Cut to final length, what tool?

[Michael Rutman]

I know the right answer is, “what tool do you own?” but I’ll ask anyway because I am redoing my workshop and splurging on better tools.

I have a Rigid miter saw because I didn’t know any better at the time. It is nice for some jobs but it has a good 1/8 inch deflection if I put any pressure left or right. I have a saw stop with Incra miter gauge and Incra sled. Needless to say, cutting four legs to size on table saw is going to be way more accurate so that’s what I thought was best. I think compared to a Rigid miter saw that answer is correct.

But what if we were talking about a Festool miter saw in a long station with cabinets beneath and stops to the left and right?

At that point would you cut to final length on the miter saw or still use the table saw? Would you use the table saw for short pieces and the miter for long? Would you say don’t use either, use the high end track saw?

I’d think the stationary nature of the miter saw would be best, but the Rigid kind of has me wary.

as always, thanks in advance for the excellent help I know I’ll be getting, and please feel free to give answers to my unasked questions.

[Frederick Skelly]

I have a Makita miter saw, with length stops on its home made fence. Most of the time, I use it to cut parts to length. It works well for me. Four legs will come out identically, or need just tiny adjustment with my shooting plane.

I have an Incra miter gauge and sled for the TS, for times I need it.

[Zachary Hoyt]

I have a DeWalt 12" miter saw which I use for cutting to length. It doesn't deflect from side to side, but the fence is not quite straight so the cuts are 1/4 or 1/2 a degree off and I often touch up the ends on the 12" disc sander. A new or less abused miter saw might have a straight fence and thus be more accurate. I bought this one heavily used in about 2010 and have dragged it all over the place building wheelchair ramps and used it to put up buildings here. I think they put the extra D in Ridgid so they could have plausible deniability when people complained that their machines are actually floppy.

[Robert Engel]

I have a Bosch axial glide I always do a check first for square and plumb.

A quality full kerf blade is a must and watch you’re ergonomics especially if sliding.

IMO some deflection is inherent in any slider the further out you go.

If I need dead nuts accuracy I use a sled.

[Gordon Stump]

I use a tricked out Craftsman Radial Arm Saw with a Forrest Chopmaster blade. It has an old American Engineering flipstop fence. For thick stuff I use an Hitachi miter saw with a 12" Forrest blade. It has the Phaedra flip stop fence as well.

[Michael Rutman]

I think they put the extra D in Ridgid so they could have plausible deniability when people complained that their machines are actually floppy.

Rereading my post, I think they put that extra D in there to annoy people asking questions due to spellcheck! Ridgid, we will find creative ways to be annoying

[Jim Becker]

What I use to cut to final length depends upon the material and the current length. Since I'm currently without a slider until I get a shop building up, my choices range from hand tools or battery powered saws through a miter saw or a sled on a cabinet saw. Whatever works for size and the required precision. A sled is the most precise in my current setup, but I get reasonably good cuts from the miter saw, too.

[Randall J Cox]

I have been using a single bevel 12" DeWalt chopsaw for years, dead on accurate, as long as you are careful with measurements, etc. Totally happy with it. Gave an older one to my son, bought a identical new one about 5 years ago, this one also dead on accurate. I see no diff between the two at all. Like they developed something that works, don't mess with the design. I also use a $100+ blade on it. Randy

[Rod Sheridan]

As I have a sliding table saw, the mitre saw is used outside for cutting fence boards and other such work.

All precision stuff is done on the sliding saw….Regards, Rod

[Derek Cohen]

Final cutting is a two part answer:

The first should be obvious: accurate marking out with a story stick or directly from other parts (checking with numbers is done but not as accurate).

The second is cutting to the line(s): either a slider (I added a micro adjuster to the crosscut fence for sneaking up) or a shooting board and handplane (where drawer fronts may not be square but need to fit exactly).

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Matt Day]

Shirt pieces table saw no question. Long pieces is usually track saw or table saw, depending on long. Glue up of long boards - used to use a router with a guide, now would use the track saw.

My RAS and miter saws have too much tear out for finish cuts.

[Darrell Bade]

I have a miter saw station with a Bosch Glide and 5' of fence on each side of the blade. Do 99% of my cut to length on it, occasionally use the table saw, I see no difference in finished product. Seems like I am the oddball using the slider but it and the table saw are set square and I cannot see any difference between the two.

[Rick Potter]

Any crosscuts less than 16 1/4" usually get cut on my DeWalt 7790 RAS, which is permanently locked at 90 degrees.

Sometimes on the MM sliding TS, but much quicker on the RAS. Mine cuts clean, with a zero clearance fence and replaceable table insert. Also has a 4' fence off to the left with sliding stop for repeatability.

[Carl Beckett]

I use the miter saw for 'construction' type work, when working outside or at a job/project site.

Otherwise rough cut to length with a battery circ saw

All final cuts on the table saw. (sled or otherwise)

If your shop has lots of excess room, then sure setup a miter station. I would likely gravitate to a used RAS in that case. If even a modest space constraint, I would not prioritize the miter saw as a station. Buy one that is portable and easy to store but pull out when you want it.

Just my thoughts, you have a lot of options that can work.

[ChrisA Edwards]

I didn't have a suitable wall that I could give up to a miter saw, so I made a portable solution.


I use a Dewalt 780 with a Forrest WWII Chop saw blade, gives the same quality cut as on my table saw.

My clamps for the Dewalt base.






Adjustable length for long pieces




When not in use


Cutting Plantation shutter louvers to length, about 600 in total. Here I'm cutting off a little snipe before cutting to length.