shows the cut on the saw with the blade at a little more than 45 deg.You have learned well, Grasshopper.:D :cool: