Accuracy of Compound Mitre Saws

[Wally]

I also purchased the Porter-Cable 3802L after an extensive research for accuracy in miter saws. Even though a lot of people are thinking that a sliding 10" miter saw is usually very accurate (Makita LS1013 or the Hitachi's), a fixed 12" miter saw is even more accurate. And it's not me who claims it but Mr. John White in his book "Care and Repair of Shop Machines" at page 180in the upper left corner.

Book link:

you need the 12" cutting capacity that a sliding miter saw provides, you will be a lot more satisfied with a high quality 12" regular miter saw as for accuracy.

Wally

[J T]

Sun, Jul 4, 2004, 5:47pm (EDT+4) [e-mail] says: JOAT, I've seen examples of your woodworking 'skills' and I can't imagine that you would ever need one. Bought or otherwise.

ROTFLMAO You don't actually think you've seen everything I've made, do you? But, as at happens, I do have a saw sled. That I made. It works quite well too, accurate. Perhaps you saw pictures. The one with the thick base, and 2X4s, all painted yellow, with lightning bolts on it. LOL I think that's the 3d I made. I'll eventually replace it, but it's still accurate, so no rush. I'm not half as bothered by it's looks as a lot of people were. You don't think those lightning bolts were for me, do you? LMAO I decided not to paint the next one, because I changed this one so much, and the paint made gluing a bit trying.

I'm fairly sure I never posted any shots of my wooden cam clamps, or turned mallets, especially the ones with the homemade oil finish (from my cooking oil finish experiments) - those are actually pretty. Probably won't. In truth tho, neither actually take much "skill", anybody could dupe them, but they do look nice - and work great. There's links for cam clamp making in the archives, but, if not, a quick google should turn some up.

If I wasn't having fun woodworking, I wouldn't do it.

JOAT Just because it's not nice doesn't mean it's not miraculous.

- Interesting Times

[patriarch]

Wes wrote in news: [e-mail]:

I've got the 705. Spent $50 on the DeWalt 80T blade, and it got much better. Kept the old blade for the tubafors, etc.

Anything for really fine work gets done on the tablesaw, but the CMS gets used for almost every shop session and project. Money well spent.

Patriarch

[SamintheShop]

Just giving you a little stick JOAT. I also woodwork to the tune of my own drummer. Some of my best efforts were made from my neighbors firewood pile.

I once stained a game board with an iron, a wet pair of new jeans, and a bingo dabber.

I agree 100%.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

We have a lot in common. A lot of my efforts have ended up on the firewood pile. Ed

[Edwin Pawlowski]

"patriarch

I had my original blade re-sharpened by Ridge Carbide Tool. Cuts better now than when it was new. I also planed on upgrading, but the sharpening was enough for me. Ed

[Rumpty]

almost exclusively for cabinet type work where absolute accuracy is essential.

Then you need a good used DeWalt RAS!

[Mark L.]

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Mequite is a good looking wood. Probably should try a project with it.

Did a chicken yesterday with cherry. Oak is nice with beef.

I give away the softwood scraps by setting it out by the curb with a "Free Kindling" sign, but the hardwoods get put to good use. Ed [e-mail]

[Swingman]

Likewise ... did chicken, pork loin, brisket and sausage in the big smoker yesterday with mesquite. Today I don't even want to smell/taste smoke of any kind.

[Stephen M]

My 2 cents:

A CMS is great when you want to crosscut long stock that would be too awkward to cut on the TS (like baseboard trim)

For stock < 4' I think a good sled (preferably a couple special-purpose ones) can work just as well and can be built for next to nothing. I would start there.

-Steve

[GerryG]

As I just bought one, was curious to read through the thread and see if anybody said more than good/bad. If so, I missed it. I'm also not sure where your cabinet work needs _that_ much accuracy. Further, you've got three different angles to check, and you typically don't need the same accuracy in each. You do, of course, need repeatability, and sometimes that's more important.

Checking my new one, it came in off 6mils/inch from square to the base, and adjusted +/-2mils/inch (inc. blade flatness). You won't get much better than that, and the real question there is repeatability after much use.

As for the bevel angle when tilting, forget accuracy as you can't even read the little marks well enough, and angle blocks are the way to go.

Watch especially instead for comments like Dave's (thanks, DaveHinz) on the Makita slider and the pivot wear. Repeatability and wear are the real issues.

Finally, if you insist on accuracy, get a TsAligner or dial indicator, precision angle blocks and squares. But that's rarely needed unless you're doing wooden machinery.

GerryG

[J T]

Sun, Jul 4, 2004, 10:54pm (EDT+4) [e-mail] claims: Some of my best efforts were made from my neighbors firewood pile.

Any pictures you may have seen of my stuff was of the quality stuff. One day maybe I'll post some pictures of some of the ugly stuff.

Best start stealing from all the neighbors, so he won't gett suspicious.

JOAT Just because it's not nice doesn't mean it's not miraculous.

- Interesting Times

[Mark]

I have one also.

I didn't do much research, I just looked how the saw and it's competition were built.

[patriarch]

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in news:tu4Gc.453$ [e-mail]:

I need to take a few blades over to my local service this week. We spent most of the week ripping up the old subfloor (pet problems), and (the most dangerous words a homeowner can speak) 'while we're at it', stiffening the floor joist systems in the living and family rooms. The table saw blade I used needs sharpening, and the CMS blades could almost certainly use a tune up. I'm thinking that the framing saw blade is disposable.

All this work, and only one new tool - a reciprocating saw. But today, my wife said the magic words: "all those tools certainly came in handy. I hate to think what we would have had to pay a contractor to do all of that." Friends, there may be a new jointer in my near future...

Patriarch

[Wes]

| Friends, there may be a new jointer in my near future...

We live in hope.