Levelling a Miter saw--any slick ideas?

[Jameel Abraham]

I'm finishing up a new miter saw (SCMS) station, with the miter saw recessed to be flush with the surface, but I'll be darned if I can't figure out a slick way of getting it nice and level with the top of my bench.

I was hoping to use some leveling feet on the saw, but the handle in front interferes with the bolt holes (its right over it in the right 60 degree position, so no clearance), so that's out.

I want to be able to secure the saw in place so it stays put, so the leveling feet idea isn't that great. I won't be removing the saw hardly ever.

I'm having a bit of brain drain lately so I'd appreciate some ideas. :o

[david hines]

try the wide cedar shims from the borg. it worked for me

[Jim O'Dell]

Why not mount the adjustable feet to the shelf the saw is on? Using T-nuts in the bottom of the shelf. You'd have to make wider cleats for the feet to sit on, but that shouldn't be a big problem. I think I'd add some stringers under the shelf also to beef it up. It might sag some with the weight of the saw. Jim.

[John Bartley]

How about a double thickness shelf? Fasten the saw to the upper shelf board and put the leveling screws between the top and bottom shelf boards.

Leveling would be a cinch with only three leveling screws, one at each side in the front and one in the centre at the rear. To level, you would adjust the front screws for height and side to side level, then simply adjust the rear screw for height.

That's my brainwave for the evening ... :)

cheers

EDIT :: I think Jim beat me to it ... great minds eh :)

[Bill Huber]

It looks like you could at this point still change the shelf the saw is setting on.

So if you made the shelf a little lower and then added another piece of wood on top of it. then have leveling screws come up from the bottom you could level it all you wanted.

Its a thought....

[Dave Watkins]

I have the same kind of setup. I just measured from the top of my saw table to the base (3.5"). Then I measured that distance from the top of the side benches and scribed the line across with a combo square set at 3.5". That establishes the height the support table needs to be. Then took a scrap the width of the support table, held that flush with the horizontal scribed line and draw a line on the bottom. There is the height the top of the support cleat needs to be. Bolted it in. Assumed I'd have to mess with shims but it was dead on flush. Shocked but pleased. If anything err on the side of putting it too low so you can shim up with paper or aluminum.

Good luck,

Dave

[Doug Shepard]

Why not mount the adjustable feet to the shelf the saw is on? Using T-nuts in the bottom of the shelf. You'd have to make wider cleats for the feet to sit on, but that shouldn't be a big problem. I think I'd add some stringers under the shelf also to beef it up. It might sag some with the weight of the saw. Jim.

I'm thinking along the same lines but with T-nuts through the wider cleats instead and the leveling feet (or even just large sets screws) pushing up on the shelf.

[Jim O'Dell]

Another thought, use bolts or carriage bolts with nuts under the shelf, and nuts on either side of a wider cleat. These could be adjusted to level and flush up the saw, but keep the shelf stationary where it couldn't walk. Jim.

[Steve Leverich]

Jeez, at least two people stole my idea while I was sketching it out - oh well, great minds, same track, yada yada... :D Steve

[Walt Nicholson]

Remove the shelf and the supports that are on both sides. Mount the saw permanently to the shelf (screws,bolts, whatever works). Re-install the shelf with L shaped metal shelf brackets that have slots in them instead of screw holes. Put the shelf in place (with the help from someone to hold it) and loosely install screws to hold it in place. Level the saw exactly with your bench top and tighten all the screws. Quick and fairly cheap.

[Jameel Abraham]

Wow!!! You guys are the tops! I can't believe what great ideas you all have. I'm off to Menards in the morning to pick up some hardware, then I'll get back to you all.

[Jim Kountz]

Simply take those 3/4x3/4 cleats off the shelf and replace with some that are say about 3/4x2 or more. Elongate some holes in the cleats and reattach everything just as you have it now the only difference being now you have some adjustment with the mounting holes. You dont need alot of elaborate hardware and mechanisms to do this. But you can if you want!!

[Jameel Abraham]

Thanks again for the great ideas everybody. Worked like a charm.

[Ben Grunow]

I know this thread is done (and well at that) but most saws come with rubber feet that have some squish factor. I made my shelf for my saw about 1/32" shorter than the height of the saw and simply screwed it down to the right height (compressing the feet about 1/32") which made the saw very steady and was quick and cheap.

[glenn bradley]

I would concentrate my efforts on leveling the shelf it sits on rather than leveling the saw. Shims, allthread, tape, whatever. That way no modifications to the saw and the problems of . . . oops. I just noticed you already got it. Great job!

[Derek Arita]

Maybe I'm not seeing something here, but why not just trim the bolt on the leveling foot so that it clears the saw?