Miter saw accuracy, how much do you need?

I do not know, is it OK with you? You are the one that the saw has to please.

Fine for framing a house. Lousey for building a picture frame.

SNIP

There is probably an adjustment, even in an inexpensive saw. Nothing on adjusting in your user's manual?

Joe

That depends on what you're using it for. That's plenty close enough for rough framing, but it's nowhere nearly good enough for cabinetmaking.

Of course, that depends on how picky you are, too.

hi all: thanks much for the thoughts. i'm not going to be building cabinets with it; probably just cutting some trim for around windows in the shed outback and like that.

i understand the sentiment behind "well, is it good enuf for you? you're the one who's going to use it." at the same time, having never used a miter saw before, i'm not sure of the implications of such a seemingly small amount of inaccuracy; for all i know, it could be huge. and by the time i figure that out, if such is the case, then it'll be too late for me to return the thing. which is why i came here with my question, to see if my betters could tell me what the implications are for general around the house type work; i.e. no real super fine detail work expected.

also: you can adjust it but what you see in the pix is as good as the adjustment gets.

thanks again!

I can see one of the allen head screws for loosening the fence in the second picture. Pretty much the same arrangement as my Bosch.

When I set mine up I first tried squaring to the blade, and that was just awkward. I gave that up and instead started making test cuts on a board with a freshly jointed edge against the fence. Much easier to check the board for square than the blade.

You shouldn't have much trouble getting it square. The question is once it is square and you move it to some other angle and then back again, is it still square.

-Leuf

Enough to get a few jobs out of before you toss it.

Assuming the fence is straight, the bolts look off center. Return, or bore out until you can get the fence aligned. My PC 10" had the same problem.

OK, make some test cuts "now". The results will be immediate and you should be able to decide if they are acceptable. For rough framing it is probably OK, for tight joints, not OK.

That is good sense. Vibration in the blade and flex in the mechanism may put the apparent inaccuracy in the fence into a bit of perspective.

tim W

Are you sure what your using between the rule and the blade is not against one of the teeth?You may also want to check that the rule is square on the end. As some one else has said you should make a few test cuts first. Also should move it to the 45 deg mark and back a few times to see if it stays square.

Jim

With that in mind, I'll add that my miter saw gets 95% of it's use cutting rough hardwoods to length in the shop. The only precision cuts I use it for are outside the shop, doing on-site finishing. All of my cuts that count, in the shop, are done on my table saw. I don't even keep it set up in the shop, pulling it out when I need it.

Be aware that most miter saws will still require another $75 to $150 for a top notch blade, and possibly shop-made zero clearance inserts and fence linings, for furniture or stain grade finish work results.

Put your straightedge across the fence and check that both sides of the fence are in the same plane. I had a Record mitre saw on which the fence was curved. I could get one side or the other at 90 degrees to the blade, but never both sides at the same time.