Calibrating Miter Gauge Woes?

[barryvabeach]

For 45 degree miters, the best method is a sled -  I built one like this, https://www.woodcraft.com/products/table...5oQAvD_BwE  , didn't use their plans, but lets you cut from either side which is quite helpful.  For setting your miter gauge, one trick I read about here was to use a digital angle gauge, like a Wixey  http://www.rockler.com/wixey-digital-ang...nAQAvD_BwE    - extremely accurate -  you set it to the table and zero it out, then set up you miter gauge so that the bar is handing down perpendicular to the table, and stick on the Wixey and you can set it very quickly to any angle you want.

[Steve N]

I'd suggest asking for either a Kreg, or an Osborne miter gauge and you could set it at 90, or 45 and it would do either perfectly, heck get wild, do a 33*

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

As far as I know, my blade is aligned to the slot, so utt should be the same, right?

Either way I'll double check it.

A sled just might be my best option here.

I have that same digital angle finder and use it every time i cut miters for my smaller boxes. Unfortunately the pieces I'm cutting now are too tall for that method; my blade needs to be 1/4" bigger!

Thanks, gents. I'll find a method above that works.

[CARYinWA]

Are you sure all 4 sides are exactly the same length? A slight difference will throw everything off. I had a 1000se and have a 1000hd. I never had an issue with any angle once the 90 was set. I have an incra 45 degree square to check.

[barryvabeach]

I have that same digital angle finder and use it every time i cut miters for my smaller boxes.  Unfortunately the pieces I'm cutting now are too tall for that method; my blade needs to be 1/4" bigger!



Sorry if I wasn't clear -  I am not using the digital angle finder to set the blade angle, or directly on the wood,  I am using it to set the miter gauge.    This is one method http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-...auge-setup ,  but not the one I use.  The method I use to is set the angle gauge to zero when it is sitting on the edge of the table.  Then i put the gauge upside down on the edge of the table in the same place, so the bar is hanging down below the table, and the face of the miter gauge is on the table right where I just zeroed out the Wixey, then set the Wivey on the bar of the miter gauge, and adjust the bar until the Wixey reads the angle I am shooting for.

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

Cary, they're all the same length. I used the stop on the 1000SE to ensure that and then checked them after.

Phil, now that I've had a chance to digest the idea, I now understand why it should be aligned with the slot and not the blade. Thanks.

Barry, I gotcha.

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

Okay, so say I build a miter sled. I've watched a few videos on YouTube, but none of them incorporate stops to ensure repeatability. If you're cutting one piece on one side of the blade and then the other piece on the other side to ensure a perfect 90* angle, how does one ensure the pieces are the same length?

Any tips on how to accomplish that goal?

[Steve N]

Okay, so say I build a miter sled.  I've watched a few videos on YouTube, but none of them incorporate stops to ensure repeatability.  If you're cutting one piece on one side of the blade and then the other piece on the other side to ensure a perfect 90* angle, how does one ensure the pieces are the same length?

Any tips on how to accomplish that goal?

Watch William Ng build the perfect sled. Follow exactly and you will have guaranteed accuracy, and thus repeatability. This is the kind of video you want to download to a laptop so you can bring it right into the shop, and rerun whatever you get to. It is a lot of very explicit instruction. If you can glom it up and know it perfectly I'll just call you Sir Cyborg.






Following this vid by Spagno he admits to making his at Williams school, same same, but different.

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

Neither of those videos address my question; I've already built that sled.

[Phil Thien]

The sleds I've seen for miters have a 90-degree angle for a rear fence, with adjustable stops on both sides. The begin to look like those bombers they call the flying wing.