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08-02-2023, 10:43 AM
(This post was last modified: 08-02-2023, 11:59 AM by lscraig.)
Hi All:
Haven't posted to Woodnet in a while, but I have a general power tool question:
I have a 10 year old Hitachi miter saw. Lately the preset angles don't seem to cut straight. Like the 45deg preset cuts more like 44 deg. So I take it all apart and clean it, re-square the blade to both fences. It cuts true for a few cuts then the whole process starts over. It cuts true enough for rough framing, but not for wood working. My first saw was a 1994 vintage Craftsman 12" direct drive miter saw that cut true and straight til the motor finally burned up. This Hitachi replaced that original saw. I have never been truly impressed with this Hitachi saw.
Maybe time for an upgrade?
Thoughts?
Thank You,
Shawn Craig
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"I used to know a lot of things before I lost my mind." Sylvia Stoner 1993
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I have a fairly new Hitachi slider. There's a little slop in the miter lock slots, about 1/4*. I've started pushing gently against the miter locking knob at the end of the arm to remove any slop, locking the arm then adjusting the fence to be as square as I can manage. Some say that miter saws, especially sliding miter saws are not accurate and repeatable enough for furniture work. I was able to get accurate repeatable results but I haven't used this saw much at all to know how it holds its settings with use.
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(08-03-2023, 09:33 AM)kurt18947 Wrote: I have a fairly new Hitachi slider. There's a little slop in the miter lock slots, about 1/4*. I've started pushing gently against the miter locking knob at the end of the arm to remove any slop, locking the arm then adjusting the fence to be as square as I can manage. Some say that miter saws, especially sliding miter saws are not accurate and repeatable enough for furniture work. I was able to get accurate repeatable results but I haven't used this saw much at all to know how it holds its settings with use.
Thanks. I will look at it. Mine is not a slider. The couple slider's I've used are great for straight cuts, miters are little tricky because they seem to move the piece being cut if you are not holding on really tight.
Thank You,
Shawn Craig
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"I used to know a lot of things before I lost my mind." Sylvia Stoner 1993
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A common complaint on several brands of miter saws is that the factory miter detents get widened with use. I think some Hitachi's are in that group but can't say with any certainty. Perhaps your first few cuts are good because the lock holds it in place but gradually loosens until the table shifts left or right. I would compare the width of the miter detents with the piece that fits into it. If the slots are wider then you'll know that's the problem. No clue how to fix it if that's the problem. Maybe don't bother and turn your attention to a new saw.
John
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(08-03-2023, 12:20 PM)lscraig Wrote: Thanks. I will look at it. Mine is not a slider. The couple slider's I've used are great for straight cuts, miters are little tricky because they seem to move the piece being cut if you are not holding on really tight.
That's probably why they include a clamp to clamp one side of the work piece. I don't generally use it because I mostly cut fussy miters on the table saw.
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I think you've discovered what some of us get criticized for saying - that miter saws are intended for trim work and are not up to the standards some people assume. And I think if more people actually checked what their saws are doing, they would have similar results to what you've got. IMO some of it is the inherent inaccuracy cause by the sliding mechanism (yes, even Festool), and some by slop in the indexing mechanism. I know this was the problem with my Bosch.
When I build cabinet doors, and I want a dead on accurate 90° rail, I use a table saw sled. I sold my Bosch axial glide b/c it was so inconsistent I could never totally depend on it -- not for cabinet doors or table aprons any way!
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08-10-2023, 12:07 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-10-2023, 12:09 PM by srv52761.)
Whether the saw has slop may not be an issue. Maybe you can use the technique many users of cheaper radial arm saws have employed and advocated by Jon Eakes in his book.
If anything has worn it will always be worn, but the wear is always in the same place. Take some scrap, When you are about to make a 90° cut apply slight pressure to your left or right then make your cut. Check the board, say 91°. Adjust your fence to this. Another test cut with slight pressure in the same direction, should be spot on.
Some cheaper RAS had slop, back and forth. But the sideways pressure always hit the limit of the slop and always in the same direction.
